Fairytale Farm near Chipping Norton runs Christmas with the Clauses from 21 November to 24 December. A child with a gift is £25.99 and an adult £18.99.
Christmas with the Clauses opens at Fairytale Farm, Southcombe, near Chipping Norton, on Saturday 21 November and runs on selected dates to Christmas Eve. Families follow an elf guide through a live adventure made with TaleGate Theatre Productions, then have a private visit to Father Christmas in his grotto.
Overview
- Where: Fairytale Farm, Southcombe, Chipping Norton, OX7 5QH.
- When: selected dates from Saturday 21 November to Thursday 24 December.
- Tickets: £25.99 for a child with a gift, £18.99 for an adult, senior or older child without a gift, plus a 50p booking fee on each paid ticket.
- Booking: online only, for a set start time at Elf Check-In.
- Allow: about three hours for the whole visit, the farm suggests.
What happens on the visit
The farm says it has “completely reimagined” its Christmas visit for 2026. In the new story, the Cheer-O-Meter at Christmas HQ is running low and Santa needs help to be ready for Christmas Eve. Nick Laister, who owns Fairytale Farm, described the route families take:
“Families follow an elf guide into Christmas HQ, where the Cheer-O-Meter is running low and Santa needs their help to get ready for Christmas Eve. Along the way, they join in with live characters, help Mrs Claus prepare her reindeer food, add wishes in the Clauses’ Parlour and take part in reindeer games.”
“The children become part of the story, with plenty for grown-ups to join in with too,” he said.
Each family then has its own private visit to Father Christmas in his grotto. Children on a gift ticket choose their present from the Elf Village Shop.
“This year, we wanted families to feel that they had stepped right into Christmas, with children helping Mrs Claus, making wishes and creating enough cheer to get Santa’s sleigh ready for Christmas Eve,” Mr Laister said. “We have also kept something very important to us: a personal visit to Father Christmas just for your family, with time to share those Christmas wishes.”
What else the ticket covers
The ticket also gets you into the rest of Fairytale Farm for the day. That covers the Christmas illuminations, festive trails and activities, and animal encounters. It also includes the Journey to Alice’s Wonderland ride, which opened this year.
Families can arrive before their booked start time and stay on afterwards, within that day’s opening hours.
Dates and opening hours
| Dates | Opening hours |
|---|---|
| 21 and 22 November, 28 and 29 November | 10am to 5pm |
| 5 and 6 December | 9am to 7pm |
| 10 and 11 December | 10am to 5pm |
| 12 and 13 December | 9am to 7pm |
| 17 and 18 December | 10am to 5pm |
| 19 to 23 December | 9am to 7pm |
| 24 December | 9am to 5pm |
Sensory sessions for children with SEND
Santa’s Sensory Sessions are for children and young people with SEND and the families with them. The farm says they offer “the same adventure at a slower, quieter pace”.
- Sensory Day: Wednesday 16 December, 10am to 5pm.
- Sensory Evenings: 28 and 29 November, and 11 and 18 December, 5pm to 6pm.
Prices
- Child with a gift: £25.99
- Adult, senior or older child without a gift: £18.99
- Under two with a gift: £12.99
- Under two without a gift: free
- Carer with the required ID: free, up to one carer per disabled visitor
A 50p booking fee applies to each paid standard ticket. Annual passholders get their own prices.
How to book
Tickets are sold online only. You pick a date and a time, and that time is when your Christmas journey starts at Elf Check-In. Full details are on the farm’s Christmas with the Clauses page.
Fairytale Farm can be reached on 01608 238014. Other Santa visits around Banbury, including the free grotto at Castle Quay, are in our Santa’s grotto guide.
With thanks to Nick Laister of Fairytale Farm, who answered our questions.
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