Christmas In England
 

We are crossing fingers and toes to get to spend our Christmas in England. The past three times we were in the North moors, Yorkshire Dales, Northumberland, Yorkshire dales again and the Cotswolds.
we are one larger family divided into two families traveling together. We like two houses together or at least close by in the same village. We love to be near the pub.
our interests include history, walking, museums, local market towns, art galleries and open air events as well as indoors. We love getting off the beaten path and discovering new and interesting laces and things
we really need some ideas. We are open to one location for two weeks or split between 2locations. We may even have a few extra days.

we would love any and all selections and are up to new places and things.

A week in Suffolk and a week in North Norfolk might work well.
Lavenham in Suffolk is a beautiful small town and would be a good location to explore the wider area (the coast is lovely even in winter!). Southwold, Aldeburgh etc.
Lavenham itself is full of pink painted (Suffolk Pink) timbered medieval houses.
Lavenham, Places to Eat, See and Stay, Love Lavenham, Suffolk
North Norfolk also has much to offer - Holt is worth looking at.
Discover Holt (visitnorthnorfolk.com)
I was born and brought up in Suffolk and my family still live there so if the area appeals I will try and help further with any planning

Cornwall might be good.

From your previous visits, it seems like you enjoy more hilly scenery, so the Lake District would be ideal. Do some research on cottages available in the Lakes:

https://www.cottages.com/england/lake-district

https://www.sykescottages.co.uk/en-p...kaAtkqEALw_wcB

https://www.cumbrian-cottages.co.uk/...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

I second Bilbo's suggestion of Cornwall - always lots going on [except last year of course] - with local theatre productions, special events at the NT gardens, Heligan and the Eden Project, and several villages that really go to town with the lights especially Mousehole. Lots of snug pubs and excellent restaurants. And if you're lucky, as we have been quite often, you can walk on the beach in the sunshine on Boxing Day.

Don't forget National Trust Cottages - all sizes, in interesting places all over the country.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hol...liday-cottages

Cornwall has become one of my favorite places anywhere. You might want to combine it with Devon. Both would be very different from your previous travels. Agree with MmePerdu that you should check out National Trust Cottages.

Saving this, some very beautiful places. I would just say it is not easy to book much right now. I am finding a huge jump in cancellation prices and for fall. Some aren't even offering the option. We are looking at November. I can't blame them as they have suffered greatly and once it opens back up people will be willing to pay.

The Nat'l Trust for sure, but also check out the Landmark Trust. Landmark has some amazing properties (even one inside Hampton Court Palace)

Used to be you had to purchase their printed catalog before you could enroll and get the booking details but now one can book on-line without actually joining, just like the National Trust.

I would also suggest Lake District or Cornwall/Devon - probably likely to have better weather on the south coast than in the Lake District at that time of year so my vote would probably go that way.
By the way I love that you spent your last visit in Yorkshire (aka God's own country) - I grew up in Stokesley on the edge of the North York Moors and my Dad was a Moors ranger for many years :blush:

We have spent a week or more in December in the Lake District and, yes, lots of bad weather. However, it’s a beautiful, fascinating place. We absolutely love Yorkshire and Northumberland. I am content to go there each time but my grown children want to go somewhere different this time. Cornwall and Devon are very appealing so I’m leaning that way. I hope there will be enough open so everyone can be entertained. My husband and I love to walk and ride around and are happy relaxing and loving the beauty around us. I really appreciate your input. If you have ideas about what to see and do and where to stay, please let me know. Thanks.

We have rented from both in the past and love them. We stayed in a house at Housesteads Fort on Hadrian’s Wall for a week and it was magical. My main issue is I have to find two houses close together and that’s always a challenge. My oldest daughter has a family and they like their own house. Any ideas? Thanks for your input.

Thank you so much. We love those houses and have rented before. I am leaning toward Cornwall and Devon. Any suggestions about where to stay or activities to do at Christmas would be great.

I’m leaning toward Cornwall and Devon so if you have suggestions on where to stay or things to do, please let me know. Thanks.

<<I’m leaning toward Cornwall and Devon so if you have suggestions on where to stay or things to do, please let me know. Thanks.>>

That is a vast area so it would be good to know if you are thinking of one base between the two or two separate bases. Also how far you are prepared to travel in a day for excursions, and what you like to do. For example from where I live in the middle of Cornwall within an hour or so's drive there are approx ½ a dozen NT gardens and properties plus Heligan and the Eden Project and several lovely towns and villages , but there's not much here. I can also think of several gorgeous villages which fulfil your criteria for being near a pub [can't speak for the availability of accommodation] but they are further from places to see, One place that occurs to me, mainly because of the excellence of the pub is Mitchell - the village is not particularly attractive but the pub has great food and there are very good road links to most of Cornwall. It doesn't have the drop dead gorgeousness of Mousehole or Port Isaac but it's rather more convenient.

https://theplumemitchell.co.uk

Another quite central an attractive village with a pub is Devoran, then proceeding round the coast Gweek, Mawnan Smith, Porthleven, Marazion, St Just, St Agnes, Padstow; moving over to the south coast there's Mevagissey, Looe, Fowey - some are villages, some more like towns. Given your DD's requirements it might be as well to look at that first and then if you have a shortlist I could perhaps help with what you could expect in each place.

A number of the National Trust cottages are on estates or in towns/villages with more than one available & often grouped together. I chose this village in Cornwall at random from their website: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hol...s-in-boscastle