The Bright Lights of London at Chrismas

Still feeling like a bit of a Scrooge right now? Not quite had time to get into the Christmas spirit? Among the assignments, deadlines and the chaotic weeks before the end of term, it’s easy to forget the holiday that’s just around the corner. Before you realise it, BAM, it’s December: Christmas is a just a couple of weeks away.

Your flat is the only one without a Christmas tree in the window (guilty) and that you haven’t even started the military mission of buying your friends and family presents (guilty again). But it’s not too late to catch up on festive spirit: get into the Christmas mood by making the most of living just forty-minutes away from one of the best cities in the world (especially at Christmas): LONDON. The bright lights twinkling, the vibrant buzz on the streets, limitless places to go and things to do; London at Christmas time is unmissable. Being students, most of us winch at the idea of taking a trip to London, considering it a massive task that will empty our pockets in a day. But there are ways to enjoy the festivities in the big city on a budget...

Ice skating: a classic Christmas activity involving looking cool and collected for five minutes, wondering why you never took up professional skating and then spending the rest of your hour on the ice, on your butt. Still, a lot of fun! From November to January, every year Somerset House holds the most glamorous outdoor ice-rink in London. It’s the perfect winter setting, with a giant tree, lights and music. Tickets for students are £8.50 at selected times and days, but you can get an adult ticket for £7.50 if you go off-peak. If you’re feeling at little more flush this time of year, there are also Club Nights on Fridays and Saturdays where DJs from the Ministry of Sound and Lovebox take over to give you a unique open-air clubbing experience – (tickets £17). So wrap up warm and leave your pride behind you at the ice rink gate.

Hyde Park also has an impressive ice rink at this time of year, as it is literally transformed into a Winter Wonderland. Tickets to skate are slightly more expensive than Somerset House, but entry to the amazing site – which holds rides, fairground wheel and a circus - is free. Just walking around the park at night is bound to put you in the festive mood and the Angels Christmas Market is the largest one in London, with handmade gifts and gourmet food galore. If this way of getting your Christmas shopping done is sounding a lot more appealing that attacking chaotic Oxford Street with the thousands, the Southbank Centre may also be the place for you. Again, free to enter, this beautiful market along the river is the ideal destination to find unusual Christmas presents if you’re stuck for ideas (who isn’t?) and the traditional winter food and drink and atmosphere should not be missed.

For all chocoholics, the weekend of the 9th is the time for you to make your way to the Southbank Centre. These three special days hold the event that dreams are made of: The Chocolate Festival. With master chocolatiers showing their skills, chocolate making workshops and an incredible array of products on offer, this weekend will be more delicious than you can ever imagine. And the best bit is, again, IT’S FREE. So you have no excuse not to spend a day making yourself sick!

Apart from shopping, skating and eating, London is of course one of the best cities for entertainment. Feel like hearing some carols? Trafalgar Square is taken over by choirs from all over the UK from 5-9pm every day until the 22nd, singing your favourite Christmas numbers under the magical lights. The festive tale of The Nutcracker performed by the English National Ballet also comes to the London Coliseum this December if you want to see dance (tickets starting from as little at £10 ), or, if you’re more of a theatre-goer, The West End as usual is host to the best musicals in the country. If you haven’t already, sign up to studentbeans.com and you can get up to 50% off theatre tickets to favourites such as Chicago, Blood Brothers and Priscilla, and it always helps to hunt around sites to find the best deal on the show you want to see.

So get on the train and get into London to find your Christmas spirit, it’s one of the best times of year in the city and there are so many things to do that even your now-considerably-dented student loan will allow! Merry Christmas!