Ahhh, the holidays! Nothing better than a few days to relax and enjoy the end of the year in the UK. Unlike Brazil, the end of year period in London It happens in winter, but even in the cold, you can enjoy it!
Climate - Okay, the holiday season in the UK can seem a little gloomy, as the Brits say. In December, in addition to the cold that can reach negative temperatures, the days are super short: 4 in the afternoon is usually already dark. But everything has a bright side! And in this case, the cold leaves a delicious climate for those who want to enjoy the end of the year in London. The end-of-year traditions are a little different, because the cold makes many people prefer to spend more time at home with their family. It is common to see the streets emptier, and the houses with warm colored lights, which demonstrate that it is time for the warmth of winter. The good side is that the holidays have a very familiar atmosphere, and if you're lucky, you can even catch a “White Christmas” with a few days of snow before the new year!
christmas markets
If there's one thing that London has a lot of and that's worth enjoying in winter, it's the Christmas markets! Usually from November, the markets start to be set up around the city, and there are several options to choose from! One of the most famous is the new market in Trafalgar Square, which has crafts, pretzels, hot dogs, sweets, clothes, gifts, and warm drinks like mulled wine. Even for those who have already bought Christmas gifts, it is worth checking out the Christmas Markets, as the markets are a great option for an outdoor walk!
Winter Wonderland
You can't talk about London without mentioning the famous Winter Wonderland, right? Even with the cold of the end of the year, Winter Wonderland is one of the most outstanding tours in winter. Winter Wonderland is a gigantic winter festival held in Hyde Park between November and January. The festival has live music, an amusement park, a food stand, drinks, grocery stores, skating, an ice bar and performances. Unfortunately, in 2020 we won't have the festival because of the pandemic, but in 2021 it is expected that Winter Wonderland will come back with everything to liven up the winter of Londoners!
decorations and lights
As if all the end-of-year attractions weren't enough, London still has a special beauty when winter arrives: the Christmas lights. Every year, starting in November, you can see the lights being turned on around the city, and they are truly breathtaking. The main point is the city center, on streets like Regent and Oxford Street.
In addition, nearby neighborhoods like Covent Garden also have their own decorations and a traditional giant Christmas tree in the middle of the square. And this year, one of the neighborhoods that also rocked the decorations is Wembley, where the national stadium is. And it's not just tourists waiting for the lights to come on to take pictures! The beauty is such that walking around the city to see the Christmas lights is also a thing for Londoners! It's worth seeing up close!
food - To top it off, we couldn't stop talking about the food! As people spend more time at home, usually at this time, many of the meals are homemade. In the UK, Christmas meals are usually not too far from the traditional: some kind of meat, potatoes, vegetables and gravy (a traditional type of Worcestershire sauce). To accompany, it is common to include Yorkshire puddings, baked dumplings that can be served with either savory or sweet foods. Another famous Christmas treat is cheese melts: oven-breaded cheeses. There really is something for everyone!
Unfortunately, with the pandemic this year, many of the attractions are limited, but we are hoping to enjoy the end of the year again with everything the UK allows!
Gabriel Berwanger – Middlesex University London
