Santa's Grotto ideas: how to create a grotto in your garden

It's the hottest ticket in town, booking to see the big man at Christmas time. But with Santa self-isolating last year that ticket is even harder to get this Christmas! Instead of missing out due to demand why not recreate the festive fun by setting up a solution at home, with a little help from our creative Santa's grotto ideas

We've conjured up lots of Christmas ideas for creating your very own festive Grotto in the garden. With a bit of creative thinking, some savvy buys and some easy DIY, you can come up with a truly magical setting on a budget.

Our ideas for a backyard Santa's Grottos show that Christmas starts at home this year...

Santa's Grotto ideas for your garden

1. Choose the perfect grotto location

If you are lucky, you might have a relatively empty shed or summerhouse that you can transform into a winter wonderland location, perfect for Santa. Failing that, a garden canopy or pergola will protect your guests against the rain, and is easily spruced up with lighting and Christmas decoration. With an open pergola, using plastic sheeting as walls can also protect against the wind.

If you don’t own an existing garden canopy or pergola, however, a gazebo will work also. However, be sure to secure this effectively in case of strong winds.

2. Create an enchanting path

Set the scene surrounding your DIY Santa's grotto by using plenty of outdoor Christmas decor ideas to add festive magic to the exterior. Light pathways with lights to guide excitable little ones in the direction of your garden grotto.

3. Transform your trees

Christmas isn’t complete without a tree. The evergreen conifer is the classic Christmas tree, but any tree outside can be turned into a Christmas tree. Leafless or not, adding fairy lights and decorations can make even the barest tree seem festive. Oversized baubles designed for outdoor trees are also a nice addition. If you’re happy to spray paint your tree white, this can also add to the ambience of a winter wonderland.

If you don’t have a tree you can decorate, creating your own using branches and old pallets is a fun activity to do with children, and also adds a rustic addition to a Christmas garden.

4. Dress grotto walls with fairy lights

Whether you have chosen the dress a summerhouse or a gazebo for your Santa's grotto idea fairy lights are your friend! The humble fairy light can make any setting all the more magical. Laurie Davidson interior stylist @lifeofaninteriorstylist suggests a great way to use fairy lights; 'Hang fairy light nets around the walls, and invest in a few fun lights, such as reindeer or a light-up sleigh.'

5. Add extra ambient lighting

There is plenty of lighting to choose from for your Christmas Grotto. You don’t even necessarily need to opt for Christmas lighting. As the name suggests, festoon lighting appears festive, however, it can be used year-round, whether it is for special occasions in a garden or a permanent fixture. These look great draped across fencing and trees or even hanging from a garden canopy.

Lanterns are also a simple and effective way to add character and warmth to a Christmas garden. You can upcycle these yourself using old glass jars and bottles. Try using decorated green bottles – squint and they'll resemble mini, glowing Christmas trees.

Another way to create outdoor Christmas lighting is by attaching two empty hanging baskets together to form a ball shape. You can make these your own with spray paint, tinsel and fairy lights, to create large hanging Christmas baubles across your grotto.

6. Decorate your grotto

Decorating your Christmas garden allows you to be expressive and creating. Upcycling is a fantastic way to create a unique, sentimental setting, perfect for celebrating Christmas. Creating rustic decorations, such as reindeers from logs and branches gives a homely feel. This is also a great activity to do with your kids.

Use a simple stool or log stumps as authentic seats for Santa, his elves and visitors, but don't forget to add cushions for comfort. Use this simply but effective decorating idea of filling hurricane lanterns with Christmas baubles and instead of candles using LED fairy lights to add gentle illumination.

7. Set up a projector to play Christmas movies

It wouldn't be Christmas with a festive movie, so why not incorporate one into your Santa's grotto idea. A projector and screen is an ideal solution to set up in an outdoor space, weather permitting. This suitably festive scene was styled by interior stylist Laurie Davidson, who knows all the tricks to setting the scenery for Santa.

Adding plenty of cosy layers ensures this space can be used even in the bleak mid winter. Cushions and beanbags add easy seating solutions for add to sit comfortably while visiting Santa or simply enjoying a festive film.

8. Welcome warmth

Don’t let the cold weather put you off creating your Santa's Grotto. Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without crisp, dark nights – we just need to be creative with ways to stay warm. It's worth investing in a little outdoor heating.

Not only can braziers and the best fire pits keep your guests and yourself warm, but they are also very Christmassy. Despite being mainly used in the summertime, fire pits can recreate a cosy Christmas fireplace outdoors. Outdoor heaters are also effective at providing warmth, however, don’t have the same visual and rustic effect as an open flame.

Of course, be sure to keep the fire pit at least 10 feet away from your home, and away from flammable materials. Make sure children and pets are protected with a fire guard.

9. Set up a hot chocolate station

Ensure all are suitable warm inside and out by serving delicious hot drinks. Hot chocolate is the ultimate sweet hot drink for little ones. Mulled wine is also the perfect drink for your Christmas grotto. It can be made easily, with red wine, brown sugar, star anise, orange and lemon. It also keeps your gets warm and toasty and your guests can help themselves from the mixture. Washing mince pies down with mulled wine is also recommended.

10. Serve a feast for your grotto guests

As Christmas is a time for celebration, hosts don’t want to spend the entire evening cooking and serving. Also due to the cold weather, smaller entrees and Christmas treats are more suitable for eating in a Christmas garden grotto, rather than a Christmas dinner.

Serving a buffet, with hors d’oeuvre and canapes give you and your guests flexibility, and enable you to minimise contact and respect social distancing. Christmas appetizers can be anything from pigs in blankets, to hummus and flatbread. Whether you’re an experienced cook or not, plenty of retailers stock platters of Christmas snacks, giving the host one less thing to worry about.

11. Fashion festive fun and games

Make the most of your garden and create a Christmas-themed Easter hunt. Hiding mini presents and treats throughout your garden and proving clues for kids will keep them entertained. Having Santa make an appearance will also go down well if any guests are willing to dress up.

If the adults want to get in on the fun, charades is also a classic Christmas game. Christmas carols are a must for any Christmas gathering, with karaoke adding extra entertainment. Secret Santa is also a great way to provide suspense and fun to swapping presents, without having to buy gifts for everyone.

How do you make a Santa's Grotto?

The first thing to consider is whether you want your garden grotto to be covered or open to the elements' says Laurie Davidson interior stylist @lifeofaninteriorstylist on Instagram. 'A gazebo with weights to stop it blowing in windy weather and some patio heaters inside makes a cosy garden grotto, and you can fill it with lights, outdoor rugs and plenty of comfortable seating.'

'Make sure the sides of the gazebo reach the floor, so there's no gaps, to keep it chill-free. Why not put a hot chocolate station inside, along with plenty of beanbags and even a projector and screen so you can watch Christmas movies? If you're having your grotto without a gazebo, a firepit will create a magical place to toast s'mores and you can enjoy all the fairy lights dotted around your garden. String them overhead to create a sparkly 'roof' and bring your summer garden furniture into winter with fluffy sheepskins and Christmas-print cushions and blankets.

How can I make my house like a Christmas grotto?

'Lights, lights and more lights' exclaims stylist Laurie. 'Having a sparkly room will make it all the more magical, so hang fairy light nets around the walls, and invest in a few fun lights, such as reindeer or a light-up sleigh. You could also consider setting up a little 'den' or 'elf's hideaway' in your room, whether it's a tent or teepee-style design that you decorate with fairy lights, soft pillows and some festive accessories, like stockings for Santa and even a mini Christmas-list writing station.