22 October
Stick Man brings Christmas magic to the nation's forests with festive winter trail
Families across England can join Stick Man for a magical winter adventure as the beloved character, based on the beautiful picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, launches a brand-new Christmas trail at 25 Forestry England sites.
From 5th November through December 2025, participating forests will host specially designed Stick Man Christmas trails, where families can team up with Stick Man and Santa as they deliver the final present. This interactive festive adventure invites young explorers to enjoy lots of fun wintry activities whilst keeping a lookout for hidden letters to discover who the special gift is for.
Josephine Lovelle, National Membership and Marketing Manager at Forestry England, said:
"We're thrilled to bring families this magical Christmas adventure with Stick Man. This festive trail perfectly combines the joy of storytelling with outdoor winter exploration, helping children connect with nature during the most wonderful time of year. Through interactive activities and seasonal discoveries, families can create special Christmas memories whilst learning about how trees and animals adapt to the colder months. It's fantastic to see how Stick Man continues to inspire families to explore the nation’s beautiful forests together."
To make the adventure even more special, families can purchase a Christmas trail pack for just £4. The pack includes everything needed to complete the trail: an A5 envelope to colour in, a Christmas trail leaflet to complete, festive stickers, a pencil, a 'magic' reveal lens to uncover hidden letters, and a wooden Stick Man keyring – the perfect keepsake to treasure the adventure.
As families follow the trail panels, they'll take part in a festive scavenger hunt, uncover hidden letters, and enjoy fun activities inspired by the wintry forest. The trail also offers fascinating facts about how woodland wildlife prepares for winter, making learning about nature engaging and memorable for young adventurers.
The Christmas trail continues the successful partnership between Forestry England and Magic Light Pictures, which began in 2014, bringing Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's beloved characters to life in natural settings. With plenty of seasonal cheer, woodland wonders, and Christmas magic, this trail offers the perfect way for families to celebrate the season together in the great outdoors.
To find your nearest participating forest and plan your Stick Man Christmas adventure, visit https://www.forestryengland.uk/stick-man
Notes to Editor
- Forestry England manages and cares for the nation’s 1,500 woods and forests, with over 313 million visits in 2024/25. We use our scale and expertise to grow and care for the nation’s forests for this generation and the next. We are continuing the work we have already started to make the nation’s forests resilient to climate change and by 2026 we will:
- create at least 6,000 more hectares where we integrate wilding activities in our productive forests.
- increase the diversity of visitors to the nation’s forests and have one million hours of high-quality volunteer time given to the nation’s forests.
- plant at least 2,000 hectares of new, high-quality woodlands.
- Magic Light Pictures is a multi-Oscar-nominated, BAFTA-winning company creating high-quality family entertainment and products. Founded by Martin Pope and Michael Rose in 2003, it is best known for its animated adaptations of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s books, including The Gruffalo, Zog, and Tiddler. The films are regularly a centrepiece of BBC One’s Christmas family schedule, a mainstay on iPlayer, and have sold to more than 170 countries. Magic Light’s growing slate of work also includes the preschool series Pip and Posy, the Oscar-nominated Revolting Rhymes, and the Emmy-winning The Velveteen Rabbit. In addition, the company runs an extensive licensing programme, with over 90 global partners and 2,000 product lines in the UK alone. Upcoming releases include The Scarecrows’ Wedding, airing this Christmas on BBC One, and a Zog preschool series set to debut on CBeebies in 2026.
Images are available here. Please credit Forestry England/Crown copyright.
For more information visit forestryengland.uk. Forestry England is an agency of the Forestry Commission.
Media Contact:
Becky Ulewicz, Media Relations Manager | media@forestryengland.uk