A Magical Christmas Show

2026 Show Dates

Fri 18th - Sun 20th December 2026

Step into the magic of Christmas with this heart-warming adventure. Join three spirited elf sisters on a festive journey filled with laughter, music, and wonder that will captivate all ages.

Journey through fantastical lands, meet unforgettable characters, and experience the joy of discovering the true meaning of Christmas. With spectacular music, dazzling visuals, and plenty of laughter, The Gift promises an unforgettable experience for all ages.

December 2026 General Public Shows

Friday 18th 7.00pm
Saturday 19th 12:00pm
Saturday 19th 3:30pm
Saturday 19th 7:00pm
Sunday 20th 12:00pm
Sunday 20th 3:30pm
Sunday 20th 7:00pm

Tickets go LIVE 1st November 2026

Every person you see on stage and every role behind the scenes is filled by volunteers from Glow Church. Children, teenagers, parents, and grandparents all giving their time, energy, and creativity to create something special for others. This show is built by people, for people.

The Gift exists to give something beautiful, free, and accessible to our local community at Christmas. No tickets to buy. No pressure. Just a story shared generously, created to be enjoyed by everyone, whatever their background or circumstances.

School Performances

Monday 7th – Friday 11th December 2026

Each year, The Gift welcomes local schools and community groups to special daytime performances, giving children and young people the opportunity to experience the excitement and magic of a live Christmas production.

Designed to be engaging, inclusive and memorable, The Gift combines music, storytelling, creativity and plenty of Christmas fun in a high-quality production created for all ages. It’s a brilliant Christmas outing for primary schools, as well as elderly groups and community organisations.

December 2026 School Performances;

Monday 7th 10:30am
Monday 7th 1:00pm
Tuesday 8th 10:30am
Tuesday 8th 1:00pm
Wednesday 9th 10:30am
Wednesday 9th 1:00pm
Thursday 10th 10:30am
Thursday 10th 1:00pm
Friday 11th 10:30am
Friday 11th 1:00pm

School places always fill up fast and advance booking is essential.

Bring your pupils, bring your staff and make The Gift part of your school’s Christmas celebrations this year.

ENQUIRE

The Story Continues

The experience doesn’t end when the show does.
When the curtain falls, there’s still more to discover.

After the show, the doors open to a whole new experience in another hall. Step inside our Meet & Greet exhibition and enter the world of The Gift — filled with characters, themed spaces and Christmas magic.

Children can meet and chat with their favourite characters from the show, pose for photographs and explore a collection of specially created sets and photo opportunities. It’s their chance to get up close to the characters they’ve just watched on stage and create some brilliant family memories along the way.

There’s no rush to leave when the show finishes. Explore, meet the characters, take the photos and enjoy the experience. And just like the show itself, the entire Meet & Greet experience is completely free!

FAQ's

What is The Gift?
The Gift is Glow Church’s annual Christmas production — a creative, family-friendly experience telling the Christmas story through live performance, music and production.

When is The Gift taking place?
The Gift takes place in December at Glow Church. Full performance dates and times are available on this page, with separate daytime performances available for schools.

Where does The Gift take place?
The Gift takes place at Glow Church, Long Tens Way, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, DL5 6AP.

Do I need to book tickets?
Yes. We recommend booking in advance as performances can reach capacity. Follow the booking link on this page to reserve your places.

Is The Gift suitable for children?
Yes. The Gift is designed to be enjoyed by families and is suitable for children as well as adults.

How long does the performance last?
Allow approximately 75 minutes for the performance. Doors will open before the advertised start time, so we recommend arriving early.

Is there parking at Glow Church?
Yes. Free parking is available on site. Our team will be there to help direct you when you arrive.

Is the venue accessible?
Yes. Glow Church has accessible entrances and facilities. If you have particular accessibility requirements, please contact us before your visit and we'll do our best to help.

Can schools groups attend The Gift?
Yes. We host dedicated daytime performances for local primary schools during the week, designed specifically for school group visits.

How do I book my school into The Gift?
Schools can enquire via email. Let us know your school, approximate number of pupils and preferred performance, and our team will be in touch.

Can I bring a group?
Absolutely. If you're planning to bring a larger group, contact us in advance so we can help you with seating and arrival arrangements.

What happens if I'm late?
We recommend arriving in plenty of time before the performance begins. Late admission may be limited once the production has started.

Can I buy refreshments during The Gift?
Yes. Sweets, snacks and a selection of soft drinks will be available to purchase before the show. Please note that Glow Coffee will not be serving hot drinks during The Gift performances.

Who can I contact if I have another question?
If there's anything you'd like to know before attending The Gift, get in touch with the Glow Church team through our Contact page and we'll be happy to help.

Why is The Gift free to attend? Who pays for it?
We want The Gift to be accessible to everyone, so there is no charge to attend. Glow Church covers the cost of producing the event, with the generous support of local partners and sponsors who help us make The Gift possible for our community.

How many people will see The Gift?
Each year, The Gift reaches thousands of people from across our community. In 2026, we expect around 8,000–9,000 people to experience the show across our schools, community and public performances.

Who are the actors and singers in The Gift?
The cast of The Gift is made up of local people from the Glow Church community. Our actors, singers, musicians and production team generously give their time and talents to bring the show to life each Christmas.

The Story Behind The Gift

The idea behind The Gift began with a simple vision at Glow Church: to create a genuinely high-quality Christmas production and make it accessible to everyone, regardless of their circumstances. We didn't want it to feel like a typical free community show. From live performance and music to lighting, sound, sets and costumes, the ambition has always been to create something excellent and then give the whole experience away.

The Gift is an original production, written and produced by Max Cherrie, a member of the Glow Church community. Each year, the story and creative vision are brought to life by a huge team from Glow. Our actors, singers, musicians, technicians, wardrobe and production teams, hospitality volunteers and many others give their time and talents to make it happen.

Preparations begin months before Christmas, with rehearsals starting in early September. The cast brings together children, teenagers and adults of all ages, and by the time the curtain rises, hundreds of hours have been invested in creating the experience audiences see on stage.

What began with around 3,000 guests has grown significantly year after year. In 2026, we expect 8,000–9,000 people to experience The Gift across our school, community and public performances. The production has become bigger and the audiences have grown, but the vision remains the same: create something excellent, make it accessible and give it away.

A huge part of The Gift is our dedicated week of daytime performances for local primary schools. Thousands of children have the opportunity to experience a large-scale live Christmas production together with their friends and teachers. For some, it may be their first experience of live theatre; for others, it's simply a brilliant Christmas memory. Either way, we want every child who comes through our doors to experience something created with excellence and generosity.

Of course, producing something on this scale isn't free to produce but attending it is. Glow Church provides the venue and invests significantly in the production, while our cast, crew and volunteers freely give their time and talents. We're also incredibly grateful for the local businesses, partners, sponsors and individuals who have supported The Gift over the years. Together, that generosity means we can remove the ticket price altogether, so no family has to decide whether they can afford to come.

Behind the spectacle, laughter, characters, music and Christmas magic is something deeper. Glow Church created The Gift because we believe the real story of Christmas still matters. It's a story of hope and generosity, centred on the greatest Gift ever given — Jesus. We want to bring that story to life in a way children love, adults enjoy and families can experience together.

For a few extraordinary weeks every December, thousands of people from different backgrounds, generations and circumstances come together under one roof. They laugh, sing, make memories and experience the story of Christmas.

No ticket price. No catch. Simply our gift to the community. That's The Gift.

Help Us Give The Gift

Help us give The Gift

The Gift is completely free for everyone who attends. Glow Church covers the cost of producing the show, helped by the generosity of local businesses, partners, sponsors and individuals who believe in what we're doing for our community.

With 8,000–9,000 people expected to experience The Gift this Christmas, your support helps us keep every ticket free and make the show accessible to everyone.

Businesses & Organisations

Perhaps you own a local business, work for a company that wants to invest in the community, or represent an organisation looking to make a positive difference this Christmas. By becoming a Friend, Partner or Sponsor of The Gift, you can help us welcome thousands of local people and keep every ticket completely free. We'd love to explore how you or your organisation could get involved. Contact the Glow Church office to find out more.

Individuals

You don't need to be a business to become part of The Gift. Individuals and families can give towards the production too. Every contribution helps us cover the costs of the show and keep The Gift free for our community.

Simply give through our online giving portal and select ‘The Gift’ from the giving options.

MAKE A DONATION

Thank you