Christmas Journey
Christmas Journey 2009 was an interactive Christmas experience designed for children but accessible to all ages. In six scenes with live actors (and live puppets!) it told the Christmas story from the very beginning when God made everything, through Mary's encounter with the Angel Gabriel, the birth of Jesus, the experiences of the shepherds and the kings, right through to the very end of all things - the new beginning.
In the beginning 1
Mary's kitchen
The shepherds on the hill
The manger in a stable
The palace of the kings
In the beginning 2
The Christmas Doors of Teddington 2016
The Christmas Doors of Teddington are 24 miniature doors located around the town during Advent, mostly in shops. Each conceals a picture associated with the Christmas story.
They give an extra dimension of excitement to the run-up to Christmas for children (and their parents/carers) as they search for these miniature doors all around the town.
For 2016, the doors are 'open' from Thursday 24 November until Christmas and can be visited in any order. Each shop with a door (listed below) will have a stock of leaflets showing where to find all the shops with doors.
Those on the search have to visit each of the 23 shops where the doors are hidden, find each door, and get a sticker on their leaflet from each shop. They can then visit the last door and collect a Christmas prize from Teddington Baptist Church. The doors are tiny, and they will have to look very hard to find them but over 150 prizes were given out in 2015!
Click to see what happened in previous years with Christmas Doors: 2013, 2014, and 2015.
Places with Christmas Doors in 2016
- Fun Factory, 14 The Causeway
- Teddington Photographic, 17 Broad Street
- Vidatherapy, 6 Church Road
- Budgens, 31-33 High Street
- Cavan Bakery, 111 Stanley Road
- Fabric House, 1 Broad Street
- Stepping on Out, 7 The Causeway
- Sidra Patisserie, 5 Church Road
- Cavan Bakery, 25 High Street
- Teddington Osteopaths, 146 Stanley Road
- Moores Cycles, 214-216 Kingston Road
- Happy Potter, 14 Broad Street
- Sims Opticians, 4 The Causeway
- Quality Grocers, 124 High Street
- The Loft, 16 Broad Street
- Snellers, 74 Broad Street
- Milestone Residential, 43 High Street
- Urban Suburban, 8 Broad Street
- Jack Brunsdon & Son, 18 High Street
- Johnson's Shoes, 60-62 Broad Street
- Hillstop Café, 78 Broad Street
- Tipplesworth, 12 Church Road
- K C Pharmacy, 23 Broad Street
- Teddington Baptist Church, 17 Church Road
Background Notes
The idea of the Christmas doors originated from two separate sources. The first was the Living Advent, an export from Stockholm which has now run for two years in Henley-Upon-Thames. This scheme involved twenty-three local businesses putting on a display or entertainment of some kind in their shop doorway/ window at 6.15pm from 1st - 23rd December. On 24th, the final 'door' was opened in the parish church.
The second inspiration for the Christmas Doors of Teddington came from the town of Ann Arbor in Michigan USA. In 2005, one or two small 'fairy doors' began appearing in shops around the town (see the Fairy Doors of Ann Arbor). There are now lots of them, and tourists travel from miles around with their children to visit them.
The Christmas Doors of Teddington is a joint venture by Teddington Baptist Church and Teddington Business Community. The doors were beautifully crafted by local toy company Le Toy Van and were then prepared and decorated by volunteers from Teddington Baptist Church.
The Christmas Doors of Teddington 2015
The Christmas Doors of Teddington are 24 miniature doors located around the town during Advent, mostly in shops. Each conceals a picture associated with the Christmas story. This gives an extra dimension of excitement to Christmas for children (and their parents/carers) as they search for these miniature doors all around the town.
For 2015, the doors were 'open' from Thursday 26 November until Christmas and could be visited in any order. The list of the shops and other places with Christmas Doors in 2015 is posted below. These shops with doors also had a stock of the leaflets (picture at left) which included a map showing where to find the shops with doors.
Those on the search had to visit each of the 23 shops where the doors were hidden, find each door, and get a sticker on their leaflet from each shop. They were then able to visit the last door and collect their Christmas treasure from Teddington Baptist Church. The doors are tiny, and they had to look very hard to find them but over a hundred children completed the task in 2015!
Places with Christmas Doors in 2015
- Fine & Country, 9 Broad Street
- Budgens, 31-33 High Street
- Happy Potter, 14 Broad Street
- The Loft, 16 Broad Street
- Teddington Photographic, 17 Broad Street
- Fabric House, 1 Broad Street
- Vidatherapy, 6 Church Road
- K C Pharmacy, 23 Broad Street
- Sims Opticians, 4 The Causeway
- Fun Factory, 14 The Causeway
- Tax Assist, 76 Broad Street
- Cavan Bakery, 42 Broad Street
- Cavan Bakery, 111 Stanley Road
- Johnson's Shoes, 60-62 Broad Street
- Cavan Bakery, 25 High Street
- Stepping on Out, 7 The Causeway
- Snellers, 74 Broad Street
- Quality Grocers, 124 High Street
- Moores Cycles, 214-216 Kingston Road
- Sidra Patisserie, 5 Church Road
- Teddington Osteopaths, 146 Stanley Road
- Milestone Residential, 43 High Street
- Urban Suburban, 8 Broad Street
- Teddington Baptist Church, 17 Church Road
Background Notes
The idea of the Christmas doors originated from two separate sources. The first was the Living Advent, an export from Stockholm which has now run for two years in Henley-Upon-Thames. This scheme involved twenty-three local businesses putting on a display or entertainment of some kind in their shop doorway/ window at 6.15pm from 1st - 23rd December. On 24th, the final 'door' was opened in the parish church.
The second inspiration for the Christmas Doors of Teddington came from the town of Ann Arbor in Michigan USA. In 2005, one or two small 'fairy doors' began appearing in shops around the town (see the Fairy Doors of Ann Arbor). There are now lots of them, and tourists travel from miles around with their children to visit them.
The Christmas Doors of Teddington is a joint venture by Teddington Baptist Church and Teddington Business Community. The doors were beautifully crafted by local toy company Le Toy Van and were then prepared and decorated by volunteers from Teddington Baptist Church.
The Christmas Doors of Teddington 2014
For 2014, the doors were 'open' from the last Thursday in November until Christmas and could be visited in any order. The list of the shops and other places where you could find the Christmas Doors in 2014 are posted below.
Those on the search had to visit each of the 23 shops where the doors are hidden, find each door, and get a sticker on their leaflet from each shop. They were then able to visit the last door and collect their Christmas treasure from Teddington Baptist Church. The doors were tiny, and they had to look very hard to find them!
Some comments from parents, carers and children about the experience of completing the trail in 2014 were:
- Great fun - kids were absorbed!
- Enjoyed looking for doors. Shopkeepers were extremely kind to the children.
- Really enjoyed doing it and remembered it from last year. Shopkeepers really friendly and kind with little treats along the way for the children - will look forward to doing it next year.
- Very good and exciting. Thank you.
- Brilliant!
- Thank you so much - we really enjoyed doing this. We found some shops we'd never been to and everyone helped us so much.
- Great fun. Got us out of the house on a lazy day. Lovely idea. Will be looking out for this again next year.
- We had a brilliant experience, really loved doing the Advent doors. Thank you.
- Thank you so much! It has been a fantastic experience finding all the doors! We, and the kids, loved it
Places with Christmas Doors in 2014
- Play Inside Out, Broad Street
- Budgens, High Street
- Happy Potter, Broad Street
- The Loft, Broad Street
- Teddington Photographic, Broad Street
- Fabric House, Broad Street
- Vidatherapy, Church Road
- K C Pharmacy, Broad Street
- Sims Opticians, The Causeway
- Teds, High Street
- Paul Kay Jewellers, Broad Street
- Divine at Number 12, Church Road
- Sidra Patisserie, Church Road
- Johnson's Shoes, Broad Street
- 1 of 1 Design, Broad Street
- Stepping on Out, The Causeway
- Snellers, Broad Street
- Quality Grocers, High Street
- Moores Cycles, Kingston Road
- Park Hotel, Park Road
- Teddington Tailors, Kingston Road
- Milestone Residential, High Street
- Urban Suburban, Broad Street
- Teddington Baptist Church, Church Road
The Christmas Doors being Delivered
The photos below show the Christmas Doors arriving at each place ready for Advent 2014. When you move your mouse over each photo, it changes to show the door in position inside each place.
Background Notes
The idea of the Christmas doors originated from two separate sources. The first was the Living Advent, an export from Stockholm which has now run for two years in Henley-Upon-Thames. This scheme involved twenty-three local businesses putting on a display or entertainment of some kind in their shop doorway/ window at 6.15pm from 1st - 23rd December. On 24th, the final 'door' was opened in the parish church.
The second inspiration for the Christmas Doors of Teddington came from the town of Ann Arbor in Michigan USA. In 2005, one or two small 'fairy doors' began appearing in shops around the town (see the Fairy Doors of Ann Arbor). There are now lots of them, and tourists travel from miles around with their children to visit them.
The Christmas Doors of Teddington is a joint venture by Teddington Baptist Church and Teddington Business Community. The doors were beautifully crafted by local toy company Le Toy Van and were then prepared and decorated by volunteers from Teddington Baptist Church.
The Christmas Doors of Teddington 2013
The doors are 'open' throughout Advent and can be visited in any order.
Those on the search have to visit each of the places numbered 1-23 below, find each door and get a sticker on their leaflet from each place. They are then able to visit the last door and collect their Christmas treasure from Teddington Baptist Church. The doors are tiny, and they have to look very hard to find them!
Places with Christmas Doors in 2013
- Play Inside Out
- Budgens
- Happy Potter
- The Loft
- Teddington Photographic
- Fabric House
- Vidatherapy
- The Architect's Gallery
- Diner's Delight
- Teds
- Paul Kay Jewellers
- Sidra Patisserie
- Studio 148
- Johnson's Shoes
- 1 of 1 Design
- Stepping on Out
- Caffe Toscana
- Quality Grocers
- Moores Cycles
- Park Hotel
- Edward Giles Estate Agents
- Milestone Residential
- Urban Suburban
- Teddington Baptist Church
The Christmas Doors being Delivered
The photos below show Richard Littledale (Minister of Teddington Baptist Church) delivering the Christmas Doors ready for Advent 2013. When you move your mouse over each photo, it changes to show the door in position inside the shop or business.
Background Notes
The idea of the Christmas doors originated from two separate sources. The first was the Living Advent, an export from Stockholm which has now run for two years in Henley-Upon-Thames. This scheme involved twenty-three local businesses putting on a display or entertainment of some kind in their shop doorway/ window at 6.15pm from 1st - 23rd December. On 24th, the final 'door' was opened in the parish church.
The second inspiration for the Christmas Doors of Teddington came from the town of Ann Arbor in Michigan USA. In 2005, one or two small 'fairy doors' began appearing in shops around the town (see the Fairy Doors of Ann Arbor). There are now lots of them, and tourists travel from miles around with their children to visit them.
The Christmas Doors of Teddington is a joint venture by Teddington Baptist Church and Teddington Business Community. The doors were beautifully crafted by local toy company Le Toy Van and were then prepared and decorated by volunteers from Teddington Baptist Church.