Things to do in Oxford this Christmas

The jingle of sleigh bells might still be a few weeks away, but we’ve still been busy making festive preparations here at City Sightseeing Oxford headquarters. One of our open-top buses has been given a glittering seasonal makeover, ready to spread joy across Oxfordshire as the Christmas Light Bus. We’ve even had a chat with our friends at the North Pole about releasing a few elves early to join our up-and-coming Elf Trail, just one of many fun things that you can get involved with before Christmas.

Join us as we explore a sleighful of seasonal ideas: from our very own Light Bus and Elf Trail to festive music events, opportunities to craft or wander magical markets, hunt for elves, and even meet the jolly, red-suited fellow himself on one of our twinkling buses.

Best of all, every activity is accessible by bus, making it easy to get to, with or without the kids in tow. Gather your family or friends, wrap up warm, and get ready to plan your next pre-Christmas adventure!

Music and movies

If you love the traditional trappings of Christmas, take your loved ones to Christchurch Cathedral, which is presenting an uplifting programme of festive music and carols, including a Family Christmas Concert, Christmas at Christchurch, and Nine Lessons and Carols services in the days immediately preceding Christmas. 

For a smaller but equally atmospheric experience, Jericho’s very own Basilica, St Barnabas is hosting an evening of champagne, canapés, and carols by candlelight for The Mulberry Bush Carol Service on Tuesday, 4th December. 

And for those who can’t resist a Christmas movie soundtrack, then don’t miss The Christmas Orchestra, a travelling chamber ensemble, will unwrap nostalgic classics from festive films, accompanied by a gorgeous lighting show. They’ll be performing two concerts on 30th November at Oxford Town Hall. Tickets can be purchased online. 

Just down the road, London Concertante will carry the magic forward with its own cinematic winter wonderland, performing Christmas at the Movies by Candlelight on Thursday 11th December.  And if opera is more your thing, they’ll be performing A Night at the Opera on Friday 21st November. And don’t worry if you don’t know your Nessun Dorma from your Habanera; the programme is designed to make everyone feel welcome. 

Handel’s The Messiah is a real staple of the Christmas music calendar, and the locally celebrated Orchestra of St John’s performs it every year like clockwork. You can catch this year’s rendition of the famous oratorio at the Jacqueline du Pré building on Sunday, 21st December, with tickets available to book online. 

If you fancy having yourself a jazzy little Christmas instead, St Peter’s Wallingford will be hosting an evening of jazz-infused Christmas classics pianist-singer Jennie Beard and saxophonist Simeon Lord.  

Still in Wallingford, The Corn Exchange will be hosting a live screening of Andre Rieu’s 2025 Christmas Concert. Expect joyful carols, waltzes, opulent ballgowns, classic tailcoats, and enough lavish spectacle to make The Royal Variety Performance look pretty understated. 

In Dorchester-on-Thames, The Central Band of the Royal Air Force will be playing an evening of festive music in the magnificent setting of Dorchester Abbey. We love that it’s for a good cause too, donations for each booking will go towards the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund. 

Public transport: The Christmas suggestions above are within walking distance from Oxford’s city centre, served by many Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel services, except for Dorchester Abbey with the closest bus stop being the Dorchester Bypass stop and Wallingford Corn Exchange and St Peter’s Church located near the Wallingford Market Place bus stop, served by Thames Travel.

Journey planner to Oxford city centre: Click here, enter your start point and destination, and your best bus route will be shown automatically.

Journey planner to Wallingford: Click here, enter your start point and destination, and your best bus route will be shown automatically.

Journey planner to Dorchester-on-Thames: Click here, enter your start point and destination, and your best bus route will be shown automatically.

Trails and tours

Animal lovers in the family? On 8th December, families are invited to join the A Little Look at Winter Animals tour at the Museum of Natural History, a gentle guided wander exploring how different animals cosy up for the colder months. And we couldn’t fail to mention that right next door, the Pitt Rivers Museum will be rolling out its own frosty welcome with its Winter Family Trail, where hidden snowflakes sparkle among the exhibits and snowy treasures await discovery. No booking required, just bring a sense of adventure.

For something a little different, our very own Oxford Elf Trail could be just the ticket for keeping the little folk busy. Armed with elf trackers, they’ll hunt down five cheeky elves hiding across the city and solve festive riddles to win treats. The trail kicks off on Thursday, 18th December and is open to any family booking one of our open-top bus tours.

If you’ve always admired Christchurch College from the outside, but wouldn’t mind a nosey behind closed doors, you can book a lantern-led tour through the college and cathedral which includes a Christmas Tree trail. Tickets cost £30 per head, or £110 for a Friends and Family bundle. Suitable for ages 11+.

And if you’re looking to escape the busy city centre, why not explore Cutteslowe Park by twinkling light on Saturday, 15th November? Expect glowing lanterns, live music, crafting opportunities, and even a chance to snap a selfie with a giant Santa. No booking required, and admission is free.

Journey planner to Oxford city centre: Click here, enter your start point and destination, and your best bus route will be shown automatically.

Journey planner to Cutteslowe Park: Click here, enter your start point and destination, and your best bus route will be shown automatically.

Arts and crafts 

Crafty fun awaits at the Oxford Botanic Garden’s Christmas Fair on Saturday 6^th and Sunday 7^th December, where music, trails, and artisan stalls come together for a joyful celebration of seasonal creativity. Early bird tickets are already selling fast, so make sure you book your spot before they disappear quicker than a steaming mug of Glühwein. 

If you fancy venturing a little further afield, The Maker Space in Nuffield is offering something a little different: mosaic Christmas wreath workshops. That’s right: not your average pine-and-ribbon affair, but a chance to create a sparkling, tile-covered masterpiece to hang proudly on your door. They also have a crafty shop on site and a café selling hot and cold drinks, tasty snacks and cake. 

Kidlets will love Oxford Castle’s Santa’s Teddy Bear Workshop, where they can help some cheerful elves (a bit of a recurring theme here!) in a magical bear-building session. The workshop runs on select dates between 19th November and 23rd December and includes adopting a bear, meeting Father Christmas, and finding out whether they’ve made the nice or naughty list! 

And if you haven’t had your fill of elves yet, Millets Farm is hosting its own Elves’ Workshop from 21st to 23rd December, where children can stuff their very own snowman to take home. The adventure continues with a visit to the story room for an interactive festive tale. 

Public transport: The Christmas suggestions above are within walking distance from Oxford’s city centre, served by many Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel services, except for Millet’s Farm, which is next to the Millets Farm Frilford bus stop, served by the X15 bus, and The Maker Space, which is served by the Nuffield Place bus stop, served by the 33 bus.  

Journey planner to Oxford Botanic Garden: Click here, enter your start point and destination, and your best bus route will be shown automatically.

Journey planner to Oxford Castle and Prison: Click here, enter your start point and destination, and your best bus route will be shown automatically.

Journey planner to The Maker Space: Click here, enter your start point and destination, and your best bus route will be shown automatically.

Journey planner to Millets Farm: Click here, enter your start point and destination, and your best bus route will be shown automatically.

Christmas markets and shopping

For a Christmas market in an unusual setting, try Sunnyhill Vineyard’s festive fair on Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th December, featuring local crafters, producers, and artisans. Plus, there’s a chance to sample some of their homegrown bubbly. Don’t mind if we do! 

We’re not sure how he fits it all in, but Father Christmas will be heading down to Bishop’s Court Farm in Dorchester-on-Thames on Saturday 13th December for their annual Christmas Fayre. There’ll be opportunities to book a slot with Santa, meet some alpacas (Rudolph’s slightly hairier cousins), sing along with a brass band (don’t be shy), and fill your boots with festive food and crafts. 

Back in Oxford, the Oxford City Christmas Market will be taking place from 22nd November to 31st December. Expect twinkling lights, churros, and festive music galore. Plus, you can take stock of your newly purchased goodies at the Après Ski Bar while quaffing a well-deserved beverage. 

Meanwhile, if you fancy snapping up your pretzels, chestnuts and Glühwein somewhere new this year, our friends at Pearces will be running several trips aboard their cosy coaches to Bath, Cardiff, Birmingham and Winchester. Dates run from November through December with pickups from Oxford, Abingdon and Didcot. Places must be booked on their website. 

Public transport: The Christmas suggestions above are within walking distance from Oxford’s city centre, served by many Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel services, except for Sunnyhill Vineyard which is near Horspath, The Green bus stop, served by the 46 bus, and Bishop’s Court Farm which is near the Dorchester Bypass bus stop, served by the 33 bus.

Journey planner to Oxford city centre: Click here, enter your start point and destination, and your best bus route will be shown automatically.

Journey planner to Sunnyhill Vineyard: Click here, enter your start point and destination, and your best bus route will be shown automatically.

Journey planner to Dorchester-on-Thames: Click here, enter your start point and destination, and your best bus route will be shown automatically.

Plays, ballets and pantos

Given that it’s something we often ask ourselves when planning to invite him aboard our Christmas Light Bus, we’re rather taken with the sound of Where’s Father Christmas? at the Oxford Playhouse. Aimed at introducing the littlest members of the family to the magic of theatre, it’s packed with festive stories, music, and activities, and maybe even a glimpse of the big man himself. The show runs from 3rd to 28th December, but hurry, tickets are going faster than a plate of mince pies left with Santa for safekeeping. 

Also at The Playhouse, Dick Whittington will be making an appearance. Oh, yes, he will! Aimed at 5- to 105-year-olds (so, hopefully that’s most of us), our hero’s mission is to make Britannia great again! But will it happen in this magical mix of friendship, 90s cool, Britpop, and a bus? All aboard to find out! 

The Northwall invites you step into a world of twinkling lights, ticking clocks, and toys, in a brand-new take on a much-loved ballet classic, except this time there will be decidedly less ballet, but oodles of wonder, mischief, and a cracking script.  The Nutcracker runs from 29th November 2025 to 3rd January 2026. Tickets from £15. 

Meanwhile the live screening of the original Nutcracker can be seen at Wallingford’s Corn Exchange, performed in all its gravity-defying brilliance by the members of the Royal Ballet. The ballet will be performed on Wednesday, 10^th December and Tuesday 23^rd December at 19:15. Tickets cost £18 adults, £15 senior and £10 children. 

Public transport: The Christmas suggestions above are within walking distance from Oxford’s city centre, served by many Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel services, except for The Northwall which is near the South Parade bus stop, served by the 6 and 300 buses, and Wallingford Corn Exchange located near the Wallingford Market Place bus stop, served by Thames Travel.

Journey planner to Oxford city centre: Click here, enter your start point and destination, and your best bus route will be shown automatically.

Journey planner to The Northwall: Click here, enter your start point and destination, and your best bus route will be shown automatically.

Journey planner to Wallingford: Click here, enter your start point and destination, and your best bus route will be shown automatically.

Out and about

Didcot Railway Centre will be running its Steam into Christmas event and there’s a festive mystery to solve! Santa’s reindeer have escaped, and he’ll need your help to find them before Christmas Eve. Are you ready? The event runs across the weekends of 6th to 7th, 13^th to 14th, and 20^th to 23rd December. 

Nearby, Cholsey and Wallingford Railway reminds us that Christmas isn’t just for the kidlets. On Saturday 6th December, they’re hosting a Christmas Wine Train from Wallingford to Cholsey, featuring six wines, a fine sherry, and mince pies along the way. Cheers! 

Don’t miss the Christmas Light switch-ons in Oxfordshire throughout November, including in Abingdon on 29th November, Kidlington on 27th November, and Thame on 28th November.  Or for a Dickensian twist, head to Wantage on 26th December for a Christmas fayre inspired by the author himself, so grab your frilly bonnet or top hat and plenty of great expectations. 

And finally, how about a red glittery bus that travels the city? This December, the streets of Oxford and beyond will be lit up by our very own sparkly Christmas Light Bus, complete with friendly elves and a soundtrack of festive classics. The bus will be on the road on the 12th, 13th, 19th, and 20th December. And rumour has it, it’s Father Christmas’s second-favourite mode of transport after the sleigh… 

Public transport: With outdoor festive fun spread across Oxfordshire, we want to make it easier to plan your journey. Just use the links below to find the best bus routes from your starting point.

Journey planner to Oxford city centre: Click here, enter your start point and destination, and your best bus route will be shown automatically.

Journey planner to Didcot Railway Centre: Click here, enter your start point and destination, and your best bus route will be shown automatically.

Journey planner to Cholsey and Wallingford Railway: Click here, enter your start point and destination, and your best bus route will be shown automatically.

Journey planner to Abingdon: Click here, enter your start point and destination, and your best bus route will be shown automatically.

Journey planner to Kidlington Click here, enter your start point and destination, and your best bus route will be shown automatically.

Journey planner to Thame: Click here, enter your start point and destination, and your best bus route will be shown automatically.

Getting to Oxford

Oxford is well connected by road and rail to major cities, including London. For the most convenient and eco-friendly travel, we highly recommend using the various bus services. The Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel operate high-frequency services throughout Oxford and to surrounding areas such as Abingdon, Didcot, Wheatley, Wallingford, Wantage, Thame, and Reading. If travelling from London, the Oxford Tube offers frequent connections to central London. Additionally, the Oxford airline coach service provides daily connections from Heathrow and Gatwick airports, as well as High Wycombe.

For those who prefer driving, please note that parking options in Oxford City Centre are limited. Therefore, using one of the four Park&Ride car parks is a convenient option to get into the city centre easily and quickly.

Plan your journey: www.citysightseeingoxford.com/getting-to-oxford.