IDEAS for family fun that won’t break the bank this Christmas have been put together in a handy guide by Leicester City Council.
From craft sessions at libraries to cycling with Santa, the listings have lots of ideas for free or low-cost activities taking place during December.
The city’s libraries are always a good place to start, with many offering drop-in activities that are free to enjoy – as well as some great Christmas books to borrow.
New Parks library is inviting children to help decorate their Book Tree until 24 December, while the Central Library on Bishop Street is offering a free festive craft session on Saturday (7 December). Drop in any time between 1pm-3pm.
Christmas crafts are also on offer at Beaumont Leys library on Tuesday 10 December (3.30pm-5.30pm), while there will be Christmas treasure hunts at Beaumont Leys library from 14 December until 3 January, and at Aylestone library from 20 December until 3 January (during staffed hours).
On Saturday 14 December, Beaumont Leys library will team up with the city’s museums for a special ‘Museums on Tour’ event. Pop in between 11am and 4pm for free arts, crafts and storytelling, as well as the chance to explore fascinating items from the museums’ collections in the ‘Cabinet of Curiosity’.
Also on Saturday 14 December, Cultural Quarter Earlies have arranged free festive crafts at venues including the LCB Depot, Curve and the Central Library, where children can drop in to make Christmas cards and tree decorations from 12 noon until 4pm.
Those aged 6+ can create a 2025 calendar or a ‘scratch art’ bookmark at both Evington and Highfields libraries on Monday 23 December. The sessions – which run from 1pm-4pm – are free to attend, but places must be booked in advance by calling the relevant library.
Details of all the Christmas events taking place at Leicester’s libraries can be found at bookfinder.leicester.gov.uk/-/christmas-in-libraries
Leicester Museum & Art Gallery is also getting in the Christmas spirit, with a free festive event that everyone’s invited to.
Taking place on Saturday (7 December), the event will include crafts for kids, with the chance to make a Christmas decoration (£2 charge), and a free screening of a Christmas classic.
Scrooge, the 1935 adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, will be shown at 2pm in the museum’s German Expressionism gallery.
Anyone looking for unusual Christmas presents can enjoy some late-night shopping in the museum shop from 4pm on Saturday, with 10% off all gifts, including dinosaur-themed toys and items from the Made in Leicester range. A bar will be open from 4pm to 7.15pm, selling festive drinks, mince pies and other snacks, as part of the museum’s Christmas event.
From Saturday (7 December), Santa will be spending his weekends in his grotto at Highcross Leicester. He’ll be there from 12 noon until 6pm on Saturdays and from 11am until 5pm on Sundays, with an extra, final appearance on Monday 23 December (12 noon until 6pm). Santa’s grotto is in the lower mall, next to the Bodycare shop, and visits to Santa are free of charge.
Proving that he can be at two places at once, Santa will also be at the Haymarket shopping centre on Saturday 7 December. The big man will arrive at noon for the Santa Saturday event, with cheeky elves, free entertainment and festive tunes from singer Jayne Darling.
Bringing live music to Leicester city centre on Fridays and Saturdays in the run-up to Christmas is a series of pop-up Festive Jams.
Presented by BID Leicester, the free jams include live Mexican and Latin sounds from Mariachi Loco in St Peter’s Square (7pm, Friday 6 December), the Leicester Symphony Orchestra at Leicester Cathedral (3pm, Saturday 7 December), the New Orleans’ sound of the King Brasstards at St Martin’s Square (7pm, Friday 13 December) and Leicester’s own Emmanu’-EL Apostolic Gospel Academy Choir, who’ll perform on the balcony of the Haymarket shopping centre at 3pm on Saturday 14 December.
See the full programme at bidleicester.co.uk/festivejams
Leicester’s twinkling Christmas lights – including the colourful new lighting effects in Town Hall Square – can be enjoyed at any time, but an easy bike ride at 6.30pm on 11 December will make the illuminations the focus of a five-mile guided tour.
Book your place on the free ride at Let’s Ride. Please note that children under 16 must wear a helmet and be accompanied by an adult, and all bikes must be fitted with working lights.
From 6pm to 8pm on Monday 16 December and Wednesday 18 December, Santa will join young people and their families at the Leicester Cycle Circuit at New College.
Swapping his sleigh for two wheels, Santa will enjoy riding around the traffic-free cycle circuit with cyclists of all ages. Those joining him should bring their own bike, with prizes for the best decorated bikes and the most festively-dressed cyclists. Anyone who needs to borrow a bike should reserve their space in advance at eventbrite.com or email British Cycling at louise.hughes@britishcycling.org.uk.
Please note that those aged under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
The story of Christmas, which is told every year in the traditional nativity scene in Town Hall Square, will be brought to life at Leicester Cathedral at 3pm on Tuesday 24 December. All are welcome to the Crib Service, where families will be able to join in with carols and enjoy the singing of the cathedral choir.
Deputy city mayor Cllr Sarah Russell said: “There’s always lots of useful information for parents of young children on our families’ website, but at this time of year, one of the site’s most popular pages is our list of ideas for things to do at Christmas that are low-cost or free of charge.
“Children will enjoy popping in to their local library to pick up some great Christmas books or take part in a craft session – or maybe they’d prefer to get on a bike and ride alongside Santa!
“I hope families will enjoy getting out and about during the school holidays, finding fun things to do together that won’t cost the earth.”
More ideas for free and low-cost activities for families this Christmas, including stay and play sessions for babies and young children, can be found at families.leicester.gov.uk/winter-fun
The full Christmas in Leicester programme, which lists paid-for activities such as the real ice rink in Jubilee Square, the funfair on Humberstone Gate, the pantomime at De Montfort Hall, and an enchanting outdoor light trail in Abbey Park, is available at christmasinleicester.co.uk