Christmas
in Newcastle
2015
Christmas
in Newcastle
2015
Wherever you are from and whether you are at Newcastle or
Northumbria University, if you are staying in Newcastle over the
Christmas holidays this brochure is for you.
Many students, both home and overseas, stay in the city during
Christmas and New Year and we hope to give everyone the chance to
meet up and take part in one of the many exciting events, plan a special
family outing or make a traditional Christmas meal.
We hope that you will find this guide helpful and that it will inspire
you to help make this holiday a truly memorable one for you!
What to expect during the holidays................................................................................................................................. 3
Celebrating Christmas in England..................................................................................................................................... 5
Make your own Christmas Day in five easy steps..................................................................................................... 6
What’s on this Christmas.......................................................................................................................................................... 9
University Opening...................................................................................................................................................................16
Important Information............................................................................................................................................................18
Join the Facebook group ‘ Christmas in Newcastle
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What
to expect during the holidays
The festive period is a busy time for most
people in the UK and it is often a time when
people spend more time with their families.
Those who celebrate Christmas are likely to do
so with specially prepared food, by decorating
their homes and exchanging gifts. Christmas
is a Christian festival and some people will
visit churches and cathedrals to participate in
services and concerts throughout the holiday
period.
All of Newcastle’s churches and cathedrals will
have something to offer and you can visit them
whether you are Christian or not. Services on 24
December – Christmas Eve – can be particularly
enjoyable with carols, lighting of candles and
children’s choirs.
For many the holiday period is a time to eat,
drink and shop so be aware that in the run-up
to Christmas the centre of Newcastle will be
very busy indeed. Public transport will be
affected with most services running a restricted
timetable and on 25 December will cease
altogether.
Most shops and public buildings will be open
every day except Christmas Day itself – 25
December and New Year’s Day – 1 January.
However, many shops and public buildings
will have reduced opening hours on Christmas
Eve 24, Boxing Day 26 and New Year’s Eve 31
December. Remember to buy enough food
before Christmas Day!
If you are planning to go somewhere over the
holidays, especially around Christmas itself, it is
best to check ahead to make sure the place is
open and that there is transport available. It is
also wise to have the number of a taxi service
handy.
Some local taxi numbers include:
Blueline 0191 262 6666
Budget Taxis 0191 298 5050
Dean 0191 444 4444
Five Star 0191 232 8888
Please see the following links to check on
timetables for local and national services.
newcastle.gov.uk/parking-roads-andtransport/public-transport
nexus.org.uk/metro
newcastlegateshead.com/winter-festival/
festive-shopping
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T he meaning of
Christmas
At Christmas, Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ (where the word ‘Christian’
comes from).
Christians believe that Jesus was born of a human mother – Mary, often referred to as
the Virgin Mary and that Jesus is God’s son.
There are lots of traditions built up around the Christmas story. Christians believe that
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in present-day Israel, and that he was born in a stable
(where animals are kept), because there was no room at the inn. The first visitors to see
him were shepherds.
We are also told of a later visit when wise men (often referred to as ‘the three Kings’)
came from the east to see him, bringing him gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. Most
Christmas carol services will tell these stories and seek to explain their significance in
music and words.
If you wish to discuss Christmas and its significance to Christians, please contact the
Chaplaincy. See ncl.ac.uk/students/chaplaincy or northumbria.ac.uk/chaplaincy
Christmas Trees
Christmas trees were first introduced to Britain
from Germany in the eighteenth century by
the British Royal Family. In the nineteenth
century Christmas trees became popularised
by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, following
the publication in the ‘Illustrated London News’
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of a picture featuring the Royal Family sitting
around a finely decorated Christmas tree.
Although some people have their tree out from
early December the ‘proper’ time is in fact 24
December or Christmas Eve, after Advent, and it
should be taken down on 6 January – Epiphany.
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Celebrating Christmas
in England
If this is your first Christmas in England we would like to help you to make sense of it all.
Here follows a brief guide to some of our Christmas traditions.
served with brandy sauce and brandy butter. If
you buy a pudding, and have specific dietary
requirements, be sure to look at the ingredients
as many contain animal fat and alcohol though
many versions exist without these additions.
Christmas Food
Food plays a very important role in the
Christmas celebrations with the Christmas Day
dinner being the central meal of the festivities.
This is eaten at different times, according to
family tradition, but is normally a lunchtime
rather than an evening meal. It traditionally
comprises roast turkey with chestnut stuffing
served with potatoes and vegetables including
brussel sprouts.
It is now relatively easy to serve a traditional
turkey dinner with all of the ‘trimmings’ (as we
call everything that goes with the meal). This is
because all major supermarkets have ready-toroast turkeys and ready-prepared vegetables
and gravy. Of course, not everyone eats turkey,
or meat, and there are some traditional meatfree dishes too. One is the nut roast which is
served with vegetarian gravy. After the meal the traditional dish is a Christmas
pudding – a dark, fruit-laden cake-like pudding
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Mince pies, which are sweet, used to be savoury
pies containing a mixture of meat, fruit and
alcohol. They were traditionally oval in shape
to represent Jesus’ crib. They are now a sweet
pie containing fruit, eaten after dinner or by
themselves with a drink.
Santa Claus
Our modern Santa Claus, developed from
the legend of St Nicholas, is said to travel through
the night skies on a sleigh, guided by his reindeer.
Santa Claus traditionally leaves small,
unwrapped gifts in Christmas stockings hung
out on 24 December. This tradition developed
from the tales of St Nicholas, who, according
to legend, left money in the stockings of poor
men’s daughters as they slept, in order to pay
for their dowries. We now only give stockings
to children and they are hung on the end of
their bed ready to open in the morning. It is
traditional to include some nuts and a small
orange in the bottom, which again dates back
to St Nicholas providing for the poor. Small
presents of any kind are referred to as
‘stocking fillers’.
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Make your own Christmas Day
in 5 easy steps
1 Christmas decorations
If you wish to enter into the spirit, you must
put up some kind of decorations. The shops are
full of them at the minute so you can take your
pick. Most have displays which can give you a
good idea of what to buy and how to assemble
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your decorations. For an idea of how it should
all look and suggestions of differently-priced
options, see the links below:
johnlewis.com
direct.asda.com/christmas-shop
northumbria.ac.uknewcastle.ac.uk
2 Exchanging gifts
5 Church service
Exchanging gifts is an essential part of the day
and is normally done in the morning. Why not
get together with friends and organise a ‘secret
Santa’? See below for ideas on how to do this.
Most churches hold a carol service, which may
be candlelit, in the weeks before Christmas.
The dates will vary – look at your nearest
church noticeboards or websites for details. On
Christmas Eve (24 December), many churches
have a service starting at about 11.30pm and
lasting for an hour. This Midnight Mass is a
traditional part of an English Christmas. Most
churches will also have a mid-morning service
on Christmas Day (25 December). Again we
refer you to their noticeboards and websites as
there are too many to list here.
howopia.co.uk/howto/how-organisesecret-santa
secretsanta.co.uk
3 Festive food and drink
The traditional dinner, eaten at lunchtime or
early evening according to personal preference,
normally comprises turkey and ‘all the
trimmings’. Many people prefer another meat
or a vegetarian option. Whatever you decide
to have, make it special – set the table and
provide Christmas crackers for everyone. Most
shops have ready-made food for Christmas but
if you want to cook it all yourself, look
at the links below.
savethestudent.org/save-money/fooddrink
savethestudent.org/save-money/fooddrink/student-recipes/christmas-dinnerrecipes.html
4 The Royal Christmas Message
Every Christmas Day, the Queen addresses the
nation at 3pm when she talks about the past
year and the year ahead. In the past, many
families would sit down together to hear what
she had to say but this tradition has decreased
over the years.
For information on this tradition, see the links
below:
There are also other religious festivals at this
time of year including Jewish Chanuka and
Pagan Yule.
For more information about church services
over the Christmas period, please contact
Catherine or Andii, university chaplains
at Newcastle and Northumbria universities.
ncl.ac.uk/students/chaplaincy or
northumbria.ac.uk/chaplaincy
We hope that you
have a wonderful
Christmas
Day
however you choose to
spend your time.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_
Christmas_Message
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圣诞快乐
С Рождеством
God Jül
สุขสันต์วันคริสต์มาส
Feliz Natal
Buon Natale
Selamat Hari Natal
Merry Christmas!
메리 크리스마스
聖誕節同新年快樂
Fröhe Weihnachten
Joyeux Noël
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Siku Kuu Njema
‫ديعس داليم ديع‬
节日快乐
Feliz Navidad
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What’s on this Christmas
Newcastle and Northumbria Universities have organised a series of events for you to
enjoy over the festive period. Please see the following pages for details.
How to book tickets
PLEASE NOTE – All events (including free events) require a ticket for
each person attending.
Tickets are available from 12.00 on Tuesday 2 December to Wednesday
23 December via NU webstore.
For full details on each event, including number of places available and
joining instructions, please go to:
northumbria.ac.uk/christmasinnewcastle
ncl.ac.uk/students/wellbeing/about/Christmas
Newcastle University Christmas in
Newcastle launch
Northumbria University Christmas in
Newcastle launch
Tuesday 1 December
Wednesday 2 to Friday 4 December
Come and meet Santa Claus and his Elf, see
what’s in our programme and plan your
Christmas break.
Come and meet Santa Claus and his Elf, see
what’s in our programme and plan your
Christmas break.
From 11.00am to 2.00pm in The Cube, reception
of Students’ Union Building
From 11.00am to 2.00pm in the Students’ Union
Building
No charge and no ticket needed
No charge and no ticket needed
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Rainy Day Reads in the Robinson
Library, Newcastle University
Monday 21 December 14.00 – 16.00
As we approach the longest night of the year
The Robinson Library is hosting a book group
with a difference…festive scary stories is a
tradition older than Elizabeth I.
Ice Skating at Centre for Life
Step out of the cold and bring along your
favourite chilling read for this time of year
and tell us why you love it. We will share our
favourite gothic horror stories and British festive
traditions, and we’d love to hear what this time
of year means to you.
Wednesday 23 December
Don’t worry if you are shy, you don’t have to read
aloud, come along and enjoy the comfy chairs,
tea and cake.
Durham City visit, Cathedral Carol
Service and lunch (optional)
FREE but booking essential – places are limited.
Go to https://rainydayreadschristmas2015.
eventbrite.co.uk
The charming and beautiful medieval city of
Durham lies only 15 minutes from Newcastle. It
is filled with historic building, shops, cafés and
galleries. Wander through the winding streets
and enjoy the final countdown to Christmas
Day itself. Durham Cathedral is one of the
great buildings of Europe. At over 1000 years
old it is a World heritage site and a focus of
pilgrimage and spirituality in North East England.
We will travel there by train and spend some
time looking around the city before taking
an optional lunch in a local café. The service
is a traditional carol service with Christmas
carols and music and traditional rituals. We will
travel back to Newcastle by train, arriving at
approximately 5.30pm.
Cost: FREE - PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU MUST
HAVE A TICKET TO ATTEND THIS EVENT
‘Knewcastle’
Wednesday 23 December 12.15 – 15.00
A walking treasure hunt through Newcastle
to help you discover things you might not
otherwise find out about the city. Refreshments
in St Nicholas’ Cathedral with an opportunity
to find out more about the real ‘Saint Nick’ – St
Nicholas of Myra, the original Santa Claus.
Cost: £3 per person
Back by popular demand! An hour’s skating
followed by hot chocolate and a portion of chips
(suitable for 18+ only).
Cost: £7 per person
Thursday 24 December 10.00am – 5.30pm
Cost: £7.00 per person and extra for lunch, if taken
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Christmas Lunch at St Luke’s Church
Festive walking tour of Newcastle
Friday 25 December 13.30 – 16.00
Monday 28 December 14.00 – 16.00 (approx.)
Come along and enjoy a traditional Christmas
lunch with 100 other students! On the menu
is roast turkey with all the trimmings (or a
vegetarian meal for those who prefer) and a
delicious Christmas pudding to round it all off.
Explore the hidden history and culture of
Newcastle – with an added festive flare.
In keeping with tradition, we will listen to the
Queen give her talk to the nation at 3.00.
Cost: £7.50 per person (normally £15pp)
Cost: Free PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU MUST HAVE
A TICKET TO ATTEND THIS EVENT
Live football at St James’ Park
Newcastle United v Everton
Saturday 26 December 14.00 – 16.30
In an annual festive tradition Newcastle United
will take on Everton on Boxing Day, a match not
to be missed! Your ticket price includes entry
into the exclusive Jackie Milburn Suite where
you can wait for the match to start in style and
keep warm at half time!!
Cost: £20 per person
Beamish Museum
Sunday 27 December 10.00 – 16.30
Beamish is a world famous open air museum,
telling the story of life in North East England
during the 1820s, 1900s and 1940s. Take in the
sights of the town centre and manor house or
enjoy traditional tasty treats, from fish and chips
to traditional cakes and drinks. Explore the link
below to find out what there is to do at Beamish.
www.beamish.org.uk
Be guided around the city by Alex who will bring
Newcastle to life, getting you to see the city in a
whole new light this Christmas.
Tea and games in the INTO Building
Tuesday 29 December 11.00 – 14.00
Join us for an international Tea and Games
get together in the INTO building. Meet other
international students and have fun playing one
of the many games available.
We will provide free tea, coffee and biscuits.
Cost: Free PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU MUST HAVE
A TICKET TO ATTEND THIS EVENT
Tyneside Cinema with bistro
Wednesday 30 December 13.00 – 16.00 (approx)
Visit Newcastle’s beautiful art-house cinema
to take in the latest film (film details will be
available nearer the time). Meet up with your
new friends to discuss the film in the stylish
bistro over a drink of your choice.
Cost: £6.00 per person (includes entry to cinema
and one drink of your choice)
Cost: £12.00 per person (includes coach travel to
and from Beamish and entry fee)
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Traditional Pantomime at Newcastle’s
Theatre Royal
Ouseburn Farm visit with pub lunch
Thursday 31 December 17.00 – 19.00
Get up close with the animals, walk through the
picturesque Ouseburn Valley, enjoy coffee in the
café plus optional post-visit drinks at the Cluny.
Please bring some money for lunch, if you wish
to eat.
Visit Newcastle’s finest theatre to see the 10th
anniversary production of Dick Whittington.
A spectacular production packed full of fun
and adventure and an abundance of comedy.
Featuring plenty of glitz and glamour along with
sensational musical numbers and fabulous sets
and costumes, this is pantomime at its very best!
Our seats are in the premium area which has
been sold out since March. Once the show has
finished you will be in the middle of Newcastle,
ready to join in the celebration and enjoy the
fireworks for New Year’s Eve.
Cost: £14.00 per person (normally £28.50)
Northumberlandia and the
Snowy Owl
Friday 1 January 10.30 – 14.30 (approx)
Saturday 2 January 11.00 – 14.00
Cost: Free PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU MUST HAVE
A TICKET TO ATTEND THIS EVENT
Tynemouth beach, craft market
and Priory
Sunday 3 January 11.00 – 14.00
Come for a trip to the coast and enjoy a walk on
the beach, take the opportunity to bag some
vintage bargains and visit the historic Priory and
Castle.
Cost: £9 per person (includes metro travel to and
from the event, entrance to the Priory, a hot drink
and a portion of chips.)
Welcome in the new year with a visit to
Northumberlandia, a stunning human landform
sculpture of a reclining lady, which is the unique
centrepiece of this community park in the
Northumbrian countryside. Then, when you’re
ready to warm your toes back up, your host will
take you for a traditional 3 course pub lunch at
The Snowy Owl pub close by.
Cost: £12 per person (includes transport to and from
the event and a 3 course meal at the Snowy Owl.
Drinks are not included in the cost of your ticket and
are to be purchased separately).
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Carol Service
You and your family are invited to
Northumbria University’s Carol Service
Thursday, 10 December 2015 at 5.30pm
Cathedral Church of St Nicholas, Mosley Street, Newcastle upon Tyne
To attend email [email protected] | telephone 0191 227 4717
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Newcastle
University
Carol Service
Wednesday
16th December
5.30pm
You and your family are
invited to Newcastle
University’s Carol Service
St Thomas’ Church
Haymarket
Newcastle
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What
else is there to do in
Newcastle at Christmas?
There are many other things happening in and around Newcastle during the Christmas
holidays. For a taste of what’s on, and to organise something yourself, please visit the
links below:
newcastlegateshead.com/winter-festival
newcastlegateshead.com/whats-on
Produced by NewcastleGateshead Initiative
NewcastleGateshead.com/winterfestival
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@WinterFestNG
Facebook.com/WinterFestival
northumbria.ac.uknewcastle.ac.uk
Newcastle University opening times
during the Christmas holidays
• Robinson Library – Open 10am – 5:15pm on 19th, 21st and 23rd Dec. All other
dates are self-service only. Closed on 25th December.
• ISS Service desk – Open 24/7. Closed on 23rd Dec and 1st January.
• The Old Library Cluster will remain open throughout the Christmas period, 24/7
throughout.
• Student’s Union – Closed 18 December to 4 January incl. NUSU Central Cluster,
top floor, will remain open 24/7 throughout.
• Security – In-house Security Service staff (University Police) are on duty 24/7 and
can be contacted on 0191 208 6817 or via email at [email protected]
• Castle Leazes – Closed to non-residents from 5pm on 23rd Dec until 4th January.
• INTO – Closed 24 – 28 December incl. and 31 December to 1 January incl.
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Northumbria University opening
times during the Christmas
holidays
Many of Northumbria University’s services will continue to operate over the Christmas and New
Year period as follows:
• The University’s Ask4Help service (email: [email protected], 0191 227 4646), which
provides information and advice to students, will be available at the following times throughout
the holiday period:
24 Dec
Closes at 17.00
26, 27, 28 Dec Closed
29, 30 Dec
09.00 – midnight
31 Dec
09.00 – 17.00
1 Jan
Closed
2, 3 Jan
09.00 – midnight
4 Jan
24/7 resumes
• The University Library will be open at varying times throughout the holiday period. For more
information, visit: nuweb2.northumbria.ac.uk/library_opening_hours
• The IT Helpline ( 0191 227 4242, email: [email protected] or
northumbria.ac.uk/itchat is open as usual, 24/7.
• Many of our IT facilities (for example those in the University Library at City Campus) will be
open throughout most of the Christmas and New Year period. To check where work stations are
available, visit: northumbria.ac.uk/sd/central/its/about/helpline/openaccessavailable
• The Students’ Union will be closed for the main Christmas and New Year period. For full details,
visit http://mynsu.northumbria.ac.uk or the Northumbria Students’ Union Facebook page.
• Sport Central will be open throughout the holiday period, apart from 24 December,
25 December, 26 December and 1 January. Specific opening hours do vary, more information
can be found at: nusportcentral.com/facilities/sport-central
• Northumbria’s Security Service is open 24/7, throughout the holidays, 0191 227 3999, emergency
number: 0191 227 3200.
• Throughout the Christmas and New Year period, the University website continues to provide lots
of useful information for students: northumbria.ac.uk
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Important Information
Christmas and New Year Programme – Insurance Guidelines
• Each university hosting an event on their premises must have in place appropriate
insurance cover for its legal liabilities for injury or negligence by its staff and
students for activities held on their premises or within their custody and control.
• Events that are held on neutral premises are responsible for their legal liabilities
whilst on their premises and thus hold their own insurance cover.
• We cannot guarantee that staff working on the Christmas and New Year
programme will have a DBS check.
• If, as a student, you choose to take your spouse or children to an event, you do so at
your own risk. Children remain your responsibility at all times.
• If you choose to take part in an activity you are, by doing so, agreeing that you
believe yourself to be suitable for that activity (in terms of health, skills level, etc).
You must use your own judgement to decide whether the activity is suitable
for you.
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