Father Christmas is going round to lots of museums before the main job of the year on December 25. Here he is at Crich Tramway Village. Courtesy Crich Tramway Village

There’s a nip in the air and many long dark nights ahead of us still, but the good news is that joyful festive events are taking place at museums and galleries throughout December.

Read on to find a few things to get you into the festive spirit of things.

Donkeys will be the star of a traditional nativity scene at Tatton Park’s Home Farm (in Cheshire) on December 21. Joining Daisy, Dotty and Bella will be Clarabelle the short horn dairy cow, three Polled Dorset sheep, and possibly some newborn lambs, all lowing around the baby Jesus. Call on ‘Aunty Mary’ in the cottage for some toast if you need more warming up after visiting the festive stable.

Reindeer are calling in on Caldicot Castle (Monmouthshire) for a magical festive event to include the usual carol singing, plus seasonal ghost stories in the dungeon and Victorian legends in the banqueting hall.

The annual ice rink in the courtyard will also be open for gratuitous wearing of hats and scarves, holding of hands and drinking of mulled wine (£5 a session). Event runs on December 8 and 9; reindeer on Sunday only.

Even donkeys love Christmas. Courtesy Tatton Park

Talking of sessions, beer drinkers will like the idea of the Christmas gala evenings at Basingstoke’s living history museum, Milestones, where traditional ales will be flowing in the Edwardian pub. Bound to make the Punch and Judy show even more entertaining. Music, Santa and a Christmas market complete the bill. Fridays December 7 and 14, 7pm-10pm. Tickets £9 adults, £8.25 concessions, £5.50 children, £26 family; advance booking only, 01256 403900.

Nostalgia is the order of the day at Lincolnsfields newly created 1940s house over Christmas tide. Based at Hertfordshire's Bushey Hall, the USAAF Fighter Command HQ during World War Two, the house is being opened for the first time in 2007.

Expect gramophone music harking back to the days of swing bands and Vera Lynn, bread pudding and old fashioned craft activities for kids, to show them what the winter holidays were like before the ‘Wii’. Sundays, December 9 and 16 11am-3.30pm; £3 adults, £2 children and senior citizens.

The National Trust knows a thing or two about Christmas traditions. Oxburgh Hall is celebrating Victorian style. Courtesy National Trust

Transport of yore will carry you off with a gift from Father Christmas after you visit him in his grotto at Derbyshire’s Crich Tramway Village (well, the presents are supposed to be for children, so best to take one or two of them along with you). The Santa Specials are on December 8-9 and 15-16, when children get free entry (but it’s £5 if they want to visit the grotto and get their present – if they’ve been good enough all year, of course).

If they haven’t told Santa what they want, yet, they can post a letter to him from the box in Hollytrees Museum, Colchester. Festive stationery is available for youngsters who want to make the right impression, and remind them to include their address and postcode. Well-behaved little people will get a reply. Last posting day is December 16.

It’s all a bit Dickensian at Blists Hill Victorian Town in Shropshire (weekends December 8-9 and 15-16), and all rather snowy at Kew Gardens, where a winter wonderland will be open for guaranteed white Christmas cheer on December 8-9, 15-16 and 17-23.

Caldicot Castle's ice rink and reclining reindeer - a scene good enough for a Christmas card. Courtesy Caldicot Castle

And you can trust the National Trust to go all traditional at properties like Oxburgh Hall, Norfolk, with special openings on December 15,16 and 22 (11am-4pm) for you to enjoy evergreen decked rooms, Salvation Army music, hot chestnuts and pomander-making.

Many Trust properties are serving up mouth-watering Christmas lunches as well as home-made mince pies. Indulgence is the key word at Blickling Hall, Norwich, where you can book a one-off four-course lunch to be enjoyed in the grandeur of Lord Lothian's study on December 21 (call 01263 738045).

Now, if you’d rather just get rid of the wee ones for a few hours while you head off into the mire that is Christmas shopping, a craft workshop is guaranteed to both educate and tire them out somewhat.

If you’ve left it till the last minute, you might be glad of the toy theatre workshop kindly organised by Sir John Soane’s Museum in central London on December 21.

Running from 10.30am to 3pm, the day will train up 6-10-year-olds in the art of creating a miniature theatre and putting together a short play. Book on 020 7440 4254 or email Beth Kingston at bkingston@soane.org.uk (£10, children should bring packed lunch).

Oh no, I couldn't manage a whole one, really. Courtesy National Trust

And as an alternative to late night shopping on Thursdays, you could drop in for a free massage at the Barbican, by skilled professional Rachel Burke. Running on December 13, 20 and 27, ‘A Touch of Seduction’ accompanies the gallery’s Art and Sex from Antiquity to Now exhibition.

Post-Christmas day there are some choice activities going on. Thinktank in Birmingham is hosting the Robo Challenge Christmas Special, where you can meet the battle-bots from TV’s Robot Wars and talk to the expert roboteers when they’re not involved in some destructive action in the live combat arena (December 28 and 29.)

Meanwhile, Papplewick Pumping Station, Nottinghamshire, is steaming up its beam engines on December 29 and 30, with a brass band playing on Saturday and a swing band on the Sunday.

Hopefully there's something in there to get you in the mood and put a slightly less commercial spin on this special time of year. Use the search box on this page to look for more Christmassy events near you.