Christmas in Guernsey 2026: events, markets, lunches and what's open

The quick answer

Christmas in Guernsey starts with the lights switch-on in St Peter Port on Saturday 28 November, then builds through December with late-night shopping on Thursdays, Christmas markets, cheap ferries to Herm for shopping weekends and the Christmas Tractor Run on 12 December. Hardy swimmers mark Christmas Day and Boxing Day with a dip in the sea. Several hotels sell Christmas and New Year packages with meals included, and some restaurants serve Christmas Day lunch to non-residents.

Christmas 2026 at a glance

Dates were checked against the organisers' own pages in early November. Events past their date drop off this table. For everything else on, see what's on.

Christmas in St Peter Port

The season opens with the Santa parade and lights switch-on in Market Square at 5pm on Saturday 28 November. From then on, shops stay open until 9pm on Thursdays in December, with stalls in Market Square on Thursday evenings and Saturdays.

The National Trust of Guernsey's Victorian Christmas Shop at 26 Cornet Street opens from 13 November to 19 December, until 8pm on December Thursdays. Its other Christmas shop is at the Folk & Costume Museum in Saumarez Park, which hosts a Christmas Courtyard Market on the evening of Monday 7 December. Entry is £2 for adults, and free for children and members.

Two more festive spots in town: the Domes at The Duke in Candie Gardens, bookable from 19 November to 31 December, and festive afternoon tea at The Old Government House from 27 November. And because Guernsey has no VAT, Christmas shopping here can be a little cheaper than in the UK.

Herm at Christmas

On four weekends (21–22 and 28–29 November, 5–6 and 12–13 December) Herm runs Christmas shopping weekends with a £3 return ferry for adults (£1.50 for children), bought on the day. Boats leave the Inter Island Quay at 10.15am, 12.15pm, 2.15pm and 4.15pm, and come back at 35 minutes past. The Mermaid Tavern serves a hot buffet for £13.50 at lunchtime.

On Fridays 4, 11 and 18 December, the Mermaid's Christmas lunch is £37 a person for three courses including the ferry, leaving at 12.15pm and returning at 4.35pm. Book ahead. Herm's shop is closed on Christmas Day.

Over New Year, the White House Hotel opens its Mermaid and Foxglove wings for a two-night package with the Mermaid's New Year's Eve party (see below). Stocks Hotel on Sark is closed until 19 March 2027.

Christmas Day and Boxing Day swims

Hundreds of people take to the sea over Christmas, most of them raising money for charity. Guernsey Swimming Club's Polar Bear Swim is usually held on Christmas morning, 9.30–11am, at the La Vallette Bathing Pools. On Boxing Day the Cobo dip raises money for the Guernsey Cheshire Home; 2025 was its 25th year. Times for 2026 weren't published when we checked, so look for the organisers' posts nearer the day. The sea is around 12°C in December.

Christmas lunch and festive packages

Christmas Day lunch without staying: Fermain Valley lists Christmas Day lunch at £80 for adults and £32.50 for children aged 4–12. St Pierre Park lists a Christmas Day evening feast at £95 (£55 for children), Boxing Day lunch at £60 (£30) and festive lunches and dinners from £42. Neither page states the year, so confirm the price when you book.

Staying over: these Christmas and New Year packages include dinners and, for Christmas, Christmas lunch. Prices are per person, two sharing, unless stated.

Full details, and winter breaks after Christmas, are on our winter deals board. Islanders looking for a night away should see our winter staycation guide.

What's open over Christmas

• Public holidays: Christmas Day (Friday 25 December), Boxing Day (Saturday 26 December) and Monday 28 December, the bank holiday in lieu.
• Guernsey Museum at Candie: 10am–4pm in November and December, closing at 2pm on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
• Buses and ferries: holiday timetables weren't published when we checked. Check buses.gg, Travel Trident (Herm) and Isle of Sark Shipping before you travel on the 25th or 26th.
• Flying home for Christmas: last year Aurigny added extra Gatwick and Birmingham seats over the holidays and ran an evening check-in from 3pm to 8pm. Fog can delay flights in winter, so leave a day spare before Christmas if you can. Our delays guide explains what to do.

Weather and daylight

December in Guernsey is mild but wet. The long-term averages at the airport are a high of about 9°C and a low of about 6°C, with rain on around 15 days. Days are short: around eight hours of daylight near the solstice, with sunset at about 4pm. So plan walks for the middle of the day, and save town for the lights.

Old Guernsey Christmas customs

The Priaulx Library has recorded how the island used to celebrate. New Year's Day was a bigger occasion than Christmas, and children went round asking for étrennes, New Year gifts. The favourite cake was gâche à corinthes, the currant loaf still sold as Guernsey gâche. On Christmas morning a milk cake, gâche détrempée, was baked early to eat hot at breakfast. On New Year's Eve, “le vieux bout de l'an” (the old end of the year) was paraded by torchlight, then buried or burned.

Hotel prices for Christmas

Coming over for the holidays? Add your dates to compare live prices for hotels, B&Bs and holiday lets. Christmas week books up early.

Questions

Sources

• Guernsey Christmas lights
• Visit Guernsey: things to do this festive season
• Visit Guernsey: Christmas Tractor Run
• National Trust of Guernsey: Christmas Courtyard Market
• National Trust of Guernsey: Christmas shops
• Herm: Christmas shopping weekends
• Herm: Mermaid Christmas lunches
• Visit Guernsey: Polar Bear Swim
• Guernsey Press: Christmas charity dips, Dec 2025
• Fermain Valley: festive dining
• St Pierre Park: festive dining
• Visit Guernsey: Guernsey Museum at Candie
• Guernsey Press: Castle Cornet bridge rebuild
• Guernsey Press: ports ready for Christmas travellers, Dec 2025
• Bailiwick Express: Aurigny Christmas flights
• Met Office: Guernsey Airport climate averages
• Weather2Travel: St Peter Port in December
• Priaulx Library: old Guernsey customs
• Time and Date: Guernsey public holidays