Back in the Summer when I was pregnant with Squidge, we went on our babymoon to Cornwall (read about it here), and while we were there we visited a National Trust venue. We'd thought about becoming members before but brushed it off. While we were there they mentioned it again, and we decided to take the plunge and become members (it's a little over £90 for 2 people for a year) - the way we looked at it, once I was on statutory maternity pay, we'd at least have places to take Squidge without having to pay to get in, just a bit of petrol.
Well, what we've decided to do is make the effort to go to a National Trust venue each weekend to try and make the most of our membership. Last weekend we went to the Christmas craft fayre at Dyffryn Gardens (which was quite disappointing if I'm honest) and this weekend we drove to Newport (about 20 mins away) and went to Tredegar house, which didn't disappoint!
As we got there, the path leading up to the house was decorated with baubles everywhere, it looked so festive and pretty (and made for some nice pictures).
Everyone at the house (who worked there) were dressed in traditional Victorian? costume and looked amazing. There was a massive tree right inside, decorated beautifully (the cinnamon sticks below were on the tree).
As you go into the house, if you went into the room on the right, you'd have found Scrooge himself! He was there, giving kids a hard time and generally being his mean-old-self. In fairness, the guy was amazing, didn't break character once and made everyone laugh, he was great and played it well.
Scrooge guarding his money.
The room just beyond that had this chap (wearing what on his face?) teaching people to do the waltz I think.
In that room was also this Christmas tree, decorated with very colourful paper-chains, it looked so pretty!
I took the opportunity to take a picture of Squidge in his little monkey? outfit - I used to think it was a bear, but I think with the light patch on the tummy it's probably a monkey suit :) He didn't sleep through all of it this time, he woke up towards the end, enough time to look around and enjoy the lights :)
In one of the other rooms they had a Christmas wish tree, what a lovely idea! You'd go over to a table, pick up one of these parcel tags and write your Christmas wish on there, obvs I'm keeping mine secret as I want it to come true!
So many wishes!
They also had a little shadow puppet theatre which lots of the kids were playing with, such a cute idea :)
This, I think, was some kind of mincemeat? Anyway, the tradition is you stir it 3 times and then make a wish, so I did, and again, keeping it secret so it comes true :)
Since getting the DSLR nearly a year ago, I've become a little obsessed with taking bokeh pictures too, and with a long line of fairy lights, I couldn't resist taking several bokeh pics, this being my fav!
They had a little craft market there in the courtyard too, one of the stands had some great knitted and handmade accessories, I picked up this awesome purple hat, and some purple fingerless mittens.
Just thought I'd throw in this pic of the hubby with a ticket in his mouth :-)
Despite going out in drizzly rain, we had a really lovely time, I'm so glad we went. It was lovely to see it so full of people and to see all the staff being festive, and of course, see scrooge. The house was decorated beautifully. I also had a sneaky mulled wine and homemade mince pie, something they'd sold out of at Dyffryn gardens the week before.
This was the last weekend that Tredegar house were having their Christmas themed weekend, but at Christmas next year, I'd highly recommend going. They even managed to track down Santa for a couple of hours to have his picture taken with all the good kids :)
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