When it comes to Christmas, there is such joy in giving presents to others. The older I get, the more excited I find myself getting when buying gifts for other people, and the less interest I have in receiving them. However, what comes with the celebration is a season of gift-giving block, and a need for help finding that something special for friends, family, or … Continue reading A Foodies Christmas Gift Guide
It is that time of year again when, as the festive season approaches, Cardiff transforms itself into a magical winter wonderland! From the festive markets to the food and drink stalls to the big wheel – there is something for everyone. This article will be discussing the best attractions this seasonal event has to offer! Christmas Markets In the heart of town on St. John’s … Continue reading The Arrival of Winter Wonderland
Charles Dickens is renowned for shaping our Christmas experience, so when I went to watch A Christmas Carol, I had high expectations. The show appealing to everyone, brings the festive magic to life with it’s charming humour. Debuting back in 2021, it has now returned and become a performance worth watching repeatedly. Staged at the Sherman Theatre in Cardiff and adapted by Gary Owen, this … Continue reading Review: A Christmas Carol At The Sherman Theatre
I was incredibly fortunate to be invited to watch That’ll Be The Day: Christmas Special. The show itself has been running since 1986 and has only grown in popularity since. The performance takes you on a journey through the mid-20th century with famous Christmas songs from several iconic eras. Oddly enough I had no prior knowledge of the show before, and I decided that it would best to … Continue reading That’ll Be The Day: So this is Christmas Review
The holiday season is soon upon us, and with that comes the plethora of events; from Christmas dinners to course balls, there are so many outfits to plan. Any excuse to dress up immediately gets me going through Pinterest for an endless scroll of outfit inspiration. When it comes to holiday parties, there are some classic trends like velvet, emerald green or burgundy, knit dresses … Continue reading Festive Fashion: What To Wear This Holiday Season
By Jasmine Dodd Who was Raymond Briggs? Inspired by his death at 88 years old in August this year, there has been a wave of melancholy when looking at Raymond Briggs’ iconic writings and illustrations. Celebrated for creating the classic, The Snowman (1978), Raymond Briggs was nationally cherished for his classic stories and illustrations which include: The Snowman (1978), When the Wind Blows (1982), Father … Continue reading Remembering Raymond Briggs
‘Tis the season! As the autumn term draws to a close and everyone heads home for the holidays, there’s no better way to unwind and get into the festive spirit than with a seasonal read – preferably in front of an open fire and with a hot chocolate in hand! Here are some our contributors’ favourite reads at this time of year, to give you … Continue reading Christmas Classics: What Our Contributors Are Reading This Season
After having eaten a bag each of Percy Pigs and Colin the Caterpillars in one bed, we usually start our day off with pancakes covered in melted stocking chocolate. It’s a good way to use up the chocolate that no one will eat otherwise. For the past several Christmases, we have had lasagna for our Christmas dinner. It seems like an odd idea whenever I … Continue reading Our Christmas Day Diets
Words by Tegan Davies Santa once proved his existence in front of my very eyes. I donÔÇÖt know how he did it, but when my uncle told me to put my Christmas list on top of the coals of the unlit fire that year, the whole thing disappeared without me even noticing. I must have been about seven or eight ÔÇô still old enough to … Continue reading Merry Memories
It’s easy to get stuck in the repetitive routine of choosing Home Alone for the fifth time this month, but we have some Christmas films to get you in the festive mood that you may not have seen before. Carol┬á Words by Lana Davidson Flood When it comes to niche Christmas films, my favourite is definitely Todd Haynes’ Carol, a film adaptation of the book of … Continue reading Our Favourite Niche Christmas Films
words by Eva Castanedo Christmas is by far the biggest holiday in the UK. The UK spends ┬ú24.2 billion in celebrating the festivity, consumes 10 million turkeys on Christmas day, uses 227,000 miles of wrapping paper, and pulls 300,000,000 crackers each Christmas season. This festive period agglutinates a vast number of traditions that only occur once a year. Thus, most people lock these dates in … Continue reading Spending Christmas Abroad
IÔÇÖve always loved living with the seasons. I embrace the yearÔÇÖs constant cycle of change with welcome arms, from the cold sunrises in winter, to the daffodils in spring, reading on the beach in summer to drinking overpriced coffee on rainy autumn days. The seasons are so sensibly laid out, and I always find myself ready for the switch just as it arrives. There is, … Continue reading December to January: The CalendarÔÇÖs Only Mistake
by Leah Hocking ‘The Girls’ by Emma Cline Based on the infamous Manson family cult and murders, this book tells the story of Californian teenager Evie Boyd in the summer of 1969. Estranged from her divorced parents, lonely, bored, and desperate for female companionship, Evie becomes caught up in a cult based at a nearby ranch, complete with callous, charismatic leader stand-in Russell, his adoring … Continue reading Books That Feel Like Summer
Traditional Christmas food brings to mind different kinds of meats stuffed inside of each other, creamy and rich desserts, and fancy cheese and canap├®s. Whilst there are a lot of shop-bought vegan alternatives on the market these days, there are ways we can easily veganize festive foods ourselves at home. Here are some small treats, perfect for Christmas Eve, Day or New Year to … Continue reading TisÔÇÖ the Season to be Vegan – Veganizing Festive Favourites
By Billy Edwards After a rather muted Christmas last year, Cardiff is putting out all the stops for a sensationally-festive season across the city. Despite the cold, whether youÔÇÖll be leaving for home with presents packed in your case or spending the holidays here, youÔÇÖll find plenty of events to go to, activities to try, and foods to eat over December. This year CardiffÔÇÖs Winter … Continue reading Christmas in Cardiff
My housemate recently asked me what my last meal would be. I said a roast, but more specifically, Christmas dinner. It is honestly my favourite thing. However, a roast can be excellent, but it can also be awful ÔÇô there is a fine line between masterpieces and failures. This is my perfect Christmas dinner; with all the trimmings and extras you might not think to … Continue reading My Perfect Christmas Dinner
The countdown to Christmas is officially on and, as the best time of the year is fast approaching, weÔÇÖre wonderingÔǪ is it possible to take an ethical approach to Christmas? In this article, our contributors reflect on what Christmas means to them, discussing whether or not it is possible to be entirely ethical during the holidays. By Francesca Ionescu Christmas, despite its advertisement as a … Continue reading An Ethical Christmas: Is It Possible?
By Niamh Newman Although not usually a huge ice cream fan, the oxymoronic concept of a festive ice cream intrigues me. So, whilst doing my weekly shop in Lidl, I knew exactly what I had to do when I spotted their festive Mince Pie and Gingerbread flavours as part of their Deluxe Christmas range. Priced at a hefty ┬ú1.99 per tub, cheaper than the beloved Ben and … Continue reading Festive Ice Creams ÔÇô The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
The Midnight Library by Eve Davies An epitome of the proverb ÔÇÿthe grass isnÔÇÖt always greenerÔÇÖ, The Midnight Library is the thought-provoking story of Nora Seed who, fed up with feeling like a failure, decides to take her own life. Instead of death, Nora finds herself in limbo, in a library where each volume represents a version of her life that could have been. She … Continue reading Books To Buy Your Loved Ones
December is looming. Tesco have brought out their festive meal deal options, the tree is up outside Cardiff Castle and every shop has begun to play those same old Christmas tunes. But when is the right time to start playing Christmas music? We asked some of our contributors one of the most controversial Christmas questions. Time to pick a side. By Phoebe Williams┬á An opinion … Continue reading Opinion: Is it ever too early for Christmas music?
