The show featured Russell Ince as himself in the role of Santa's Official Biographer and also features The Christmas Imaginarium itself.
A magical Christmas shop on the Isle of Wight, open to visitors seeking wonders, stories and festive treasures
The Christmas Imaginarium is not simply a shop, but a place where the world of Santa Claus is brought to life.
Hidden away on the Isle of Wight, it is filled with stories, artefacts, and carefully crafted pieces that each carry a sense of magic and meaning. Every shelf, every corner, and every detail has been designed to feel as though it belongs to a world just beyond our own.
Visitors often say it feels less like stepping into a shop, and more like stepping into a story.
A collection of beautifully crafted books that reveal the hidden history of Santa Claus, spanning over 1600 years of untold stories.
Carefully selected pieces that feel as though they belong to Santa’s world — timeless, detailed, and filled with character.
Objects and curiosities that hint at a much larger world beyond our own, each with a story waiting to be discovered.
Throughout the year, the Imaginarium transforms — with new scenes, details, and moments of magic to uncover with every visit.
Look closely, and you’ll find small touches woven throughout — the kind of details that make each visit feel unique.
There is no single path through the Imaginarium — it is a place to explore at your own pace, where each corner holds something new.
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The Imaginarium is for anyone who still feels the quiet pull of Christmas — whether you are discovering it for the first time, or returning to something long remembered.
Families, collectors, and lovers of storytelling will all find something here, but just as often it is those who arrive without expectation who find the most within its walls.
It is not designed to be rushed, but to be wandered, explored, and experienced at your own pace.
A visit to the Imaginarium is unlike a typical shop.
You will find a carefully curated space filled with detail, atmosphere, and quiet moments of discovery — where each display has been thoughtfully arranged, and each object feels part of a larger story.
Some visitors stay for a short while, others linger far longer than they intended. There is no set path — only the invitation to explore and see what reveals itself to you.
While Christmas remains at its heart, the Imaginarium changes subtly throughout the year.
From the early stirrings of the season in late summer, through the deep magic of winter, and into quieter moments beyond, each visit offers something slightly different.
Those who return often find new details, new products, new magic and new stories waiting to be uncovered.
MONDAY - SATURDAY: 10 - 4pm
Please note, we close at 4pm on December 23rd for the year and do not reopen until around the third week of March each year
Mon - Fri, 10am - 4pm
Saturday, 10am - 4pm
Sunday, Closed
The Christmas Imaginarium, 4 Cross Street, Ryde, PO33 2AA
Get directions