Cathedrals and churches across the UK are embracing Advent with a flurry of festive markets, carol services and community events.
From bustling craft stalls to towering Advent wreaths, they are getting ready to welcome thousands of visitors and support local crafters and traders as they share the Christian story at the heart of the season.
Across the country, cathedral precincts have been transformed into hubs of seasonal activity.
Many churches traditionally report record attendance at this year as people take part in Christmas services or flock to browse handmade goods, sample winter treats and take part in family activities.
At Chelmsford Cathedral, this year’s Christmas Market on December 6 will showcase local artisans beneath the cathedral’s Tree of Life mural, complete with a pop-up café for visitors.
More than 40 independent stallholders will fill Hereford Cathedral on December 13, where the Dean, the Very Revd Sarah Brown, will lead communal carol singing in the cathedral close.
In Cornwall, Truro Cathedral continues its dual series of markets, including the “Made in Cornwall: Cathedral Christmas Market,” which attracts visitors from across the county each year.
Portsmouth Cathedral’s fair on December 6 will feature raffles, toys, a chocolate tombola and other treats, with “Carols on the Green” taking place later in the day as part of the cathedral’s fundraising efforts.
Additionally, in Birmingham, a helter-skelter, a family Christmas Tree ride, and a huge craft market line Cathedral Square.
More than 60 local traders are involved, and 10 regional charities are using the cathedral’s dedicated charity chalet to generate awareness and raise funds.
Several major markets opened in late November, drawing extraordinary numbers.
From Coventry’s local makers’ market to St Davids Cathedral’s bustling fayre with 45-plus stalls, Welsh choir performances and all-day catering, the message is the same: churches are placing community at the heart of Christmas.
St Edmundsbury Cathedral hosted more than 50 stallholders during the last weekend of November, with live entertainment each day.
Its Head Verger and Events Manager, James Stark, said the event “marks the start of our Christmas celebrations,” while also strengthening ties with the local community.
Whether through supporting local businesses, hosting family-friendly celebrations, or offering moments of worship and peace, cathedrals are inviting people of all backgrounds to step inside and take part.
In Devon, Exeter Cathedral’s month-long Christmas Market has already attracted visitors to its twinkling chalets.
The Dean, the Very Rev Jonathan Greener, noted that the market not only supports local businesses but brings hundreds of thousands into the city centre. It has "become an essential part of Exeter’s Christmas", he said.
"Last time we counted, we reckoned the Market attracted 600,000 visitors and brought some £30 Million of commercial activity into the City Centre," he said.
Visitors are also encouraged to explore the cathedral itself, which waives its usual entry fee while the market is running.
Last time, around 20,000 people chose to visit the building during the festive season.
Meanwhile, Winchester Cathedral’s market, often named among Europe’s best, expects over 110,000 visitors and has placed special importance on sustainability this year.
Ely Cathedral’s Christmas Gift & Food Fair welcomed more than 16,000 visitors last weekend, complete with an observation wheel measuring 35m offering sweeping views of the cathedral and surrounding Fens.
Canterbury Cathedral opened its extensive market on 15 November with more than 170 stallholders across multiple city sites — now among the biggest Christmas markets in the UK.
Amid the festivities, cathedral deans have emphasised the deeper significance of Advent, encouraging visitors to rediscover the meaning of Christmas beyond the trimmings.
The Dean of Canterbury, the Very Revd David Monteith, said the season is an opportunity not just for festivity but for reflection: “I love the baubles and the tinsel as much as anybody else, but, of course, at the heart of it is the story of God coming to be with us, which is a story of profound and lasting hope. And so that’s my wish for everyone this Christmas.”
He invited all to take part in markets, concerts, and Christmas services, adding: “Come and discover something of the hope that sits at the heart of this special season.”
Other cathedral leaders are weaving spirituality and humour into the season’s traditions.
The Dean of Salisbury, the Very Rev Nicholas Papadopulos, wrote in a Christmas booklet for congregations that even garish Christmas jumpers can point towards joy: “You see, Christmas jumpers are tasteless. And here’s the thing. God is tasteless too. That’s actually the heart of the good news. God is without a shred of cultural or aesthetic judgment. That must be so.”
His reflections in The Twelve Joys of Christmas highlight the delight found in both sacred worship and everyday seasonal pleasures — from puddings to pantomime.
He said: “At Christmas we celebrate the divine becoming visible in the earthly, don’t we? Isn’t it just possible that in this other stuff – this decidedly earthly stuff – we catch glimpses of the divine? I believe that it is.”
Festive preparations are also well underway at York Minster, where the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, assisted in raising what is believed to be one of the largest Advent wreaths in the country beneath the cathedral’s central tower.
Crafted by volunteer flower arrangers using locally sourced holly, ivy and winter foliage, the wreath sits nearly 30 feet above the ground.
Its candles will be lit each Sunday of Advent, culminating in the lighting of the central candle at Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.
Archbishop Cottrell praised the teams who are giving their time and skills throughout December to make Christmas special at York Minster.
“Their dedication serves as a reminder of all those who generously offer their time and skills throughout the Advent and Christmas season to help welcome as many people as possible to experience our churches and our worship at this special time," he said.
