Forget The Frenzy

Obviously it would be patronising to suggest that everyone who has shuffled beyond a certain age shares the same tastes.

After all, one woman’s knitting circle is another’s nadir. But we felt that if anyone deserves a slice of Christmas charm sheltered from the festive frenzy (not to mention the grandchildren), it is our much-loved, more mature readers.

lThe kid-crazy grottos have been and gone, and you’re just in time to saunter along to the altogether more refined White Christmas event at Blenheim Palace which finishes tomorrow. The state rooms are encrusted with cascades of classy frosting including twinkling trees in the colonnades and crystal costumes from the English National Ballet The Snow Queen. Best of all, you can indulge in your own Downton Abbey moment, (perhaps channeling that grandest of dames Maggie Smith) by casting a withering eye over the Marlborough family’s dining table which will be adorned in timeless, upper-class glitz. Over-60s are eligible for a £4 concession on house tickets throughout the year and, even if the palace has passed you by, its 2,000 acres of Capability Brown landscaped parkland is open throughout the winter for bracing walks to drink in the lakeside setting for just £3-£4. The park is open daily for the rest of December from 9am to dusk (closed Christmas Day). Visit blenheimpalace.com or call 0800 849 6500.

lEven for those who prefer to hibernate, one of the blessings of living close to such a beautiful city as Oxford is the evergreen carol service at Christ Church. The cathedral choir event is the hot ticket for music-lovers of all ages this Saturday and Tuesday at 7.30pm. This year, perennial favourites Jean Marsh and Robert Hardy will share poetry, prose and music. Visit musicatoxford.com or call 01865 244806. Be quick to catch The Lord Mayor’s event at Oxford Town Hall on Sunday (doors at 1.30pm – call 01865 252 351 for tickets) as well with Nine Lessons and Carols at St Michael’s at 6pm (no ticket required) and Midnight Mass at New College on Christmas Eve from 11.30pm.

lFancy spicing things up with a seasonal swap shop...? Don’t fret, it’s not as saucy as it sounds! If you’re looking to feather your nest, buy an original present or simply while away an afternoon, Deddington Antique Centre is the world’s longest-running antique emporium crammed with a million items sprawling over four floors that really comes into its own at Christmastime. Fans of Dickenson’s Real Deal will be familiar with the store’s charismatic owner Brenda Haller who (with her daughter) conjured up the swap shop allowing visitors to bring in unwanted or inherited antiques, as well as vintage and nearly new clothing for adults and children, and exchange them for more pleasing items. The centre is open seven days a week including bank holidays and has free parking. Visit deddingtonantiquecentre.co.uk or call 01869 338 968.

lIn a youth-obsessed world, the beauty team at Witney Lakes and Spa bear gifts in the form of tender loving treatments for older clients. While the lakeland course hosts a winter warmer offer of unlimited golf and chef’s special lunch for just £24, ladies can unwind in the spa resort, above, and slather on the luxury with an Elemis treatment such as the dreamy Face and Body Sensation. The senior-savvy staff promise to lavish attention on your skin as if it’s a long-lost relative and even the most low maintenance guests will be booking in for a return trip. Visit witney-lakes.co.uk or call 01993 893 000 to book.

lFoodies able to bypass the boisterous family binge can book into the legendary Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons near Great Milton for dining experiences between now and the new year – book as soon as possible for Boxing Day. These days can include demonstrations from the Raymond Blanc Cookery School, aperitifs and wine tastings as well as Christmas luncheon or dinner in true gourmet Gallic style (post-meal Christmas coma in one of the equally sumptuous suites optional). Those stuck basting in the kitchen at home will be very jealous... Visit manoir.com or call 01844 278 881.

lOr leave the Freedom Pass at home and meander along the Thames with an Oxford River Cruise with lunch, dinner or simply drinks aboard one of the fleet’s small Edwardian heritage boats. The vessels allow you to sail along the Isis at a languid pace while the rest of the world chases its tail. Visit oxfordrivercruises.com or call 0845 226 9396.

lIf you’ve partaken of too much pudding (and why not) there are a number of senior-friendly walking groups across Oxford at which you can enjoy the crisp wintry air with likeminded ramblers. Thursday Wellness Walks can add a spring to your step or how about a Sunday stroll around Shotover Country Park for just £3? If you’re more of a night owl, you can even don a head torch and roam Port Meadow of an evening, benefiting from the security of safety in numbers. Call 01865 252270 to find out more.

lIf Strictly Come Dancing is more your motivation, you could quickstep into the new year with the fabulous Two Left Feet dance classes which are held all across the county to sequin your routine with dashes of ballroom and even the clumsiest amateurs are welcome. Visit getoxfordshireacticve.co.uk Ceroc Oxford, inset, usher in a bygone era with Tea Dances at Oxford Town Hall (every other Wednesday 2-4pm. There is no upper age limit and there’s plenty of cake at hand to replenish depleted calories. The Memory Lane Dance Project also high-kicks into action in 2012. In partnership with The Head Over Heels exhibition, also at the town hall, this is an intergenerational dance project culminating with a gala performance in March. If you’re looking to get involved, visit oxford.gov.uk or call 01865 252195.