Meet St Nicholas

Gloucester Cathedral is bringing back its Meet St Nicholas day on Saturday 12 December, from 10am to 4pm. It's a return by popular demand, and it's part of the Cathedral's wider family events programme for the season.

The day is built around a new grotto in the cloisters, where you can meet the man behind the Father Christmas legend, St Nicholas. Beyond that, there's the story of St Nick to explore throughout the cloisters, and festive crafts for the whole family to get stuck into. Every child takes home a specially chosen book, so there's something to carry away after the visit.

There's a local connection to the day, too. The King's School is involved, and their deputy head Rob Shaughnessy spoke about the school's centuries-old partnership with the Cathedral and the joy of bringing Christmas magic to the children of Gloucestershire. It's a nice reminder of how long the two have been linked up.

On the practical side, you don't need to book in advance, and donations are welcome. That said, they're expecting queues, so it's worth keeping that in mind if you're planning your day. You'll find the Cathedral at 12 College Green, Gloucester GL1 2LX, and the whole thing runs from 10am to 4pm on 12 December.