14th December 2025
Visiting Tithe Green over the Festive and Winter Period
By James O’Donnell
For many of us, Christmas is a holiday to be enjoyed with our most important other people, whether that means a big family gathering, lively celebrations with close friends or quality quiet time spent with just the immediate family.
However, it’s important to remember that Christmas is also a time when people think about those they have lost over the years, and visiting graves and memorials over the holiday season is a popular way of doing this.
If you’re planning on visiting one of the Tithe Green burial grounds this Christmas, our guide will tell you all you need to know, so that you can get the most out of the time you spend with us.
Winter opening hours and visitor information
The great news is that our burial grounds are open all year round – including Christmas Day – so you can visit on any day you choose, whether you’re coming to visit someone buried or memorialised there or you just want a bracing winter walk in a beautiful location.
However, if you want to get in touch with us at all, please note that our office is closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Seasonal guidance for navigating the grounds
At this time of year, our grounds can get very muddy, especially when you head off the paths. It’s always advised to bring sensible shoes or boots for these conditions if you don’t want to ruin your finest footwear.
If there’s a cold snap, paths can also get icy, so take care when walking on slippery surfaces and make sure you provide support for those less steady on their feet.
And don’t forget that the days are at their shortest at this time of year, so allow plenty of time to get back to your car before it gets dark.
Find out more about visiting our different burial grounds by clicking on the links below:
What you can expect to see during winter
One of the things we love most about our burial grounds is how they change over the seasons. They may not be at their very prettiest at this time of year, but there’s still plenty to see and enjoy. For instance, many of the most common, most impressive and most popular of the birds of Tithe Green Natural Burial – such as red kite, buzzards and robins – are resident all year.
And because November is the start of the tree-planting season at Tithe Green Natural Burial, there should be lots of new trees for you to see!
Visiting a loved one during the festive season
We understand that Christmas isn’t a happy time for everyone, but remembering and visiting a lost loved one can be a real help – especially when you might be sharing the experience with others doing the same thing.
If you’ve lost someone recently and you’re dreading the prospect of forced merriment, we offered some advice on coping with Christmas after someone has passed in this previous blog.
Remember that we are always open, so you’re always welcome, whenever you feel the need for the comfort visiting somewhere like Tithe Green can bring.
We understand that many people like to leave a Christmas wreath, an ornament or some kind of gift on a grave. We would generally discourage this, but at this time of year we relax our normal rules. However, we do ask that you do not leave anything with lights or that is battery-operated. We will be clearing the site in early January, so if you leave any items you’d like to keep, please make sure you retrieve them before 5th January.
If you’d like to know more about the benefits of natural burial at Tithe Green and how we support our local environment, get in touch with us and we’ll be happy to answer all your questions.
