Santa returns to Wakefield's Coal Mining Museum for his annual coal collection

Wakefield’s National Coal Mining Museum welcomed a very special guest who’d come to collect coal in time for Christmas.
By Kara McKune
Published 30th Nov 2022, 14:00 BST
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Santa Claus himself visited the museum and was present throughout the weekend at the museum’s grotto 140 metres underground.

The unique underground grotto experience allows Father Christmas to ring a bell and decide whether children are or the naughty or nice list: with children ultimately recieving a gift or a lump of coal.

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The visit launched the museum’s fun-packed festive season, which has been funded as part of Wakefield Council’s Light Up event, taking place throughout the district.

Santa arrived at The National Coal Mining Museum to collect coal for the children on this year’s naughty list.Santa arrived at The National Coal Mining Museum to collect coal for the children on this year’s naughty list.
Santa arrived at The National Coal Mining Museum to collect coal for the children on this year’s naughty list.

The coal mining Christmas kicked-off on November 25 with Illumine, a weekend of art, brass bands and history taking place throughout the grounds.

As darkness fell, museum buildings were bathed in colourful hues as part of Light up Wakefield.

Younger visitors, enjoyed pop-up Christmas activities with story-telling sessions and crafting where they learnt how to make lanterns and, on the 27th, visitors were invited return with their lanterns and join a lantern parade around the museum grounds.

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Anita O'Donovan, Head of Marketing says: “We are looking forward to celebrating the start of, what promises to be, a fantastic festive season at the National Coal Mining Museum with something for everyone from art and crafts, history, festive food and live music.

The visit launched the beginning of a fun-packed festive season at the museum.The visit launched the beginning of a fun-packed festive season at the museum.
The visit launched the beginning of a fun-packed festive season at the museum.

"Families can choose to enjoy a free day out with plenty of crafts to get them in the mood or pay for more specialist workshops where they can pick up new techniques and unique experiences. Young visitors will have the chance to catch Santa before he heads down our chimneys in our unique underground grotto, where Santa gets his coal, which has already sold out once.”

The museum is hosting a variety of fun activities throughout December for children and adults in honour of the festive season.

This includes the return of the underground grotto, which will continue to run every Saturday and Sunday through December as well as the 21, 22, 23 and Christmas Eve.

Find out more about the National Coal Mining Museum’s Christmas schedule here.

Related topics:National Coal Mining MuseumWakefieldWakefield Council