Santa Comes to the Toon: Discovery Museum Unwraps Geordie-Themed Grotto

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Canny Christmas Grotto will offer a Geordie twist on the classic Santa Claus experience, giving families a chance to celebrate the season with a local flavour. Swapping the North Pole for the North East, the event will run across selected dates, ending  just before Christmas Eve.

Transcript

00:00Santa, you have visitors?

00:10Oh, I'll deal with this later.

00:13The canny Christmas grotto will offer a Geordie twist on the classic Santa Claus experience,

00:18giving families a chance to celebrate the season with a local flavour.

00:22Swapping the North Pole for the North East, the event will run across selected dates ending

00:27just before Christmas Eve.

00:29Taking inspiration from the museum's role in telling the story of Tyneside, the grotto

00:34will feature black and white decorations, with elves dressed in custom-made outfits reflecting

00:39the colours famously associated with Newcastle.

00:44Families will be welcomed with hot chocolate and sweet treats, before being guided through

00:48festive crafts, photo opportunities in a giant sleigh, and oversized gingerbread displays.

00:55At the heart of the experience is a personal meeting with Santa Claus in a twinkling monochrome

01:00grotto.

01:01Jackson will receive a gift from Santa himself, and the event aims to create lasting memories

01:06for local families in a setting that embraces regional identity and festive cheer.

01:12Keith Merrin, Director of North East Museums, said, Discovery Museum is and has been such a

01:18cherished destination for generations of families.

01:20So we're pulling off all the festive stops to create a new Geordie-inspired jolly experience

01:25for all the family.

01:26We're hoping the canny Christmas grotto becomes another Newcastle Christmas tradition.

01:33But while festive events like this bring joy and community spirit, they also arrive at a

01:38time when many families are feeling the financial strain of the season more than ever.

01:44According to consumer spending data, families in the North East spend an average of £1,200

01:50over the Christmas period, covering gifts, food, travel, days out and entertainment.

01:56And with new Christmas markets, light trails and ticketed events becoming more common, household

02:02budgets are under increasing pressure.

02:07The rising cost of living has made the festive season even more challenging, especially for

02:11families with young children who want to make the most of the magical experiences available.

02:17Many parents now find themselves weighing up which events they can realistically afford

02:21to attend.

02:23While local councils and organisations continue to invest in family-friendly activities, some

02:28are calling for more affordable options to ensure Christmas remains inclusive for all.

02:34We asked people in the North East how they're feeling about the cost of Christmas this year

02:39and whether festive events are still within reach for the average family.

02:42I'd say social media has made it to like every parent feels they need to give their children

02:49like thousands of pounds worth of gifts.

02:51So very often my parents will get their credit cards and max it out during Christmas with the

02:55fear that they aren't doing well enough for their children.

02:58that's not a problem.

03:01Hm.

03:15Great.

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