William’s Den in North Cave, East Yorkshire Christmas celebrations

William’s Den, in North Cave, near York, in East Yorkshire has been holding its Christmas Experience starting with a special weekend with Father Christmas arriving in a 1930s Austin.

The venue, which is owned and run by Tor and Christian Carver also featured a giant snow globe and gingerbread decorating classes this year.

Father Christmas arriving at Williams Den on Saturday in a 1930s Austin (Image: Supplied)

Tor said: “Christmas is all about spending time with loved ones and making precious memories together as a family.

"We put our heart and soul into Christmas here, creating experiences.”

For the first time, William’s Den hosted a SEND (Special Education Needs & Disability) relaxed performance of its Christmas Show this year as well as other performances but with lower sensory intensity for visitors who benefitted from a more informal environment and are free to move around during the show. The relaxed performance also included a British Sign Language Interpreter.

Father Christmas at the attraction (Image: Supplied)

As well as the six show performances each day, helped by Mother Christmas and the elves, every child who visited picked a Christmas present from the toy shop to take home. And, back by popular demand, families joined Bauble the French Baker to decorate a festive gingerbread, toast marshmallows around the firepit, tackle the reindeer quiz trail and enjoy unlimited play inside and outside at William’s Den.

Gingerbread decorating at Williams Den Christmas Experience (Image: Supplied)

For those looking to put the cherry on top of the cake of their festive day out, many people upgraded to craft a Christmas bauble and capture a festive family photo in the Den’s new giant snow globe.

William’s Den won Remarkable Visitor Attraction of the Year this month at the Remarkable East Yorkshire Tourism Awards, an accolade they have received for the second year running.

The attraction was inspired by Tor and Christian’s son William who, when asked how he wanted to celebrate his fifth birthday, came up with the simple concept of wanting to take a few of his friends into the local woods to explore, build dens and cook food on a campfire.

Characters in the Christmas Show (Image: Supplied)

Tor said: “We grew up in the countryside surrounded by open spaces and the freedom to play outside in all weathers for hours on end. Our childhood years were spent endlessly running, jumping, cycling, exploring, den building and using our wild imaginations to entertain each other until it was time for bed.

“I often hear parents saying ‘We’ve had an amazing day. The only problem is my children don’t want to go home.’ This makes me feel extremely emotional, and I know I’ve achieved what I set up to do. And it has led to our new camp site, which means you don’t have to leave at the end of the day.”

Children enjoying the attraction (Image: Supplied)