Wednesday 06-12-2017 - 16:28

By this stage your student flat should be decorated with an appropriate amount of tinsel, Wham! And Mariah Carey should be staples on your playlist and you should been mildly annoyed if you didn’t receive an advent calendar from home. Coursework deadlines are also likely looming, but it’s important to take study breaks, so we’ve tried to cover a lot of ground (a bit like Santa) to find something for everyone to do in Bristol this Christmas. We found that Bristol’s Christmas game is so strong, it already has its own hashtag.

Foodies

For foodies and the super-efficient, we’ve a brilliant event where you can sample some amazing food, and source some Christmas presents at the same time! The Bristol Vegan Festival is this Saturday, with over 90 stalls of hot and cold food plus ethical Christmas gift options including cruelty free cosmetics.

There are also quite a few Christmas Markets in Bristol, the largest being right next to Cabot Circus; perfect for any last-minute stocking fillers.

Out and About

You don’t have to wait until the New Year to start new habits. Join hundreds of Santas on the Run for a 2k festive fun run in support of South West Children’s Hospice or explore The National Trust’s selection of the best winter walks around Bristol and Bath.

If you want to try something new, the We The Curious Ice Rink is channelling Dancing on Ice with Disco Boots Night Skating Sessions. You can also join the Postgraduate Society for a visit to the ice rink, followed by mulled wine at the Christmas Market.

At the SU

If you’d prefer to stay in the warm, then join the Bristol SU Wellbeing Network for an evening of Christmas Crafting.

We hope your festive period is full of joy, but we know it can be one of the most stressful periods of the year. Check out the University's wellbeing portal here, and the Big White Wall (an online mental health service). Plus remember Bristol SU’s academic advice service, Just Ask is here too.

Shows

Of course, if you need your spirits lifted with some hearty belly laughs, take the second street to the right of Waitrose and fly straight on to the Winston Theatre for Pantosoc’s Peter Panto.

You really are spoilt for choice for Christmas Carols in Bristol, but we are personally recommending the 100 strong A Cappella Christmas Concert (we’ve seen a rehearsal; your jaw will drop!). Alternatively, you can see Dicken’s A Christmas Carol in none other than Berkeley Castle. The atmosphere alone in the wonderful setting of the Great Hall should be enough to sell you a ticket.

If you haven’t already seen the perfect Christmas event for you, then our most exciting discovery might just win it for you! The Christmas Spiegeltent offers a thrilling mix of cabaret, acrobatics, crazy crafting, masquerade balls and Christmas Parties; the perfect night out before everyone heads home for the holidays!

We hope you get to visit at least one of these fantastic events, and, though it is a little early, just before we go, we’d like to wish you a very merry Christmas!