Santa on the rooftop Newcastle: magical Christmas fun for families

Disclaimer: This post is a collaboration. All opinions, experiences, and recommendations shared here are entirely my own.

I’ve been to my fair share of Christmas grottos as a new mum over 40, but our first Santa on the Rooftop at Fenwick in Newcastle felt different. It was about noticing Cyrus’s small reactions at the toys, the elves and realising that I can still get swept up in the magic.

Tickets and anticipation

Christmas tends to arrive faster than you expect, and this year I was determined not to miss out. Tickets were £12.50 each, a small price for a morning I knew Cyrus would remember. Booking them gave me a thrill I haven’t felt in years, back when festival tickets mattered more than sleep, showers, or sensible shoes. This time, the excitement was quieter, softer, tinged with a little mum anxiety about whether I’d actually get them.

A walk through the warehouse

Stepping into Santa’s warehouse, Little C froze for a moment, soaking in the lights, decorations, and toys. Following the footprints from the lift through the rooms became a gentle adventure. He wandered, sometimes distracted by a teddy, sometimes by a particularly sparkly decoration, and I found myself welling up. Hormones, nostalgia, or just a mum noticing her child’s delight, I’ll never know – but the moment caught me unexpectedly.

We paused for an Elfie Selfie. Little C was fascinated by the props while I tried on a wig for the camera, laughing quietly at myself before he tugged me away to see another elf. Then came the rooftop. Christmas trees glimmered, vintage toy cars were scattered about, and reindeer softly sang festive tunes. The city stretched beyond, muted by winter light. I stood back, letting him explore, and let myself simply watch.

Meeting Santa

Meeting Santa is the heart of the experience. Little C hesitated, unsure about climbing onto his knee, and I felt a familiar lump in my throat. He whispered his wish for an excavator, and I nodded along, quietly moved. A few tears escaped, hormones, exhaustion, the fleeting reminder that these years are so short and Santa handled it all with calm warmth.

Cookies, glitter, and simple joy

After Santa, we moved to the elves’ kitchen for cookie decorating. Little C didn’t quite follow “decorate before you eat,” but he poured himself into the task, icing one cookie carefully while sneaking bites of another. Watching him concentrate, proud and absorbed, made me realise how these small, sticky, glitter-strewn moments often hold more happiness than any perfectly wrapped present.

Fenwick’s attention to detail continued with hot chocolate and marshmallows for him, mulled wine for me, and a final room of festive displays that felt thoughtful rather than staged.

Quiet reflection

Walking away, Little C clutching his glittered cookie and a memory of Santa, I felt quietly grateful. Midlife has a way of sharpening these moments, making you notice the little things, the expressions, the tiny gestures. Fenwick’s Santa on the Rooftop was more than decorations and treats. It was a reminder that even in midlife, parenting can hold unexpected tears.

These are the experiences you tuck away, the ones that linger quietly in your mind. Watching your child marvel at something so simple reminds you that sometimes, the real gift is seeing the world through someone else’s eyes for just a little while.

Rating: ★★★★★