Autumn is over – Christmas is coming! Blame it on ‘crazy’ English weather, the Jet stream, climate change, whatever. Over the last few weeks, unusually warm weather has been playing tricks with the seasons. It’s always a little surreal to see supermarkets putting Christmas stock out on the shelves at the end of the summer, but we seem to be leap-frogging over autumn straight into the Christmas period.
Once Halloween and Bonfire Night are celebrated, the countdown to Christmas begins in earnest. If you’re a student living with a family in homestay accommodation, then it’s likely you may have noticed if Christmas shopping for “bits and pieces” has already begun in your household. On the other hand, if you’re in a house share then you’re bound to be too wrapped up with studies, lectures, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram to notice the Christmas ads creeping up on terrestrial TV.
Not every purchase needs to be done online
Homestay students and other visitors in the UK for the first time may already be thinking about making Christmas plans, which might include both gift buying and visiting some of the more unusual seasonal fairs and market events. Quite a few begin during November and many staged events are free entrance too!
In London, you’re always going to be spoilt for choice and not every purchase needs to be done online! Why not, instead, try the More London Christmas Market for fascinating homemade gifts and handmade crafts, complete with Santa’s reindeer and traditional Christmas grotto.
There’s unusual gifts aplenty at the Hackney DIY Christmas Art Market, a “festive edition of Hackney’s monthly celebration of all things arty… great for picking up the sort of off-beat gifts you’d never find on the high street.” Hackney’s Victoria Park will also be hosting “Winterville”, with Santa’s Grotto, outdoor ice rink, fairground rides (including a biker’s ‘Wall of Death’) and a dizzying array of food stalls.
Hundreds of Christmas fairs and markets
Living outside the capital? In Bristol, the renowned Somerset carnivals are being held in Shepton Mallet, Wells and Glastonbury during November along with the Bristol Christmas Gift Fair at Colston Hall. A “Gift Fair Spectacular” is usually held annually in Brighton with more than 130 indoor stands, outdoor market, live performances, artists, musicians, fun fair, farm animals and a rock choir!
If you’re studying at a Liverpool college then the City’s first pop-up ice bar and open air ice rink complete with ice slide and ice sculptures opens 7th Nov. By December expect Cairngorm reindeers in Queen Square, a Santa dash in the City centre and the Christmas Liverpool winter arts market inside St George’s Hall.
Not to be outdone, Manchester is holding Christmas markets through the City, with around 300 stalls spread out from Albert Square, the Corn Exchange to Corporation Street, starting in mid-Nov and topped off by the Magical Christmas Fair at Manchester Central on Nov 29th.
There are hundreds of Christmas Fairs or Markets being advertised around the country – there’s bound to be one near you! Even if you’re only thinking of buying gifts for your homestay family or fellow students before heading back home, why not see if you can find something really cool? Check out the Christmas market listings here – and “see what you can do!”