Searching for Santa? Head for the New Forest, says Tim Davey

G abriel, my three- year-old grandson, could barely contain his excitement as he clambered into the car seat. Little sister Agatha, just a year old, didn't have a clue what was going on but knew that if her big brother was happy, she'd join in the fun, too.

So, with a couple of beaming, contented kids in the back seat, we set off in search of Christmas, heading out of Bristol on the cross-country route we normally take if we're heading for the ferry at Portsmouth.

We weren't, of course. Our destination was Paultons Park, a superb theme park we know well, and the opening day of its Winter Wonderland experience.

The journey took about an hour and a half of driving time (plus a refreshment stop en route) travelling past Warminster and Salisbury. By the time you reach the latter, you haven't too far to go, so the journey's perfect as far as young children are concerned; neither of them got too fidgety.

Paultons Park was somewhere we had all visited in the summer time. If you've never been, then you should know its rides and attractions are set alongside and within superb parkland on the very edge of the New Forest. One thing we especially like about it is that it has a good proportion of rides for youngsters, as well as teens and adults.

To be honest, the weather wasn't all that festive. It was stormy. But when we arrived late morning the place was already bustling with families and Gabriel just couldn't wait to get started. He loved the mini-sized versions of big rides, especially the Flying Frog rollercoaster, the Magic Carpet and Trekking Tractors.

All this, of course, was merely a prelude to our main objective of the day. The Wonderland visit and an appointment with Father Christmas himself.

And, when I say appointment, I mean just that. The nice thing is that you are given a specific time to come calling at the park's festive location.

Ours was mid-afternoon. It's all totally undercover, so the downpour which coincided with our arrival on Santa's doorstep was no problem.

We found ourselves stepping inside a house and a child's toy-filled bedroom. It was just the beginning of an extensive number of animated, all-singing, all-dancing, tableaux. We were all impressed. Agatha was wide-eyed, so was Gabriel, and us adults enjoyed it, too.

But it got even better when, after passing Santa's reindeer in their stables, we stepped into an ante-room where a friendly elf greeted us. This was most impressive, we thought, as he chatted specifically to Gabriel, asking him all about his day, his Christmas wishes and so forth, before saying someone was calling him into the next room – and there was Father Christmas himself.

Again, the nice thing, thanks to a clever little ticket system, was that he knew both the children's names. There was nothing rushed about it, either. No one else was hovering on the boundary while we were paying our homage to the grand old man.

Gabriel had a decent chat with him before Father Christmas handed both him and Agatha a gift each (decent ones, as it turned out). There was even time to pose for some family pictures with him.

It didn't stop there, though, as just across the way from this we were ushered into another building where mince pies and mulled wine were dispensed for the adults while the kids unwrapped their goodies.

All too soon, after some more rides (this time in the rain) for Gabriel, it was time to head back home to Bristol.

We arrived home with one star-struck toddler, one very contented little boy, and a general agreement that Paultons Park's Christmas treat was a real winner.

Tickets to Santa's Wonderland include admission to the park and its attractions. You must visit Santa at the time printed on your ticket but you can enjoy the rest of the park at other times during the day.

All tickets have to be pre-booked and pre-paid.

Admission prices are: adults, £17.50; children 3-13 years, £17.50; children 12-35 months, £14; babies under a year old receiving a gift, £6; babies under a year not receiving a gift, free.

Available dates are: Saturday, December 5, Sunday December 6, Wednesday, December 9, Saturday, December 12, Friday, December 18, Monday, December 21, Tuesday, December 22, Wednesday, December 23.

Telephone 0238081442 or visit www.paultonspark.co.uk.

Paultons Park, Ower, Romsey,The New Forest, Hampshire SO51 6AL.