Christmas has come early for us this year when we were invited to the VIP preview evening at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire and what a magical start to 2022 festive season it was! We love Blenheim Palace (it was where Mr P4P proposed many moons ago!) and have planned several weddings there, so it was a real treat to be invited as a guest to this Christmas event.

The Illuminated gardens at Blenheim Palace

Our evening commenced with the illuminated trail in the grounds of the palace. We wandered through the gardens, which were filled with over a million lights, we ran through sparkling tunnels, admired the lakeside reflections, watched the flickering flames in the fire garden, marvelled at the impressive laser show and were even lucky enough to spot Father Christmas whilst walking under the stars with warming hot chocolate.

The Kingdom of the Snow Queen

We then explored the Palace rooms, all of which had been transformed into an immersive fairytale, we were transported into an enchanting magical world, where we were mesmerised by the ice kingdom and captivated by everything around us. Each room held another impressive surprise and this fantasty winter wonderland has certainly where the Christmas magic began for us this year.

Blenheim Palace Christmas Markets

The iconic palace is the backdrop to the Christmas markets, which are set up in wooden chalets in the Great Court. The stalls were filled with designer crafts and offered a fabulous range of Christmas gifts. We enjoyed some delicious food from the street vendors and sipped on hot chocolate as we began our Christmas shopping.

Christmas Afternoon Tea

This year, a magical Ice Kingdom Themed Afternoon Tea is also be available in the Orangery, though please note that you are required to have a valid Christmas at Blenheim Palace ticket to book the Afternoon Tea treat.