Paddington and the Christmas Surprise: A funny, festive picture book about Paddington

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Again, you can pose for photos but aren't allowed to take your own. Although you are advised you can take photos in other areas of the kitchen and living room that don't include Paddington. Now the character will be part of what is promised to be a magical grotto journey through Paddington's home with the Brown family - with lots of fun photo opportunities for all ages along the way. The experience will launch as part of the full Tinseltown event at the Trafford Centre from November. Santa himself had great banter, and asked the kids what they would like for Christmas this year. There are decorative "presents" all over the room, and my three-year-old kept grabbing at them and trying to take the ribbons off. Kate Statham, Managing Director, Bakehouse said: “It is an absolute pleasure to create something extra-special for Trafford Centre this year. We have nearly 40 people currently working on the event, designing, and building the set, creating interactive elements, writing scripts, and amazing costumes, and by the end of December we will have employed around 100 people to bring the magic of Christmas to the people of Manchester and the surrounding area.”

Paddington Christmas grotto experience launches at Trafford

After contemplating a jar of marmalade as a gift for Mr Curry, Paddington sets off in search of something more unique – as Mr Brown has always said: “There’s no one quite like Mr Curry!” |But there’s something extra you can get involved in…helping the Marmalade Maker Elves make something super sweet for Santa!You’ll find a variety of nibbles and tipples at the Winter Wonderland to fuel your day. But if you fancy something more substantial and filling, you’ll find plenty of restaurants and dining to satisfy your rumbly tummies. Centre bosses say the Christmas Grotto will be "bigger and better than ever before with Paddington's arrival". Paddington is loved by families across the world, and has had a new lease of life in recent years with his two big screen outings. And of course you then have to pay for the photos your kids have taken with both Paddington AND Santa, so it can end up expensive with the add-ons, be warned.

Paddington Bear - Wikipedia Paddington Bear - Wikipedia

Visitors will be guided into the grotto by velvet ropes and twinkling Christmas trees - as well as a few of Father Christmas' elves, of course. The grotto itself has moved indoors for the first time but unfortunately a bad move as the experience was nothing last previous years. The whole thing was about 15 minutes , a few photo opportunities then a final Santa photo. The problem for me was location, it is in the old Hamleys toy store with no real area to wait around. This meant people arrived early and crowded the area meaning the staff spent more time organising and dealing with this than making it an experience. Anyway lower your expectations slightly, have patience and you might just enjoy it! Children will then be invited to tiptoe across the Christmas night-time rooftops of the beautiful Windsor Gardens, before being transported to the hallway of the Browns’ house to finally meet Paddington himself. After pausing for a photo, families will be guided in individual family groups to meet Santa, a delightful festive adventure." There's an interactive doll's house version of the Brown mansion - where you can wave your hand to see cute scenes inside. Then an elf guide will take you through to the rooftops of London, where kids can peek into chimney tops and even slide down a chimney into the main living room of the Brown home.Story telling sessions run in the daytime on weekdays from 12noon to 3.30pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Friday until December 2. Bruce Gardner, Brand Experience Director at Trafford Centre said: “Christmas with Paddington is a central feature for Trafford Centre’s Tinseltown campaign this year and is set to be a wonderfully festive and unique, hand-crafted experience for the whole family. Visitors will be invited on an immersive journey through snowy festive trees and famous scenes, including an interactive dolls house and Paddington’s famous attic window. They will get to tip toe across Christmas night-time rooftops, before being transported to the hallway of the Browns’ house, to meet Paddington himself. Kate Statham, Managing Director said “ Our work takes us to high streets and shopping centres all over the country, so it is an absolute pleasure to be creating something of this magnitude for Cribbs at our home here in Bristol, during our anniversary year. We have nearly 40 people currently working on the event, designing and building the set, creating interactives, writing scripts and stitching costumes, and by the end of December we will have employed around 100 people to bring the Christmas magic to the people of the South West.”

Christmas in Paddington, our top picks | Paddington

Assisted by Santa’s Elves, families will embark on an adventure through the Candy Cane Land and Enchanted Forest in search of Santa’s Merry Mailroom, before delivering their very own letter to Santa in his cosy cabin. As a HUGE Manchester United fan I was really excited to go to my first game which turned out to be a bit of a nightmare! With lively and charming elf characters to meet, enchanting interactive scenes, and plenty of special photo opportunities along the way, Christmas with Paddington is a must-see attraction for families looking for sumptuous, traditional, festive magic this year.The Christmas with Paddington Grotto experience is open daily from 4pm on mid-week November dates, and then will be open throughout the days from December 2 until December 24 2022. There are a few activities that you and the kids can discover, from ice skating, and listening to storytelling sessions, to exploring Santa’s Marvellous Marmalade Adventure Grotto experience! We are expecting over 40,000 people to enjoy this immersive experience with the national treasure that is Paddington, and we are confident it will be a huge success for the centre as we provide a Christmas experience to remember.” The grotto will be part of the big return of "Tinseltown" festive extravaganza at The Trafford Centre (Image: The Trafford Centre) Coming to Bristol is a Winter Wonderland featuring none other than Paddington Bear. It was beary successful last year so you can expect it to be majorly popular this year! On weekdays in November, the Christmas with Paddington experience will be open for story-telling sessions especially designed for pre-school children, schools and nurseries. The Night Before Christmas at The Browns’ House is an interactive story-telling session aimed at groups of young children and their carers and will also include the chance to meet Paddington.

Paddington Bear and Santa at the Trafford Centre 2022 Paddington Bear and Santa at the Trafford Centre 2022

The shopping centre has promised a magical tour where families can join the much-loved bear on his journey to meet Santa. The food and drink options are surprisingly good plus there is an entertainment centre with bowling, bumper cars, arcades and VR, also a cinema, laserquest and crazy golf.

Sessions are available to book from 4pm on weekdays until 7.35pm for the rest of November, and on weekends evening times are still available as late as 9.20pm but daytime sessions are looking to already be sold out. The main shopping itself has somewhat reduced in quality. You would be advised to arrived early (10-11) to guarantee a parking spot or have your car cleaned at the h20 car wash to not have to worry about a space. The photo of my grandson with Paddington was awful so I’m glad I didn’t buy it . The one with Santa was fine and we bought a fridge magnet . Christmas with Paddington has been designed and created on license exclusively for Cribbs by Bakehouse. Each element is being lovingly crafted by a team of artisan makers, scenic designers, script writers and costumiers from our HQ in Fishponds, Bristol. The Trafford Centre announced the news today, saying: "Tinseltown at Trafford Centre is set to be extra-special this year as Santa will be joined in its iconic Christmas Grotto by a special friend, Paddington™. The Christmas with Paddington Grotto experience at Trafford Centre Manchester will be open November 16 until December 24 for families of all ages to enjoy a memorable festive experience - expected to be bigger and better than ever before with Paddington’s arrival.