Banbury area care home residents enjoy Christmas festivities at Blenheim Palace

Staff and residents at Barchester’s Chacombe Park care home in Chacombe near Banbury were treated to a fabulous Christmas event courtesy of Blenheim Palace.

The Oxfordshire UNESCO World Heritage Site has been beautifully decorated for Christmas so that visitors can enjoy festive fun of the Nutcracker, a fabulous light trail and a Christmas market.

Barchester residents went on a tour around the Christmas sights at Blenheim Palace this year.

First they discovered the story of The Nutcracker re-imagined within the palace rooms, each one exquisitely transformed and filled with hidden surprises – from the toymaker’s workshop on a frosty Christmas Eve, through the glistening Land of Snow and onto the candy-cane Kingdom of Sweets adorned with the sweetest of treats and larger-than-life gingerbread men. It’s a world where nothing is quite as it seems, from a dashing Nutcracker Prince and an army of mice to a Sugar Plum Fairy and a music box with a difference.

Then residents moved outside to explore the after-dark illuminated trail sparkling in the palace’s picture-perfect gardens. Over a million lights, lasers and seasonal sounds filled the air with festive fun in this winter wonderland. A feast for the senses, they witnessed glittering tunnels of light, dancing lakeside reflections, trees drenched in jewel-like colour and mesmerising flickering flames in the fire garden.

Antonia Keaney, social historian for Blenheim, said: “There is nowhere more magical than Blenheim Palace at Christmas. The palace is so beautifully decorated, both inside and out, it’s like being in a fairy tale. I am so pleased we were able to share this experience with the Barchester residents.”

General Manager Jude Shibu said: “This afternoon’s Christmas tour has been an absolute feast for the senses. Our residents loved being able to experience all that Blenheim Palace has to offer at Christmas, from the beautiful palace rooms right down to the outdoor Christmas market. We got to take in all the sights. It really has been a wonderful treat for us all.”