If you are looking for Christmas days out near Hull in 2026, Southwood Garden Centre in Cottingham is an easy festive outing with plenty to see, shop and enjoy without needing to book a ticket.
Our Christmas department is transformed each year with themed displays, decorated trees, festive lighting, animated village scenes and thousands of decorations. Add in free entry, free customer parking and Lucy's Coffee Shop on site, and it works just as well for a relaxed browse as it does for a dedicated Christmas shopping trip.
Plan your Christmas visit to Southwood →
A Festive Day Out Just Outside Hull
Southwood Garden Centre is in Cottingham, East Yorkshire, making it a convenient Christmas outing from Hull, Beverley, Hessle, Willerby, Anlaby, Brough, Driffield and surrounding areas.
There is no admission charge to visit the Christmas displays and no booking is required, so you can simply arrive during normal opening hours and take your time looking around.
Rather than being a ticketed attraction with a set route, Southwood is a working family-run garden centre that becomes heavily Christmas-focused for the season. That means you can wander through the displays, stop to look at details, shop if you want to, and enjoy the visit at your own pace.
More Than 4,000 Christmas Products
One of the things that surprises first-time visitors is just how much Christmas stock there is to explore.
For 2026, Southwood has more than 4,000 Christmas products across baubles, artificial trees, lights, wreaths, garlands, festive characters, Christmas villages and seasonal home décor.
We may not be one of the country's biggest garden centres, but Christmas is something we do on a remarkable scale. The range is unusually extensive for an independent family-run garden centre, and much of it is worked into the displays so you can see how different products look together before deciding what might work at home.
Different Christmas Themes to Explore
Part of the fun of visiting Southwood at Christmas is moving between completely different looks. Some areas are rich and traditional, with reds, greens and golds. Others are snowy and woodland-inspired, while some displays focus more heavily on contemporary lighting and statement decorations.
This variety means the department feels more like a series of festive scenes than one uniform shop floor. It also makes it easier to pick up ideas if you are planning a new colour scheme at home or simply want to see what is available before Christmas gets busy.
See Our Biggest-Ever Lemax Village
For many visitors, the Lemax display is one of the highlights.
Our 2026 village is the biggest Lemax display we have created so far, with snowy streets, illuminated buildings, moving rides, trains and animated pieces brought together into one detailed miniature world.
It is particularly good for anyone who likes to stop and look closely because there are little scenes and moving details throughout the display. It is also a useful way for collectors to see how different buildings and accessories can work together.
You can see more of the village in our 2026 Lemax display guide.
Christmas Lights and Statement Displays
Christmas lighting is another big part of the department, with trees, illuminated figures, decorative light-up pieces and darker display areas designed to show the lights at their best.
Seeing everything switched on in person is especially useful if you are choosing a larger decoration or want to understand how bright a product actually looks before taking it home.
Plenty of Character Around Every Corner
The displays are not limited to formal decorated trees. Throughout the Christmas department you will also find festive characters, gonks, Santas, woodland animals and smaller decorative scenes that make the space feel more playful.
These details are part of what makes Southwood enjoyable even if you are visiting without a shopping list. There is always something different to notice as you move through the department.
Stop at Lucy's Coffee Shop
Once you have had a look around the displays, Lucy's Coffee Shop is right here at the garden centre, so it is easy to turn the visit into a more relaxed festive outing.
You can stop for breakfast, lunch, coffee, cake or a seasonal drink before or after browsing the Christmas department.
A Local Christmas Tradition in East Yorkshire
For many customers, visiting Southwood's Christmas displays has become part of the run-up to Christmas each year.
The displays change from season to season, so returning visitors usually have something new to discover. In 2024, the Southwood team was also named The Greatest Garden Centre Christmas Team in the North East at GTN's Greatest Christmas Awards.
Read more about our Christmas award →
Plan Your Christmas Day Out Near Hull
Southwood Garden Centre
Ganton Avenue
Cottingham
East Yorkshire
HU16 5HG
Monday–Saturday: 9:30am–5:00pm
Sunday: 10:00am–4:00pm
Entry to the Christmas displays: Free
Parking: Free customer parking
Booking: Not required
On site: Lucy's Coffee Shop and the wider Southwood Garden Centre
If you are looking for something festive to do near Hull or in East Yorkshire this Christmas, Southwood is an easy option to add to your plans. You can come for the displays, browse more than 4,000 Christmas products, see the Lemax village, stop for something at Lucy's and stay for as little or as long as you like.