As we all know, the Christmas markets opened last week in Parliament Street: Tourists will be flocking there for cheesy pasta and crocheted goodies as I write this. Honestly every year Christmas feels less magic and more stressful: Strangers fighting each other in shops on Black Friday, arguing with people you call family over everything that needs to be done in preparation for the big day. Tesco on Christmas Eve feels like a Hunger Games arena, and heaven forbid somebody forget to pick up the pigs-in-blankets.
Part of growing up has been slowly losing that certain magic that Christmas has. No more leaving cookies for Santa, sprinkling reindeer dust outside so they know where to land, the Santa tracker being open on the family PC (we only had one to share). And now, as I approach my last Christmas as a teenager, it’s difficult to ignore how capitalised upon and commercialised Christmas has become. Our focus has shifted and been skewed away from what Christmas really means, so here are six ways you can help bring back that little bit of magic at university.
Do some baking!
Gingerbread men are festive, simple to make and always fun to decorate. I like to also make a simple gingerbread biscuit, and add some icing and a marshmallow for a melted snowman appearance. Alternatively, you could take on a Christmas pudding, or homemade eggnog (though this isn’t baking), maybe even a Yule log. There’s the added bonus of getting to share what you make with the people you love, too.
Have a gingerbread house competition
If you’re not particularly skilled in the kitchen, a good bit of gingerbread house decorating is a great way to feel the Christmas spirit. Most supermarkets stock the DIY kits for this, so all you need is a bit of creativity and patience (you could lay bricks with the icing in those kits). Have a festive film in the background – Home Alone is my personal favourite – and make it a competition with your housemates. Some good company is all you need to bring back the magic of Christmas.
Decorate your home
Block out an evening to decorate your home with your flatmates! B&M sell relatively cheap and compact Christmas trees, along with bauble multi-packs and big boxes of lights. Of course, cheaper Christmas trees tend to be a bit thinner so your best bet is to flesh them out a bit with green tinsel. There’s no better feeling than seeing the house all lit up with the warm glow of Christmas.
Christmas crafts
A cheaper alternative to buying decorations is to make them yourself. Presumably, you’ll have paper at home, something colourful like a highlighter or coloured pens, and with a bit of luck, string. There’s all sorts of festive DIYs: Paper snowflakes, garlands, pipe cleaner Santas, a little Nativity scene if you fancy it. I actually got a Christmas card making kit from HobbyCraft and repurposed it into a garland. Homemade Christmas crackers are also fun, too.
The Twelve Pubs of Christmas
This one does involve spending a bit more money, but braving the Twelve Pubs of Christmas is also a good way to spend a wintry evening with mates. It wouldn’t be a uni related article without drinking being mentioned at least once. If you do choose to head out, wrap up warm and keep it interesting; having different rules for each pub to make it more fun
Letters to Santa
If you have younger siblings who want to visit York, you could post a letter to Santa in Museum Gardens. Help them write it, make it a cute memory to look back on. And even if you don’t have younger siblings, you could still write one yourself (for the nostalgia?) and post it, then head to the Christmas market since you’ll already be in town. Two birds with one stone!
