Festivals and Celebrations in December in Britain

London's Trafalgar Square in December

Throughout December, there are countless winter markets and festive visitor attractions across the UK. Look out for events advertised in local magazines and at your school, college or university. Some of our favourites are:

• Winter Wonderland in London’s Hyde Park. In addition to the traditional Christmas market, this huge site features carnival rides, two circuses, an ice skating rink, snow and ice sculptures… and enough hot cider and mulled wine to keep you warm.
• Hogwarts at Christmas, a wintry version of the Harry Potter tour at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden (near London). Watch snow fall over the original model of Hogwarts castle, and see the Great Hall set for Christmas dinner.
• Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market, the largest German market outside Germany and Austria, complete with glühwein (mulled wine), wursts (sausages), pretzels and sweet treats. You can also shop for unique gifts from local artists at the Craft Fair.
• Ice skating at the Eden Project in Cornwall. Usually an educational ecology park, in December the Eden Project is transformed with Christmas trees, a choir, real reindeer and an ice rink, with skating classes for all ages.
• The Winter Light trail at Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire, a series of light installations by the acclaimed artist Bruce Munro, set in the gardens of this historic estate.
• Belfast’s Christmas Market. If you’re studying in Northern Ireland, visit the colourful market outside Belfast’s City Hall for festive foods, drinks, crafts and Christmas decorations.
• Pantomimes. The traditional Christmas ‘panto’ is a mix of slapstick comedy and musical theatre, with silly costumes and audience participation. Pantomimes are usually for children, but it’s worth seeing one for a uniquely British experience.

17^th–24^th – Hanukkah. Jewish communities across the UK will celebrate Hanukkah (Chanukah), the Festival of Lights, from December 17 to 24 in 2014. In London, the Menorah in Trafalgar Square is the largest in Europe. It’s usually lit by the Mayor of London on the first day of Hanukkah, at an event with free doughnuts and live music.

25^th – Christmas. Most people in the UK celebrate Christmas, even if they are not religious. There will be Christmas trees, presents, carol singing, mulled wine (warm, spiced red wine), mince pies (small pies with a sweet fruit filling) and if it snows, snowmen and snowball fights! The traditional Christmas dinner is a whole roast turkey with roast potatoes, vegetables, gravy and Christmas pudding for dessert (a steamed sponge pudding with dried fruit) – but each family has its own variations.

26^th – Boxing Day. The day after Christmas is called Boxing Day, and is a bank holiday in the UK. It’s believed to have been named after the ‘Christmas box’ of money or gifts which employers used to give to servants and tradesmen. Nowadays, there are no particular Boxing Day customs, but most people spend the day with their families, going for a walk, watching sports or eating the Christmas leftovers.

source: http://www.educationuk.org/