Jane Austen's House is dressed for Christmas from 18 November to 30 December. The candlelit concert and two twilight tours are sold out; what is left, and when.
Jane Austen’s House in Chawton, near Alton, is dressed for Christmas from Wednesday 18 November to Wednesday 30 December 2026. Its display, Christmas Presents & Pages, is included in normal admission, and so is a family trail. The paid extras are filling up: on 1 November the candlelit concert on 5 December was fully booked, and two of the four twilight tours had sold out. Every fact below is from the house’s own pages (Jane Austen’s House, Christmas events).
The quick answer
Updated 7 November: the house has added an online Virtual Tour: Christmas Special on Thursday 3 December, 7pm to 8pm, £7. The concert and the 21 November and 19 December twilight tours are still sold out; the 28 November and 12 December tours are still on sale.
- Is it on this year? Yes. The Christmas display runs 18 November to 30 December, included with house admission.
- Opening in the Christmas season: 10am to 4pm, last entry 3pm, but not every day. Thursday to Sunday from 9 November to 13 December (plus Wednesday 18 November), Wednesday to Sunday from 16 to 20 December, closed 21 to 27 December, then open 28, 29 and 30 December.
- Admission on the door: adult £15.50, child 6 to 16 £7.25, under-6s free, family (two adults, up to three children) £40. Booking online saves £1, and the ticket becomes an annual pass.
- Still bookable on 1 November: twilight tours on 28 November and 12 December (£19.50), the bauble workshop (28 November, £35), the toddler concert (11 December, £11) and the birthday tour (16 December, £19.50).
- Sold out: the Christmas concert by candlelight (5 December, £65) and the twilight tours on 21 November and 19 December.
The house at Christmas, and when it is open
Christmas Presents & Pages runs from Wednesday 18 November to Wednesday 30 December 2026 and is included in house admission. Families can pick up a free Birthday Present Trail: presents given to Jane Austen, her family or her characters, “from a slice of cheese to a lock of hair”, hidden around the rooms. It runs on every open day, 10am to 4pm, last entry 3pm (Birthday Present Trail).
The house’s visitor information gives shorter winter hours, 10am to 4pm with last admission at 3pm, in November and December, and these open days:
| Dates | Open |
|---|---|
| 2 to 8 November | Saturday and Sunday only |
| 9 November to 13 December | Thursday to Sunday (and Wednesday 18 November) |
| 16 to 20 December | Wednesday to Sunday |
| 21 to 27 December | Closed all week |
| 28 December to 3 January | Monday to Wednesday: 28, 29 and 30 December |
Admission on the door:
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult | £15.50 |
| Senior | £15.00 |
| Young person, 17 to 26 | £11.00 |
| Disabled person (carer free) | £11.00 |
| Child, 6 to 16 | £7.25 (under-6s free) |
| Family, one adult and up to three children | £26.00 |
| Family, two adults and up to three children | £40.00 |
| Art Fund and Jane Austen Society members | £7.50 |
Booking ahead online saves £1 on each of these, and every ticket works as an annual pass for a year of return visits, which must be booked. Special event days are excluded. The house strongly recommends pre-booking to guarantee entry.
Every Christmas event, and what is sold out
Read on 1 November from each event’s own page.
| Event | Date and time | Price | On 1 November |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper decorations drop-in | Sat 14 Nov, 10am to 1pm | Free with admission | Open |
| Twilight Tour: A Regency Christmas | Sat 21 Nov, 4.30pm to 5.30pm | £19.50 | Sold out |
| Decoupage paper bauble workshop | Sat 28 Nov, 10.30am to 12.30pm | £35, entry included | On sale |
| Twilight Tour: A Regency Christmas | Sat 28 Nov, 4.30pm to 5.30pm | £19.50 | On sale |
| Virtual Tour: Christmas Special (online) | Thu 3 Dec, 7pm to 8pm | £7 | On sale (added since 1 Nov) |
| Christmas Concert by Candlelight | Sat 5 Dec, 3pm to 5pm | £65, entry included | Fully booked |
| Austen’s Music Miniatures: Christmas Special | Fri 11 Dec, 10.30am to 11.30am | £11 a child, one adult free | On sale |
| Twilight Tour: A Regency Christmas | Sat 12 Dec, 4pm to 5pm | £19.50 | On sale |
| Twilight Tour: A Regency Christmas | Sat 19 Dec, 4pm to 5pm | £19.50 | Sold out |
| Guided Tour: Jane Austen’s Birthday | Wed 16 Dec, 9am to 10am | £19.50, entry included | On sale |
| Virtual Birthday Party (Zoom) | Wed 16 Dec, 8pm to 9pm | £10 | On sale to midday 15 Dec |
Twilight tours. A candlelit, guided hour round the decorated house, on the family’s Christmas traditions and pastimes. Groups are kept small, the tour starts on time and latecomers may not be let in. The house’s Christmas overview says the tours run on Friday and Saturday evenings, but its booking calendar lists only the four Saturdays above (28 November tour, 12 December tour).
Paper decorations, Saturday 14 November. Drop in to the Learning Centre behind the house and fold stars, snowflakes, hearts and paper chains from old copies of the novels, which then decorate the house. Free with admission; book a general admission slot for that morning (Paper decorations).
Decoupage baubles, Saturday 28 November. A two-hour workshop making a Jane Austen bauble to take home, with tea, coffee and mince pies. £35, which includes house entry that day (Decoupage workshop).
Christmas Concert by Candlelight, Saturday 5 December. Mulled wine in the historic kitchen, then soprano Penelope Appleyard and pianist Jonathan Delbridge (The Little Song Party) in the Drawing Room, where Jane practised each morning, with narration by the actor Tamzin Merchant. The programme includes music from Jane Austen’s own music books. Fully booked on 1 November (Christmas concert).
Virtual Christmas tour, Thursday 3 December. An hour-long online version of the house’s guided tour, with festive readings, stories and Georgian Christmas traditions, 7pm to 8pm. £7, booked by picking the date in the event’s calendar (Virtual Tour: Christmas Special).
Music Miniatures, Friday 11 December. A relaxed 50-minute Christmas concert for babies and toddlers in the Learning Centre. Tickets are per child, with one adult free, and do not include house entry (Music Miniatures).
Jane Austen’s birthday, Wednesday 16 December. She was born on 16 December 1775. The house runs an early tour before opening, 9am to 10am, then pop-up talks through the day and a Birthday Book to sign. In the evening its online fundraiser, the Virtual Birthday Party, runs on Zoom from 8pm; tickets are £10 each, sales close at midday on Tuesday 15 December, and a recording is kept for ticket holders for three months (Birthday tour, Virtual party).
Between Christmas and New Year
The house is closed from Monday 21 to Sunday 27 December and reopens for three days, Monday 28, Tuesday 29 and Wednesday 30 December, 10am to 4pm. The display ends on the 30th. The house’s 2027 opening days are on its visitor information page.
Getting there
The house is at Chawton, Hampshire, GU34 1SD, just outside Alton; phone 01420 83262. Directions by car, public transport and on foot are on the house’s visitor information page. From Petersfield, check roadworks and travel before you set off; for a day out in Alton itself, see our Alton Christmas lights switch-on page.
For more Christmas near Petersfield, see Christmas at Uppark, Father Christmas near Petersfield and what’s on in Petersfield this month.
Have your say