Castle Howard has opened its 2024 festive event ‘Alice’s Christmas Wonderland’ where the 300-year-old stately home is transformed into an immersive Christmas experience, dressed in set pieces, decorations, floristry, projections, lighting and sound.

Former Great British Bake Off baker from the 2019 season, Helena Garcia, attended the launch and spoke to The Yorkshire Post about her journey since she left the show.

The centrepiece is a 27-foot Christmas tree in Castle Howard’s Great Hall and installed by a team of 22 using a specialist winch system.

The Alice’s Christmas Wonderland creative team CLW Event Design, headed by Charlotte Lloyd Webber and Adrian Lillie, have worked on the project since January 2024. The installation process in the house took two weeks to complete and includes 30,000 baubles on display, with the team reusing and recycling products where possible and favouring more sustainable materials such as paper and glass.

Various life-size sculptures of the Queen of Hearts, the White Queen, Alice and the Caterpillar are also included.