Events on
Campus
Opening
times for
campus
facilities
Things to do
and see during
the festive
period in
Brighton and
beyond
Christmas Guide
Christmas
traditions
in the UK
New Year’s
Eve Events
Season’s Greetings from International Student Support
It’s early December, and the start of the festive season! Whether this is the first time you are experiencing
Christmas and New Year celebrations in the UK, or something you are familiar with, we have compiled this
Christmas Guide to help you make the most of the festive season ahead! We hope the Guide will be particularly
useful to those of you who are staying in Brighton over the Christmas vacation. Here you will find details of the
many festive events, activities and celebrations taking place on campus, in the Brighton area, and beyond, during
the last two weeks of term and over the vacation. We have also included the opening times of campus facilities
during the vacation. Finally, you will find a helpful introduction to some of the popular British Christmas
traditions and customs, such as Christmas crackers and mince pies, which you may encounter at many festive
events!
We wish you all a happy and relaxing holiday!
International
Student Support
Christmas Quiz
Tues 15 December
15:00-17:00
Meeting House
Staying on campus over Christmas vacation?
Join the International Student Support team for a
fabulous Christmas Quiz, show off your knowledge
of all things Christmas-themed, and meet some of
the other students who will also be staying on
campus over Christmas. We will be providing
delicious British festive sweet treats and drinks to get
everyone into the Christmas spirit, plus there will be
a prize for the winning team!
Christmas events and activities on campus
Christmas Dinner at Falmer Bar or The Globe pub
Tuesday 1 December – Friday 18 December
If you would like to enjoy a festive Christmas dinner with your friends, the Students’ Union outlets Falmer Bar and the
Globe Pub can be your perfect venue. Pre-booking is essential! You can book a Christmas dinner at Falmer Bar or the
Globe Pub between 1 December- 18 December. Christmas menus for both venues are available at
http://www.sussexstudent.com/our-campus-services/
Ice Skating at Brighton Pavilion
Wed 2 December 17:15-18:30, £2 tickets
The Buddy Scheme have organised a trip to go ice skating in the beautiful gardens of the Royal Pavilion in Brighton. The
trip provides an opportunity for students who will be staying in Brighton over the Christmas period to meet each other, but
everyone is welcome, whether you are spending Christmas in Brighton or not. Tickets for this trip can be purchased from
the Online Shop. Please see the link below for more information and to buy a ticket.
http://www.sussexstudent.com/events/8068/1811/
Illuminating the Christmas Tree
Fri 4 December 16:00-17:00, Library Square
Join other Sussex students and staff for Christmas festivities – all are welcome to celebrate in Library Square and the
Meeting House, with mince pies, mulled wine, and carols and festive songs from the student societies.
Carols by Candlelight
Sunday 6 December, 16:30- 19:00, Meeting
House
The Meeting House will be hosting Carols by
Candlelight event on Sunday 6 December.
Mince pies and Mulled wine will be served
from 16:30. The Service which will include
carols and festive readings, will start at 18:00.
If you’d like to know more about what
Christmas carols are , or if you’ve never
tasted mince pies or mulled wine, you can
find a handy explanation at the end of this
guide.
East Slope Bar
Christmas Concert
International Student Support Christmas
Quiz
Thursday 10 December,
18:00, East Slope Bar
Come along for a fantastic
night of fundraising, Sussexled live music, mulled cider
and all things’ Christmassy.
For this event we will be
collecting donations and
desirable items for Brighton
in Need – a local charity
which is set up to help the
homeless community in
Brighton when they’re at
their most vulnerable but
distributes goods such as
warm clothes, toiletries and
blankets. If you would like
to donate an item please
bring it to the bar on the
evening of the event. For
information on what to
donate go to
http://www.brightoninneed.
co.uk
Tues 15 December 15:00-17:00, Meeting House
Staying on campus over Christmas vacation?
Join the International Student Support team for
a fabulous Christmas Quiz, show off your
knowledge of all things Christmas-themed, and
meet some of the other students who will also
be staying on campus over Christmas. We will
be providing delicious British festive sweet treats
and drinks to get everyone into the Christmas
spirit, plus there will be a prize for the winning
team!
Family friendly activities on campus
Sussex Families Christmas Party
Tues 8 December 16:00-18:00, The Family Room Norwich House
Join the Students’ Union and the Residential and Campus Support Team for an evening of fun filled games, amazing
Christmas crafts and a surprise Christmas visit from somebody very special! We’ll be playing Christmas songs and keeping
you warm with mince pies and hot chocolate while the weather outside is frightful!
Christmas Family Day
Sat 12 December 14:00-17:00, East Slope Bar (followed by family-friendly Christmas films being shown until 20:00
Come along to East Slope Bar for lots of family-friendly fun at your very own Students’ Union Bar on campus. Christmas
films, crafts, music and even a Christmas quiz with great prizes to be won – all suitable for the whole family to enjoy! We’ll
also be serving mulled Seacider for the adults, delicious hot chocolate for all the kids (big and small!) and traditional mince
pies!
Please note: all films being screened will be of a ‘U’ rating, and the evening will be closing at 20:00.
Christmas Lunch
Christmas Eve – Thursday 24 December
11:30 for a 12:00 start, Falmer House
A 3-course traditional Christmas Lunch will be served at Falmer House. The festive meal will include Christmas
crackers, drinks and entertainment. The event is open for all Sussex students, both home students and international
students, and their families who are staying in Brighton over the Christmas vacation.
Every adult who attends the event will receive a ‘Christmas Tea’ Goodie Bag filled with an array of delicious items to
feast on over Christmas Day, and every child will receive a Christmas present.
There is no charge, but booking in advance is essential. Numbers are limited and tickets will be issued. Tickets are first
come first served so please do not miss out as last year all tickets were collected within 3 weeks and many were left
disappointed.
Bookings for the Christmas Lunch should be made before 12 midday on Friday 18 December to Janine Thorogood, by
emailing [email protected] or phoning 01273 678217, indicating any special dietary requirements and the
name and age of children who will be coming along. Tickets should be collected no later than 15:00 on Friday 18
December.
Christmas Day Celebration
Christmas Day – Friday 25 December
13:00 – 15:00, Meeting House
The Meeting House will be open from 13:00 until 15:00 for
students to come together for a Christmas Day celebration. This will be
an opportunity to gather, celebrate and connect with other students
on this special day.
We are extremely grateful to the University’s
Chaplains Robin Selmes & Andrew Jackson and
the chaplaincy team and their helpers who will be
hosting these events, which are funded by the
University’s Community Social Fund and
International Student Support.
Availability of services over the Christmas and New Year period
If this will be your first experience of being in the UK at Christmas time, you may be surprised to see that many of the
services that you can easily access during the rest of the year are reduced or completely unavailable at certain times during
the Christmas and New Year period. Most businesses in the UK (including shops and supermarkets) are closed on
Christmas Day (25 December), and many are also closed on Boxing Day (26 December) and New Year’s Day (1 January).
Public transport services are also likely to be affected during the Christmas and New Year period. Brighton & Hove buses
will be operating as follows:
Thurs 24 December – Saturday service. Services finish at approximately 10pm. Night buses will not run.
Fri 25 December – No service.
Sat 26 December – Boxing Day special timetable – details at www.buses.co.uk Night buses will not run.
Sun 27 December to Monday 28 December – Sunday service
Tuesday 29 December to Thursday 31 December – Saturday service
Friday 1 January – Sunday service
Further details of local bus services during the vacation are available at www.buses.co.uk or 01273 886200
Train and coach services across the UK may also be affected, so if you intend to travel to other parts of the UK by public
transport during the vacation, please check the following for information before you travel:
National Rail Enquiries for train travel: www.nationalrail.co.uk or 03457 484950
National Express for coach travel: www.nationalexpress.com or 08717 818181
You can also get information about local and national train and coach travel
at the 1 Stop Travel shop at 26 North Street, Brighton BN1 1EB.
Opening times for campus facilities over the Christmas vacation
Most professional Services on campus will be closed from 16:00 on Thursday 24 December until 10:00 on Monday 4 January;.
Below you can find the opening times for some of the facilities on campus during the vacation.
International Student Support
The schedule of immigration drop in sessions from 1 December – 23 December is available here:
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/internationalsupport/immigration
24 December- 3 January
4 January
CLOSED
Re-opening from 10:00
Barclays Bank (Sussex House)
14 December - 18 December
19 December – 3 January (inclusive)
4 January
10:00-14:30
CLOSED
Re-opening
Co-operative Store (Bramber House)
24 December
25-26 December
27 December – 31 December
1 January
2-3 January
4 January
07:00-21:00
CLOSED
07:00-21:00
CLOSED
07:00-21:00
Re-opening
East Slope Bar
12 December
2 January
Closing at 8pm
Re-opening (tbc)
Falmer Bar
Open until 18th December
19 December-3 January
CLOSED
4 January
Re-opening
Falmer Sports Complex
23 December
Closing at 12 noon
24 December – 28 December
CLOSED
29 – 30 December
Open 10am-4pm
31 December – 1 Jan
CLOSED
2 Jan
Re-opening
The Library
12 December
12:00- 19:00
13 December
12:00- 19:00
14 December- 18 December
09:00- 20:00
19 – 20 December
12:00- 19:00
21-23 December
09:00- 20:00
24- 27 December
CLOSED
28- 30 December
10:00- 19:00
31 December – 1 January
CLOSED
2 January
10:00- 19:00
3 January
Start of 24 hour opening 10:00- 19:00
Sports Complex
23 December
Closing at 12 noon
24 December -1st Jan
CLOSED
2nd Jan
Re-opening
Sussex Student Lettings
Closed from 23 December and will re-open on Monday 4 January
Union Shop (Falmer House)
14 December – 23 December
08:00-18:00 Monday- Friday (closed at weekends)
24 December – 3 January
CLOSED
4 January
Re-opening (times tbc)
Christmas events and activities in Brighton and beyond
Ice Skating at the Royal Pavilion Gardens
Every day from 7 November 2015– 17 January 2016
The return of the ice rink to the Royal Pavilion Gardens each year brings the Christmas spirit to the city. Ice
Skating at the beautifully lit Pavilion Gardens is an unforgettable festive experience, and you can also enjoy
delicious food and warming winter drinks at the rinkside Bar and Kitchen www.royalpavilionicerink.co.uk
Winter Wonderland at Hyde Park
Hyde Park, London, 10:00 – 22:00, 20 November – 3 January, free entry
The big Christmas attraction in London’s Hyde Park is a great place to visit for a day out. Entrance is free but
tickets have to be bought for some of the attractions which include ice skating, ice sculpture show, giant wheel and
circus.
www.hydeparkwinterwonderland.com
Tremendous Tipi
Every Saturday and Sunday from 28 November, Free Entry
The Tremendous Tipi Festival in Brighton Music Hall is back every Saturday and Sunday throughout December.
The Brighton Music Hall terrace will be dressed with Christmas trees and twinkling lights. Tremendous tipis are set
against the dramatic backdrop of Brighton Beach. Enjoy live music from the house band singing festive hits and
party favourites in the warmth of the fully heated tipis. Dance away the afternoon in the candlelight and dine in the
tipi with family style Sunday Roasts and Saturday street food.
Table reservations are recommended. For more information and to book a table go to the website
http://brightonmusichall.co.uk/index.html
Beach Hut Advent Calendar
1 – 24 December 2015, 17:30-18:30
Hove Seafront (Kingsway)
This is the eighth year of the world’s first beach hut advent calendar. The iconic ice-cream coloured doors of the
beach huts lining the Hove esplanade take part in a live advent calendar throughout the countdown to Christmas. A
different hut opens its doors on each evening of December, each showcasing an artistic festive surprise.
Christmas Artists Open Houses
5-6 December and 12 -13 December, various locations, free entry
The Artists Open House provides a unique experience for visitors, where you can view an array of work from the
contemporary and original local artists and makers in their homes, as well as meeting the artists and buying artwork
and crafts directly from them. The Artists Open Houses Christmas festival offers a wealth of wonderful things for
you to view, experience and buy this Christmas.
http://www.aoh.org.uk/xmas-2015-festival-home
Lewes Enchanted Park
Wed 2 – Sun 13 December
Take a magical after dark journey through the beautiful Southover Grange Gardens. Discover an illuminated
landscape, spellbinding artwork and surprises around every corner as we tell the story of a very special, enchanted
festive wish.
Lewes Enchanted Park at Southover Grange Gardens opens on Wednesday 2nd December and runs until 13th
December. Each night an award-winning team of artists, digital media and projection specialists will transform
Lewes’ historic gardens into a magical and mesmerising mix of light, moving images and sound, bringing A
Christmas Wish to life.
Christmas Fair at Stanmer House
Museum
Every day from Thursday 5 December to Monday
21 December, 10:00- 16:00
Stanmer House Museum, Stanmer Park
A charming Christmas market at Stanmer
House Museum, behind Stanmer House.
Attractions include Santa’s grotto, an old
fashioned sweet shop, Christmas gifts, local
crafts and produce.
Tempest Christmas Market
12 December 11:00-17:00
Brighton beach’s first Christmas market. Head down
for some delicious milled wine, festive gifts, food and
drink, jewellery, homeware, toys, clothing,
decorations – everything you could need for the
perfect Christmas!
Sussex Symphony Orchestra
Christmas Concert
Sunday 6 December at 17:00, All Saints
Church, Hove. Tickets £10 with NUS card
The Sussex Symphony Orchestra has
been bringing live music to audiences
for over 20 years. Join in this festive
Christmas Concert where they play
Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker Suite,
P. Lane’s Wassail Dances, BBC’s
Alistair Appleton Narrating The
Night before Christmas.
Burning of the Clocks Parade
21 December, 18:30, free entry
Christmas Day Swim at Brighton Beach
25 December
11:00 Brighton Beach
On Christmas morning, members of England's oldest swimming club,
‘The Shiverers’ (founded in 1860), go for a morning dip in the sea, just
to the west of Brighton Pier at 11:00. Every year there are a few dozen
intrepid swimmers and hundreds of spectators.
The annual ‘Burning of the Clocks’ parade is a
celebration of the Winter Solstice, the shortest
day of the year. The city streets are lit up by a
procession of beautiful lanterns made of paper
and willow, making its way through the city
centre and culminating in a great finale on
Brighton beach, where the lanterns are burnt
on a bonfire, followed by a dazzling fire show,
live music and fireworks!
http://www.samesky.co.uk/events/burning-theclocks
New Year’s Eve events in Brighton
Krater Comedy Club
Komedia, 19:00, £33
Laugh yourself into 2016 with the funniest night out in Brighton. Eat, drink, watch four top stand-up
comedians and laugh!
Line Up: Nathan Caton, Jen Brister, Romesh Ranganathan and MC Stephen Grant
http://komediabrighton.ticketsolve.com/shows/
Spellbound Alternative 80s New Year’s Eve Party
Komedia, 22:00- 03:00, £15
Spellbound, ‘The 80s Night for People Who Hate 80s Nights’, has become one of Brighton’s best loved club nights
since launching at Komedia five years ago by delivering the cream of the Alternative side of the 80s, with DJs, Simon
Price and Jenna playing post-punk, goth, new romantic, indie, ska etc. For its Alternative 80’s NYE party, Spellbound
is taking over the larger (400 capacity) room at Komedia. For a bit of extra New Year’s Eve fun, songs will be chosen
using Spellbound Bingo! Non-stop Spellbound Greatest Hits all night!
https://komediabrighton.ticketsolve.com/shows/
The Mesmerist NYE Party
The Mesmerist, 20:00- 03:00, £15
This New Years Eve, the Mesmerist are putting on a New Year’s Eve Blackout Party where tin hats and military
dress, allied uniforms and artillery clobber, frugal fashion and the make-do-and-mend mentality are what goes.
Wartime 40s though to the rockin’ 50s, it’s going to be a dress up and dance spectacular with cabaret, live acts,
performers and many more mesmerist style surprises. Tickets cost £15 in advance. You can collect your tickets from
the bar or on the door.
December 2015- January 2016
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
1 Dec
2 Dec
3 Dec
4 Dec
5 Dec
6 Dec
Illuminating the
Christmas Tree
Ice Skating in
Brighton Pavilion
7 Dec
8 Dec
9 Dec
10 Dec
11 Dec
Sussex Families
Christmas Party
14 Dec
15 Dec
Carols by
Candlelight
12 Dec
13 Dec
Christmas Family
Day
16 Dec
17 Dec
18 Dec
19 Dec
20 Dec
23 Dec
24 Dec
Christmas Eve
25 Dec
Christmas Day
26 Dec
Boxing Day
27 Dec
Christmas Lunch
Christmas Day
Celebration
31 Dec
New Year’s Eve
1 Jan
2 Jan
New Year’s Day
Christmas Quiz
21 Dec
22 Dec
Burning the Clocks
Parade
28 Dec
29 Dec
30 Dec
3 Jan
A-Z of Christmas customs and traditions in the UK
Christmas Carols
are traditional songs or hymns which are sung during the Christmas
period. Many of them are based on religious themes. Some of the
most common carols include ‘Silent Night’, ‘Hark the Herald Angels
Sing’, and ‘Oh Come All Ye Faithful’. Carols can be sung during
religious services in church and at Christmas carol concerts. It is also
common for people to go carol singing from house to house or in a
public place to raise money for charity.
Christmas Crackers
are
decorated cardboard tubes with a small
explosive strip which ‘pop’ when pulled
to reveal a small toy, paper hat and joke.
Crackers were invented in the 1940s and
are typically pulled at the Christmas
dinner table and at parties.
A
Christmas Stocking
is a
long knitted sock which is
traditionally hung up on the
fireplace on Christmas Eve in hope
that Father Christmas will fill it with
small gifts, candy or toys before
Christmas morning.
Christmas Dinner
in the UK traditionally includes turkey with roast potatoes,
vegetables, and stuffing followed by Christmas pudding. This
rich cake is made from dried fruit, nuts, suet (a cooking fat made
from beef or mutton) and brandy and is served hot, traditionally
with brandy butter or cream.
The
Christmas Tree
is central to the Christmas celebrations
in the UK and grew extremely popular when Queen Victoria's
husband, Prince Albert, brought the tradition to the Royal Family
from his native Germany in the mid-19th century.
The
Christmas Wreath
is
used for decoration during the
Christmas festivities, often on the front
door of the house.
Father Christmas
is
the name used in the UK for
the mythical figure who travels
in a sleigh pulled by reindeer
and brings gifts to children in
the early hours of Christmas
morning. Traditionally, Father
Christmas comes down the
chimney to put presents under
the Christmas tree or in
children's rooms, in their
stockings. Some families leave
a glass of sherry or mulled
wine, mince pies, biscuits, or
chocolate and a carrot for his
reindeer as a present for him.
Mince Pies
Mistletoe
are British sweet treats made from a
short-crust pastry shell filled with
dried fruit and spices. Early recipes
from 15th, 16th and 17th centuries
used actual meat such as beef or
venison mixed with the fruits, but the
modern day mince pie contains no
meat and is often enjoyed with
cream, ice cream, or brandy butter.
which is commonly used
as a Christmas
decoration. According to
Christmas custom, a
couple who meet under a
hanging bunch of
mistletoe are expected to
kiss!
is a plant
Mulled Wine
is a popular
winter drink, especially around Christmas
time. It is usually made from red wine
mulled with a mix of mulling spices such as
cinnamon, clove, star anise, and nutmeg,
and it is served hot or warm. As an
alternative to mulled wine, mulled cider is
also popular.
Pantomimes
are a very British form of entertainment
which always take place at Christmas and nearly always have
stories based around well-known children's stories such as
Peter Pan, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty etc. They usually
include lots of audience participation (you can ‘boo’ the
villain!) and often feature celebrity guest stars . In pantomimes
the male roles are often played by women and the female roles
(including the traditional pantomime ‘dame’) are often played
by men.
A
Nativity Play
is a play which recounts the story of the birth
of Jesus, and it is performed at Christmas time. Nativity plays are often
performed at schools, where schoolchildren in costume act as the
human characters, and often also as the animals and props. A Nativity
Scene is a visual depiction of the story of the birth of Jesus. The
Christian story of the birth of Jesus is the origin of Christmas
celebration.