Rediscover good, old-fashioned Christmas spirit

At this time of year, when Christmas is all about buying presents, the festive spirit can rapidly be sucked from you by hours of tramping around soulless shopping malls and gazing at websites.

So it's a good thing that throughout Britain there are places where you can go to recharge and rediscover the old-fashioned joy of Christmas. Here are just a few.

Eastern England

Experience a Royal Christmas with a visit to The Queen's Sandringham estate in Norfolk, which is holding a Christmas festival for three weeks from 15 December. Not only is this a great opportunity to see one of Norfolk's finest stately homes, it is also a great way to introduce children to the joys of traditional Christmas celebrations.

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There will be a vintage fairground and an ice rink large enough to house a caf bar in the middle. On top of that, the estate will have dog-sleigh rides to add to the festive magic. Family tickets cost £32 for a group of five.

Northern England

Few places are more atmospheric at Christmas than York, with its winding cobbled streets overlooked by the vast Minster. While the shopping streets cater to the commercial side of Christmas, the Christkindlesmarkt on Parliament Street offers a German take on the festivities, complete with German beer, wursts and stollen.

And if you can't face yet another trip to the supermarket for those final Christmas nibbles, head to the Christmas Farmers' Market in St Sampsons Square, on 21 and 22 December. While you're in York, a visit to the Minster is a must. It took 250 years to build and offers carol singing and superb views climb the 275 steps of the tower to see York's festive lights from above. For more, go to Yuletideyork.com.

Wales

Cardiff Castle offers a different approach to the traditional decorations, thanks to its slightly crazed interior, which was designed for the Marquess of Bute in the 1860s. Coal mining made the Marquess the richest man in the world, and judging by the interior, he lived like today's rap stars bling is the only word that can describe some of the dcor.

From 16-18 December, the castle is hosting Victorian Christmas Tours. Visitors will get to see how the Butes decorated the house for Christmas, complete with a tree festooned with gingerbread a great opportunity to see that ostentatious Christmas decorations weren't born in the 20th century. Head to Cardiffcastle.com to find out more.

Scotland

It may be his busiest month, but Father Christmas still finds the time to visit Edinburgh and he does it in much better style than any department store can offer. A full Lapland village is created in his honour, complete with reindeer, from 15-23 December in Princes Street Gardens.

And for something completely different take part in Edinburgh's Great Scottish Santa Run on 16 December, Edinburgh will be taken over by Santa impersonators. The charity run covers 1.5km and is open to everyone. For more, see Edinburghschristmas.com.

Southern England

Leeds Castle in Kent is an excellent location for a festive day out, with the castle offering an atmospheric setting for ice skating, meeting Father Christmas and a medieval frost fair.

But be warned: the castle is so popular that Father Christmas is getting booked up quickly. Call 01622-767877 to book an appointment with Santa and visit Leeds-castle.com to learn more about the historic venue's celebrations.