Christmas Events for Kids in Aberdeen (2026)

Christmas Events for Kids
Written by Kelsey Cecil

4 min read

For 2026, we confirmed 7 Christmas events for kids in Aberdeen. The season opens on 12 November with Aberdeen Christmas Village and runs until 3 January with Goldilocks and the Three Bears. One of these is free. Every listing links straight to the host. This page is part of our guide to Christmas events for kids in the UK.

The short version

  • Kids’ Christmas events confirmed for 2026 in Aberdeen and Stonehaven: 7
  • First: Aberdeen Christmas Village, Aberdeen, 12 November
  • Free events: Aberdeen Christmas Village

Below is every event we could confirm, grouped by area, with the date, time, price and the small things parents ask about (booking, ages, what is included).

At a glance: Christmas events for kids in Aberdeen

Kids’ Christmas events
7 confirmed for 2026
Areas
Aberdeen and Stonehaven
Season
12 November to 3 January
Free events
1
Last checked

Christmas events for kids in Aberdeen

Listed soonest first: 6 confirmed events in Aberdeen.

Christmas lightsFree

Aberdeen Christmas Village

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Aberdeen Christmas Village takes over Broad Street in the city centre from Thursday 12 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027. It opens every day except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.

Entry is free and no ticket is needed. Rides, attractions and activities are paid for separately, and the Freak Out thrill ride returns this year. A nativity scene at Union Terrace Gardens and carol concerts at the David Welch Winter Gardens on 12 December run alongside it.

Parent tip: Entry is free, so you can look around first and pay only for the rides you choose.

Host
VisitAberdeenshire (opens in a new tab)
Where
Broad Street, Aberdeen AB10 1BL (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with VisitAberdeenshire (opens in a new tab)

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Rally’s Christmas research

Rally the corgi has 6 more Aberdeen events researched for you.

  • New events every week We research new events daily and send you one email a week with the new ones we find in Aberdeen.
  • Exclusive access to free events Be first to hear about new free events in Aberdeen.
  • Unlock the filters Find Santa visits, free events and weekend plans in one tap.
  • Rally’s Christmas Eve Express and a free advent calendar Get early access to Rally the corgi’s Christmas Eve tracker, plus a free digital advent calendar to count down to Christmas.
  • One-tap add to calendar Save any event to your Google, Apple or Outlook calendar so you never miss it.

Coming up on this page

  • 4 Santa
  • 2 Shows
  • 1 Lights
  • 1 Parades
  • 1 Free

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Christmas parade

Aberdeen Christmas Parade and All Life Chances Santa Run

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The Aberdeen Christmas Parade runs on Sunday 15 November 2026, and the All Life Chances Santa Run is held alongside it.

Check the organisers' announcements for the start time, route and price before you travel.

Parent tip: Times and route are not out yet, so check again closer to the day.

Host
VisitAberdeenshire (opens in a new tab)
Where
Aberdeen city centre (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with VisitAberdeenshire (opens in a new tab)

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Santa’s grotto

Santa's Grotto at Dobbies Aberdeen

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Santa's Grotto at Dobbies Aberdeen runs from 22 November to 24 December 2026 at the garden centre on Lang Stracht. Each visit is a pre-booked session, with start times such as 10:00am, 10:10am, 12:30pm or 2:00pm depending on the date.

Tickets are £15 for a standard session and up to £17. Every child with a ticket receives a penguin soft toy. Photo packages can be pre-booked at 20% off.

Parent tip: Check your session date before paying, as the first sessions may start on 21 or 22 November.

Host
Dobbies Aberdeen (opens in a new tab)
Where
Dobbies Aberdeen, New Park Farm, Whitemyres, Lang Stracht, Aberdeen AB15 6AX (opens in maps)
Booking
Essential
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Dobbies Aberdeen (opens in a new tab)

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Panto or Christmas show

Goldilocks and the Three Bears

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Goldilocks and the Three Bears is the Christmas pantomime at His Majesty's Theatre, running from Saturday 28 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027. It is a circus-themed show.

Greg McHugh returns as Gary: Tank Commander, playing Gary Barnum, son of circus owner Dame Betty Barnum. Alan McHugh plays Dame Betty and Paul J Corrigan plays Daddy Bear. Tickets are on sale through Aberdeen Performing Arts.

Parent tip: Show times and prices are not in the announcement, so check the booking page before choosing a date.

Host
Aberdeen Performing Arts (opens in a new tab)
Where
His Majesty's Theatre, Rosemount Viaduct, Aberdeen AB25 1GL (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Aberdeen Performing Arts (opens in a new tab)

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Santa’s grotto

Santa's Quiet Grotto at Dobbies Aberdeen

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Santa's Quiet Grotto at Dobbies Aberdeen is for children who may have additional needs. The 2026 sessions are on Friday 4 December at 2:10pm and Tuesday 8 December at 9:10am.

Music is off and twinkling lights are removed or switched off. Organisers email photos of the grotto beforehand so children know what to expect, and the number of families in each slot is limited. There is no queuing on the day.

Parent tip: Sessions must be pre-booked, so confirm times when you book.

Host
Dobbies Aberdeen (opens in a new tab)
Where
Dobbies Aberdeen, New Park Farm, Whitemyres, Lang Stracht, Aberdeen AB15 6AX (opens in maps)
Booking
Essential
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Dobbies Aberdeen (opens in a new tab)

New events in Aberdeen every week

Rally looks for new Christmas events in Aberdeen every day and adds them to this page. Enter your email for one weekly update with the latest finds.

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Meet Santa

Santa Paws at Dobbies Aberdeen

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Santa Paws at Dobbies Aberdeen is a Santa visit for dogs. In 2026 it runs on Sunday 6 December at 2:00pm, Sunday 13 December at 2:00pm, Wednesday 16 December at 10:20am, Sunday 20 December at 2:00pm, Tuesday 22 December at 9:10am and Wednesday 23 December at 10:20am.

Tickets are £12 to £13.50 per dog. You can add a child's ticket when booking so children can meet Santa with their dog, and a Dogs Trust donation can be added.

Parent tip: Book your chosen slot in advance. Pre-booked photo packages are 20% cheaper than buying on the day.

Host
Dobbies Aberdeen (opens in a new tab)
Where
Dobbies Aberdeen, New Park Farm, Whitemyres, Lang Stracht, Aberdeen AB15 6AX (opens in maps)
Booking
Essential
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Dobbies Aberdeen (opens in a new tab)

New events in Aberdeen every week

Rally looks for new Christmas events in Aberdeen every day and adds them to this page. Enter your email for one weekly update with the latest finds.

Free. Unsubscribe at any time. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)

Christmas events for kids in Stonehaven

Listed soonest first: 1 confirmed event in Stonehaven.

Panto or Christmas show

Ury Players Pantomime: Hansel & Gretel (Stonehaven)

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The Ury Players present their pantomime Hansel & Gretel at Stonehaven Town Hall from 2 to 5 December 2026. Stonehaven is the coastal town south of Aberdeen.

Check with the venue for performance times and ticket prices.

Parent tip: Check times and prices before you travel.

Host
Ury Players (opens in a new tab)
Where
Stonehaven Town Hall (opens in maps)
Confirmed
On the host’s page, checked
Check dates and details with Ury Players (opens in a new tab)

New events in Aberdeen every week

Rally looks for new Christmas events in Aberdeen every day and adds them to this page. Enter your email for one weekly update with the latest finds.

Free. Unsubscribe at any time. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)

More Christmas events for kids in the UK

A story for the trip home

Our picture book follows Rally the corgi on his first train ride to see his grand-paw-rents. It is a cosy story to share on the way home after a big day out.

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolour corgi peeking from a red train

A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first train ride, hand-painted in real watercolour. Ages 0 to 8.

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Christmas events for kids in Aberdeen: questions parents ask

What are the 2026 Christmas events for kids in Aberdeen?

For 2026, we confirmed 7 Christmas events for kids in Aberdeen, each on its host’s own page: Aberdeen Christmas Village, Santa Paws at Dobbies Aberdeen, Santa's Quiet Grotto at Dobbies Aberdeen and 4 more. Each one is listed above with times, cost and a link to the host.

Are there free Christmas events for kids in Aberdeen?

Yes. One of the 7 events here is free: Aberdeen Christmas Village. Check the listing in case you need to book or register.

Where can kids see Santa this year in Aberdeen?

Where to see Santa: Santa Paws at Dobbies Aberdeen, Santa's Quiet Grotto at Dobbies Aberdeen, Santa's Grotto at Dobbies Aberdeen and 1 more. Check the listings above for times and booking.

How do you confirm these events?

We list an event only after we find this season’s date on the host’s own website or an official city, library or tourism calendar. We last checked every listing on 5 November 2026. Hosts change details, so always confirm on the host’s page before you go.

Event names belong to their hosts. Rally Takes the Train is a family picture book and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any host listed here. Confirm dates, times and prices on each host’s own site before you go.

Christmas events for 2026 are coming in late November

More Christmas events arrive in late November. We add them here as soon as we confirm them.

The story of Christmas in Aberdeen

Aberdeen's Christmas tree arrives by sea from Norway, 312 miles across the North Sea, as a gift from the twin city of Stavanger. Children at the 2015 switch-on were handed marzipan pigs.

A Stavanger spruce, marzipan pigs and the Castlegate lights

Aberdeen's Christmas tree is a gift from the people of Stavanger, the city's Norwegian twin, and the tradition has been part of the winter festivities since 2005. In 2015 it was a 35-foot Norway spruce, put up at the Castlegate and lit by the Lord Provost and Stavanger's deputy mayor. Children in the crowd were handed marzipan pigs, a traditional Norwegian sweet. That year also marked 25 years of the twinning.

The gift nearly stopped once. Stavanger ran short of suitable spruces, and for a while it was feared the tree would be the last for up to 20 years, until a good one was found.

Rides, an ice rink and six Curated weekends in 2025

The 2025 Aberdeen Christmas Village ran from Thursday 13 November to Wednesday 31 December on Broad Street and Marischal Square, with rides, an outdoor ice rink and food and drink stalls. Curated in the Square, a market of local artists, food makers and small businesses, opened for six Friday to Sunday weekends, with all stallholder fees going to the charity Charlie House. The Christmas Lights Parade was on Sunday 16 November, the nativity scene stood at Union Terrace Gardens from 1 December, and carols were at the David Welch Winter Gardens on 13 December.

This year the village opens on 12 November and runs to 3 January 2027.

Santas on scooters and a 312-mile sea crossing

Aberdeen's Christmas tree has to travel. The 2015 spruce crossed 312 miles of North Sea on the 6,693-tonne SeaCargo Express, then spent about a week in quarantine at the harbour while the Forestry Commission and council tree officers checked it for insects and disease.

The lights parade has its own quirks. The 2015 parade used a 12 Days of Christmas theme, with a partridge in a pear tree and 12 drummers. Santas on scooters set off at about 5:15pm, followed by a Santa fun run and the main parade at 5:30pm, with panto characters and pipes and drums.

Traditions today

  • The Stavanger tree: A Norway spruce given by Aberdeen's twin city, put up at the Castlegate since 2005 and lit at a switch-on ceremony.
  • Aberdeen Christmas Village: Rides, food and drink stalls and, in 2025, an outdoor ice rink on Broad Street and Marischal Square. Entry is free.
  • Curated in the Square: A weekend market of local artists, food makers and small businesses, with stallholder fees going to Charlie House in 2025.
  • The Christmas parade and Santa run: Santas on scooters, a Santa fun run and a parade with floats, panto characters and pipes and drums.
  • The nativity scene: A nativity scene in Union Terrace Gardens, with a blessing event on 1 December in 2025.
  • Carol concerts: Carols at the David Welch Winter Gardens, held on 13 December in 2025 and 12 December in 2026.

A fact for kids

Aberdeen's Christmas tree sails across the North Sea from Norway on a ship and then waits a week in quarantine at the harbour, so tree doctors can check it for bugs.

Questions about Christmas in Aberdeen

Why does Aberdeen get a Christmas tree from Stavanger?

The tree is a gift from the people of Stavanger, Norway, which is Aberdeen's twin city. The tradition has been part of Aberdeen's winter festivities since 2005. In 2015 the gift marked 25 years of the twinning between the two cities.

How big was Aberdeen's Stavanger Christmas tree in 2015?

In 2015 the tree was a 35-foot Norway spruce. It was put up at the Castlegate in the centre of Aberdeen on Monday 23 November and lit on Thursday 26 November, ahead of the wider Winter Festival that the council called its biggest yet.

How does Aberdeen's Christmas tree get across from Norway?

It comes by sea. The 2015 tree travelled 312 miles across the North Sea on the 6,693-tonne SeaCargo Express, then sat in quarantine at Aberdeen harbour for about a week while it was checked for insects and diseases before going up at the Castlegate.

Why was Aberdeen's Christmas tree held in quarantine?

The Forestry Commission and the council's tree team check the spruce for insects or diseases that could harm Scottish plant or animal life. In 2015 the tree stayed at the harbour for about a week for these checks before being erected.

What do children get at the Aberdeen tree lighting?

At the 2015 switch-on, marzipan pigs, a traditional Norwegian sweet, were handed out to children in the crowd. The ceremony began at 7pm with a short carol service by Aberdeen Churches Together and the Salvation Army band, and also lit the Marischal College trees and the city's Leopard.

Did Aberdeen nearly stop getting a Stavanger tree?

Yes. Stavanger ran short of suitable spruces, and it was feared the tree would be the last for up to 20 years. A good tree was found and felled, so the gift carried on, and the tradition has run since 2005 as part of Aberdeen's winter festivities.

Where is the Aberdeen Christmas Village in 2026?

The village is on Broad Street in the city centre, AB10 1BL, from 12 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. It is open daily except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day, and entry is free. Rides and activities cost extra.

Is it free to go into Aberdeen Christmas Village?

Entry is free and no ticket is needed. Rides, attractions and activities inside cost extra, so families can wander round for nothing first. The 2026 village runs from 12 November to 3 January 2027 and closes on 25 December, 26 December and 1 January.

What was in Aberdeen Christmas Village in 2025?

The 2025 village ran from 13 November to 31 December on Broad Street and Marischal Square. It had rides, an outdoor ice rink and food and drink stalls, plus the Curated in the Square market on six Friday to Sunday weekends.

Who gets the money from Curated in the Square?

In 2025 all stallholder fees from Curated in the Square went to Charlie House, a charity supporting children and families with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions in Aberdeen. The market moved to Marischal Square while Marischal College is under construction, and it showcases local artists, food producers and small businesses.

When is the Aberdeen Christmas Parade in 2026?

The Aberdeen Christmas Parade is on Sunday 15 November 2026, with the All Life Chances Santa Run alongside it. A start time has not been published on the tourism page yet, so check again closer to the day. The parade is held alongside the Christmas Village, which opens on 12 November.

What happens at the Aberdeen Christmas lights parade?

The Lord Provost opens the festivities and each set of lights switches on as the parade passes. Santas on scooters set off first, then a Santa fun run, then the main parade, with Rudolph, panto characters, floats and pipes and drums. It is free.

What themes has the Aberdeen Christmas parade used?

The 2015 parade used a 12 Days of Christmas theme, with walkers dressed as a partridge in a pear tree and 12 drummers. A later parade had a Fire and Ice theme, with reindeer on Segways and guests from the Sandwick Up Helly-Aa Squad in Shetland.

Is there a nativity scene in Aberdeen at Christmas?

Yes. In 2025 a nativity scene stood in Union Terrace Gardens from 1 December to 4 January 2026, with a blessing event on 1 December. Carol concerts at the David Welch Winter Gardens followed on 13 December, and in 2026 the carol concerts are on 12 December.

Where can I see Santa in Aberdeen in 2026?

Dobbies Aberdeen on Lang Stracht runs Santa's Grotto from 22 November to 24 December 2026, with pre-booked sessions from £15. Each child with a ticket gets a penguin soft toy, and a photo package booked ahead is 20% cheaper.

What panto is on in Aberdeen in 2026?

His Majesty's Theatre stages Goldilocks and the Three Bears from Saturday 28 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027, a circus-themed show with Greg McHugh as Gary Barnum.

Where can kids go for Christmas in Aberdeen besides the village?

Kids can visit Santa at Dobbies Aberdeen, see the panto at His Majesty's Theatre, or watch the parade on 15 November. Dobbies also runs Santa Paws for dogs and a Quiet Grotto for children who may have additional needs. Stonehaven Town Hall hosts the Ury Players' Hansel & Gretel from 2 to 5 December 2026.

Is there a quiet Santa visit in Aberdeen for children with additional needs?

Dobbies Aberdeen holds Santa's Quiet Grotto on 4 and 8 December 2026 for children who may have additional needs. Music is off, twinkling lights are removed and photos of the grotto are emailed beforehand. Tickets are £15 per child and must be pre-booked.

Can I take my dog to meet Santa in Aberdeen?

Yes. Santa Paws at Dobbies Aberdeen runs on six dates between 6 and 23 December 2026, at about £12 to £13.50 per dog. Families can add a child's ticket so children can meet Santa with their dog. Booking ahead is needed.

Where can families spend Christmas Day in Aberdeen?

Aberdeen Christmas Village is closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day, so plan around those closures. It is open every other day from 12 November 2026 to 3 January 2027.

Sources

  1. Aberdeen Christmas Market 2026, VisitAberdeenshire
  2. Countdown to Christmas begins with opening of Aberdeen's Christmas Village, The Gaudie
  3. Festive fun to return with Christmas countdown, Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce
  4. Christmas tree switch-on ceremony, Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce
  5. Aberdeen's Christmas tree finally arrives after 312 mile journey from Stavanger, Press and Journal
  6. Last Christmas tree from Stavanger for 20 years lights up the Castlegate, Press and Journal
  7. Aberdeen Christmas Lights Switch-On Parade, Aberdeen City Council
  8. Aberdeen's Christmas lights switch-on parade, Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce
  9. Christmas Lights Switch-on Parade, VisitAberdeenshire
Kelsey Cecil
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