Where does Santa's grotto come from?

Oliver Bowerman • November 25, 2024

Santa's grotto is as Christmassy as a cracker. But where does it come from? Find out in our blog post.

Christmas is all about traditions – traditions that feel as cosy as a warm jumper or a pig in blanket. And for families across the UK and beyond, a trip to Santa's Grotto is an indispensable part of the proceedings.

But did you know that Santa's Grotto is a relatively recent outing for Saint Nick? Just as you might be surprised to learn that the first Christmas card was posted in 1843, you might do a double-take when you read that Santa opened his first grotto in the late 19th century.

Of course, grottos themselves are as old as time – or at least as old as the reign of Emperor Hadrian. Not content with his world-famous wall, he also built himself a villa complete with manmade caves.

But Christmas grottos are an altogether more recent invention. For a long time, historians thought the first was at Lewis's Bon Marche department store in Liverpool in 1879. But recently unearthed evidence suggests that a retailer in Edinburgh got there first some 20 years earlier.

In this article, we explore the history of Christmas grottos – from humble beginnings in Scotland to the grand displays we know and love today. Make sure you read to the end to find out all about our Christmas grotto here at Stump Cross Caverns…

Christmas in Liverpool

History is always being revised. New evidence is discovered and timelines are adjusted. This has happened with David Lewis's grotto, once thought to be the first of its kind.

Lewis had visited the world's first department store, the Bon Marche in Paris, and decided to replicate the experience in 1870s Liverpool. This included an exhibition area that became the perfect spot for Santa to hand out Christmas goodies.

There's something fitting about coastal Liverpool becoming a historic Christmas site. After all, Saint Nicholas was the patron saint of seafarers as well as children.

Lewis's has since closed down – but the grotto remains, now at St John's Shopping Centre. More than a century on, Lewis's dream of a winter wonderland lives on. Today, the displays can cover more than 10,000 square feet.

Scottish beginnings

Sadly for Lewis, he was pipped to the post by the Edinburgh clockmaker F. Laule. In December 1859, Laule turned his premises on George Street into a "Grand Fancy Fair".

This, the local newspaper reported, included a forest of Christmas trees with a mighty pine at the centre. This was the star of the show, sending the reporter into rhapsodies: it was, they said, "refulgent with glistening spheres and bedecked with gold and silver".

This magnificent tree, however, took second place to "Good old Father Christmas" himself, accompanied by "attendant nymphs" – the Victorian version of elves. Santa handed out gifts from his "wonderful inexhaustible Christmas box" to visitors of all ages. Each gift was chosen by a spectacular spinning wheel.

The fun didn't stop there. That night, the shop was lit up with Chinese lanterns and filled with the sounds of a harmonium player.

The night was a success and became a template for similar events in the coming years. In 1870, for instance, the Houlden Brothers of Nicolson Street held Christmas celebrations featuring a "magic grotto".

Next steps

Grottos were fast becoming an integral part of Christmases up and down the British Isles. J.R. Roberts opened a famous example in the East End of London in 1888 – and "Christmas Bazaars" for kids proliferated in the 1890s and 1900s.

Soon, Christmas grottos became international, with examples popping up in North America and Australia.

In North Pole, New York, a Santa's Workshop amusement park was opened – a contender for the Christmassiest place name along with Santa's Candy Castle in Santa Claus, Indiana.

In 1896, John Martin's department store in Adelaide, Australia opened up its Magic Cave. In time, this blossomed into a yearly parade known as the "Adelaide Christmas Pageant".

Picture of the Adelaide Christmas Pageant parade.

Today, there are Santa's Grottos all over the world. These range from grand, show-stealing affairs complete with animatronics and light displays to homelier drop-ins at primary schools, community centres and local shops.

Where do elves come from?

Santa's Grotto is now as integral to Christmas as Advent calendars – and no depiction of it would be complete without Santa's little helpers.

Christmas elves first became popular around the same time as the first grottos. In 1873, the cover of "Godey's Lady's Book" showed Santa and his elves surrounded by toys. The caption read, "Here we have an idea of the preparations that are made to supply the young folks with toys at Christmas time".

Who knows how old Santa and his elves really are? In Britain, at least, they first became prominent in Victorian times – and they show no signs of going away.

Christmas at Stump Cross Caverns

Santa can set up his grottos anywhere. But is there any setting better than an actual cave?

Here at Stump Cross Caverns, we're sitting on a network of naturally occurring grottos, joined by enchanting passageways and teeming with real-life decorations: those stalagmites and stalactites that take our visitors' breath away year after year.

This Christmas, why not bring the family to our interactive Christmas experience? Kids get to meet Santa and his jolly elf in our visitor centre – and every child goes home with a special Christmas gift.

But that's not all that Santa has in store. Visitors can also create reindeer food to take home for Santa's couriers on Christmas Eve.

And then, of course, you get to take a good look round our stunning caves in a self-guided cave tour. As if that wasn't enough, your ticket also gives you entrance to our warm, welcoming cinema to watch a classic Christmas movie.

Ideal for families and Christmas lovers of all ages, the Stump Cross Christmas experience is one you won't forget in a hurry. Don't miss out – book today to avoid disappointment.

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