Today, we introduce Deck the Great Hall – a communal, interactive Wizarding World experience to try out this Christmas season, to bring you all together from across the world.
You can enter the Great Hall here.
There are two main ways you can help us bring some magic into the virtual Great Hall this Christmas: firstly, you can send a Christmas message to a special someone (or perhaps just a general message to everyone) in the form of a floating candle. You’ll be asked to cast Wingardium Leviosa on your candle so it can gracefully float away to join the others.
Secondly, you can decorate your very own Hogwarts Christmas tree in your favourite house colour. Simply use the charm Locomotor to navigate the baubles and download your tree when you’re done.
As for your festive message, this will appear on a candle among many, many other Harry Potter fans’ messages, all available for you to explore across the Great Hall’s enchanted ceiling. You’ll also be able to share your message with the hashtag #WizardingWorldChristmas. Who knows who you will bump into along the way?
Singer and self-confessed Harry Potter afficionado Liam Payne did the honours of launching the first candles, joined by TikTok sensation Abby Roberts for a yuletide chat. Liam spoke of why the experience is so magical and, of course, his love of Harry Potter.
“I’ve always loved Harry Potter and we always make sure we find time to watch each of the films every Christmas. Every time I see the floating candles filling the Great Hall, it makes me wish I could do that in my house so I was really excited to hear that I could send one myself virtually,” he said.
I think one of the most important parts of Christmas is sending love to the people you care most about and Deck the Great Hall is such an ace way to do this. I hope lots of fans join in and I can’t wait to read everyone’s messages!”
If you fancy finding Liam's candle number, here's a clue for you. Add the number of Christmas trees that are put up in the Great Hall every year to the number of Weasleys who stayed at Hogwarts over Christmas in Harry’s first year. Found it yet?
Liam and Abby won’t be the only famous faces sending a festive message on a candle. Expect a few more familiar names to be taking part very soon!
To find out more about Deck the Great Hall, and be among the first to receive updates, don’t forget to go to sign up to the Harry Potter Fan Club.
And if we’ve put you in the festive mood now (we hope so!) there are more Christmassy reads and activities to take part in over on our Christmas hub.
