Nostalgia and pure imagination
With a futuristic Christmas dinner, giant board games from the 1960s and a 1990s Silent Disco in the Gallery, this Christmas was a mix of playful nostalgia and wild imagination.











2022: Long Live the Christmas Tree!
In 2022 we invited 11 artists and designers to rise to the challenge of creating their own traditionally untraditional Christmas tree for Harewood House.
Taking inspiration from Harewood’s history, surroundings and environment to create something truly unique, celebrating the festive season in a most unexpected way.
Artists and makers from across Yorkshire and beyond brought a contemporary festive twist to the House, creating trees (and ‘trees’) inspired by the natural world, winter rituals and Harewood itself, conjuring the playfulness, joy and warmth of the season.
From beautifully sculpted paper trees to a rotating evergreen formed of copper and crystal, this Christmas offered a wonderful variety of interpretations of the classic winter spruce.
Supported by Lights4Fun
Featuring Artists
Juli Bolaños-Durman, Hughbon Condor, Simon Costin, Matthew Galvin, Martin Green x Opera North, Meriel Hunt, Yasemen Hussein, Ashley Karrell, Phoebe McElhatton, Anna Potter (Swallows & Damsons) and Andy Singleton











2021: Upon a Christmas Wish
For 2021, we welcomed Lord Whitney – the Leeds-based creative duo of Amy Lord and Rebekah Whitney and connoisseurs of the make-believe – back to Harewood following their beautiful creation of Seeds of Hope in 2018.
This Christmas (postponed inevitably from 2020 when it was installed and then sadly taken down without anyone to see it) developed into an immersive Christmas story told through magical design and spellbinding spoken word.
Created by Lord Whitney
Writer: Toby Thompson
Sound Design: Buffalo
Filming: Proud Fox Creative
Poetic storytelling
With impressive large-scale sets accompanied by beautiful narrated poetic storytelling, this Christmas saw magic and whimsical wonder centred around the story of a little girl who was granted a festive wish to experience a Christmas like never before.













2019: Night at the Mansion
In 2019 we welcomed Davy & Kristin McGuire to Harewood.
Multi-award-winning mixed reality artists, internationally renowned for their innovative explorations in immersive art, storytelling and digital projections, Davy & Kris transformed Harewood into a magical, festive wonderland for our Christmas installations.
Using a blend of projection mapping, narrative storytelling and sound installations, we saw the objects and characters of Harewood brought to life in a series of playful, beautiful and mesmerising installations which brought a sense of magic and wonder to all our visitors.
“What they have created is a beguiling world of digital wizardry that leaves you mesmerised as you walk from one room to the next.” Yorkshire Evening Post
“Not seen anything like it before – so clever. Loved it!” Carol, Visitor from New York
From talking plates and gossiping statues, to beautiful dancing ceiling patterns, this Christmas was an experience like never before.
“What follows makes the jaw drop and the head whirl.” The Times
Created by Studio McGuire
Writer Christina Lewis
Composer Spesh Maloney
Award Winning Christmas
We were delighted that Night at the Mansion was awarded Innovation of the Year at the Museums and Heritage Awards in 2020.










2018: Dreams of the 1920s
Christmas 2018 saw the House brought back in time to the roaring 20s through the eyes of internationally respected Art Director and Set Designer Simon Costin.
Reality and fantasy merged for this surreal and unexpected Christmas, which told the story of a special Christmas unique to Harewood’s history through the eyes of King George V’s grandsons George and Gerald: a fantastical world of 1920s nostalgia, with dancing Vogue figures in the Music Room, a giant willow figure of Pan in the Gallery, and a beautiful Christmas tree transformed from a wedding dress.
Having collaborated with the likes of the late Alexander McQueen and Givenchy to create jaw-dropping catwalk designs, Simon was the perfect fit for bringing Harewood’s festive season to life for 2018.
Created by Simon Costin
Supported by Swarovski, Vogue
A surreal and unexpected Christmas
Having collaborated with the likes of the late Alexander McQueen and Givenchy to create jaw-dropping catwalk designs, Simon was the perfect fit for bringing Harewood’s festive season to life for 2018.











2017: A Victorian Christmas at Harewood
In 2017, Harewood worked with the celebrated and award-winning Set Designer, the late, great, Michael Howells.
Having worked on ITV’s Victoria series, which used Harewood House as a major filming location, Michael was able to bring a taste of the grandeur and opulence of a Victorian Christmas to Harewood.
The installations explored how the Victorians shaped the Christmas traditions which we know and love today including Christmas Dinner, Boxing Day, Christmas carols and present giving.
Created by Michael Howells
Christmas traditions with a twist
We saw the house brought to life with beautiful decorations and a feeling of celebration which transported you back in time to the Victorian Christmases of Harewood’s past.














