Pre-festive fun: take the stress out of Christmas at the Derbyshire Christmas markets

We often hear of the stress of the festive season. Well yes, it may have its stresses but the best perhaps of dealing with this is to turn festive preparations into a time for you! And a great place for festive preparations is Derbyshire.

From the 17th to 19th December the wonderful setting of Haddon Hall seen recently in the BBC drama Gunpowder, hosts a Christmas artisan market. The market hosts a range of Peak District arts and crafts plus many other delights. Enjoy the splendour of the hall and engage in some festive shopping. Following the markets Haddon Hall is open for the Christmas season from the 1st to 20th December.

This year Chatsworth House is hosting their Christmas markets daily from the 17th November until the 5th December. Soak up the Christmas atmosphere as you browse more than 100 stalls offering Christmas gifts and decorations for family and friends. As well as the market the house is decorated for Christmas based on the most famous works of the great Victorian novelist Charles Dickens. The house is open for the Christmas season until the 7th January.

There are other festive markets to enjoy in Derbyshire leading up to Christmas. The Bakewell Christmas market is the weekend of the 25th and 26th November, and includes the town Christmas light switch-on. Wirksworth hosts the street market on Sunday 26th November. Matlock hosts its Victorian Christmas market from the 1st to 3rd December. The Matlock Christmas lights are switched on later Saturday afternoon and the markets finish with a fantastic firework display on 5.15pm on the Sunday.

So why not enjoy some festive shopping in the splendour of the historic cultural attractions of Derbyshire.