• Swindon & Wiltshire Retail
• Monday November 10 2025

Tom Fletcher’s Christmasaurus is heading to Cribbs

Tom Fletcher’s children’s book series The Christmasaurus will take centre stage in a magical, family-friendly Christmas trail at Cribbs this year.

Following the success of the Mog and Stick Man trails, Cribbs is once again partnering with local events team Bakehouse Factory to deliver a fun, festive, and free experience for families.

This Christmas, Cribbs is set to welcome families to meet a very special guest as The Christmasaurus flies in for the festive season.

Created by bestselling children’s author and founding McFly member Tom Fletcher, the lovable Christmas dinosaur and his friend William Trundle have captured the hearts of children across the UK.

Tom Fletcher is one of the UK’s most popular children’s authors, whose books, published by Puffin, have been translated into 41 languages and to date have sold over 10 million copies worldwide, six million copies in the UK alone.

The Christmasaurus was the biggest debut children’s novel of 2016 and was shortlisted for a British Book Award, and continues to be a reader-favourite; this year sees the publication of the paperback edition of the second picture book from this magical world, The Christmasaurus and the Night Before Christmas.

Now, their latest adventure will unfold right here at Cribbs, and everyone’s invited.

Running from Friday, November 28 through to the end of the year, this interactive trail will take families on a magical journey through eight beautifully crafted scenes, inspired by key moments from the story. The experience includes an interactive storytelling trail, Storytime with Santa, and the chance to meet The Christmasaurus himself.

As part of Cribbs’ ongoing commitment to offering free, high-quality events for the community, all activities will be completely free of charge. Trail maps will be available from the Information Desk on the ground floor — free for all Cribbs & Me Rewards members.

Bringing the experience to life are local theatrical magic-makers Bakehouse Factory, the creative minds behind Cribbs’ previous Mog and Stick Man trails, and the Paddington experience in 2021. Based in Fishponds, Bristol, the Bakehouse team of artisan makers, scenic designers, scriptwriters, and costume creators are once again crafting every element of the trail with their signature attention to detail and festive flair.

Tom said: “It’s beyond exciting to see my characters live outside of their books and to be brought to life at Cribbs this Christmas.

“The Christmasaurus was my first children’s book and to watch it grow and continue to capture the imagination of children and families in new creative ways is particularly special.”

Lizzie Taylor from Cribbs said: “We can’t wait to bring The Christmasaurus to life at Cribbs. The whole team is absolutely thrilled to be offering such a magical and immersive experience for our many loyal shoppers and visiting families this festive season. Creating moments of joy – especially at Christmas – is something we’re passionate about.

“Providing free events throughout the year is a core part of our commitment to the community, and it’s been incredibly rewarding to see Cribbs grow as a welcoming public space where people can come together, celebrate, and make memories. We’re proud to continue that tradition this Christmas with an experience that we hope will delight visitors of all ages.”