Festive Fun

Spend the festive period in Cornwall and experience something magical as all over the county people get into the holiday spirit.

Staying There: So you’ve got just a few days to get into the festive mood before the serious celebrating starts so somewhere Christmassy is in orderand a cottage overlooking the harbour at Mousehole is a pretty good start. Already festooned with coloured lights that shimmer in the water the village looks lovely and is a great base from which to seek out the Christmas in Cornwall.

Shopping for Grandma: For a few last minute presents take a stroll through the delightful streets of Falmouth where you’ll find boutique shops full of exquisite gifts from contemporary crafts to handmade chocolates. Or get yourself over to St Ives where there are more art galleries than you can shake a paintbrush at and the town is a perfect place to pick up an early work from a star of the future.

Cool Stuff: It’s all very well trying to get in the mood, but look, no snow! Lucky old you for staying in Cornwall’s mild winter climate but if you fancy some of the cold slippery stuff then the Eden Project at St Austell sets up a huge ice rink for the yuletide season where you can to show off your prowess on skates or conversely make a complete fool of yourself. There’s also a program of live Christmas music and lantern parades at Eden making it all feel gushingly festive.

Traditional: Wouldn’t mind a few old Cornish customs to help the festivities really feel festive? Then stay right where you are. Just stroll down to Mousehole and admire the ships in the harbour and the streets lit up with fantastic Christmas lights, and enojoy a pint in one of the harbourside pubs. Just up the road at Penzance, the old Cornish midwinter celebration of Montol takes place around the 21st with dancing, music, outdoor markets, a masked carnival and the rather amazing Rivers of Fire procession.

True Meaning: If you’re looking for some traditional reverence, Cornwall’s long tradition of singing means that at Christmas you’ll have no problem catching a local choir performing a few carols at many concerts up and down the county. Or catch midnight mass at the glorious gothic-style Truro Cathedral that resonates with the sweet voices of choristers.

Dress Up: In complete contrast, you really have come to the right place if you’re in search of some New Year revels as Newquay, Looe and St Ives vie for position on the UK’s top New Year party list. Fancy dress is more or less obligatory whether you’re Cleopatra, Darth Vader or something no one can quite get. And to light up that special moment at 12 o’clock, Looe puts on one of the best firework displays in the county, which can be seen for miles around.

Resolutions: After all that indulging, no matter how bad you might feel after too much stuffing and festive cheer, a brisk walk along the coastal footpath  –you have 300 miles to choose from- will soon have you feeling like your old self. Or the really brave join many hardy Cornish residents who troop down to the beach on New Year’s Day for a bracing dip in the ocean before lunch. Perhaps a warm drysuit and a surfboard would be more appropriate for the fainthearted but both are ideal activities guaranteed to help you regain a healthy glow.