NOONE did Christmas quite like the Victorians. Fresh-baked mince pies dusted with sugar, gingerbread, hot toddies and mulled wine accompanied by lashings of good cheer, not to mention Santa himself - rightly or wrongly, all have a distinctively Dickensian feel to them in our imagination. And then, of course, there’s Scrooge...

These days, Christmas can seem horribly commercial. So where better to recapture a bit of that Victorian Christmas magic than in a Victorian street (even if it is a recreated one)?

The Castle Museum’s Kirkgate, with its cobbles, its Hansom cab and its recreated Victorian shops based on real York businesses, is a great place to visit at any time of year.

But from today, it is all dressed up in its Christmas best. And if you’re lucky, you might even bump into Santa and Scrooge as you walk around...

Kirkgate’s Victorian shops have been draped in garlands. There are Victorian toys, treats and trinkets in the shop windows, and a spectacular Christmas tree laden with lights and tinsel.

There will be gingerbread-making in the museum’s kitchen; a look at Victorian Christmas traditions and the way they have influenced our modern-day Christmas; and, for the children, a mystery to solve and a trail to follow which will ultimately lead to an encounter with Santa himself (and who knows, he might just have a few gifts to give out).

This being the 175th anniversary of A Christmas Carol, there is even a one-off evening performance of a popular one-man show in which miserly Scrooge finally discovers the real meaning of Christmas.

Last year, the museum’s Christmas festivities were named ‘Best Christmas Experience’ in the Little Vikings Awards, which recognise great activities for children in York.

This year’s fun will be at least as good, promises Sarah Yates, the Castle Museum’s assistant curator of history/learning.

“This year, York Castle Museum has been given an extra sprinkling of Victorian Christmas magic,” she said.

“The street is adorned in festive decorations, Father Christmas has arrived from the North Pole and Scrooge is here to help you find the true meaning of Christmas. There’s a festive trail to follow, gingerbread to try, Christmas crafts to take home and much more. It is the perfect way to get into the festive spirit!”

And it all begins today...

The Castle Museum’s Victorian Christmas

A Victorian Christmas at the Castle Museum runs from today until December 31. Normal admission prices and times apply.

Special events to look out for during the Christmas season at the museum include:

Father Christmas: Thursday evenings from November 29-December 20 from 4.30pm-7.30pm, to tie in with late night shopping. Also weekends from November 17-December 23 plus selected other dates. Tickets £3 for YMT card holders, and a small additional charge for those who hafve paid for entry to the museum

An evening with Ebenezer Scrooge, December 14, 7pm – 9.30pm. Tickets: Adult £20 from yorkcastlemuseum.org.uk/christmas. Includes a mince pie and a glass of mulled cider or a soft drink. Not suitable for children.

For more information about Christmas at the Castle Museum visit yorkcastlemuseum.org.uk