As December starts, how are you feeling about the most wonderful time of the year?
Maybe you are decorating trees, showering people with gifts, and singing along to Mariah Carey. Maybe this is your first Christmas in the UK and you’re soaking up the sights, smells, sounds, and tastes of this traditional period, including a carol service and a mince pie. Maybe Twixmas is your thing: brisk outdoor walks, leftovers to graze on, chilling with Netflix (or streaming platform of choice) and trying to remember what day to put out the bins. Maybe 2026 can’t come fast enough when all this festive pressure will be over. Maybe it’s a mixture of all or none of these.
However you may be feeling, this could be a good time to revisit the 5 Ways to Wellbeing blog or check out the Mind 5 Ways to Wellbeing webpage. Then read on for details of upcoming events that might provide opportunities to practise some of the 5 ways over the festive period.
Off campus – distance learners
If you’re learning at a distance, living elsewhere in the UK or in a different country, what is going on around you that offers opportunities to try out the 5 ways? One of our Student Services managers runs an annual online quiz for all colleagues across all campuses. It gives us a lot of fun, as well as opportunities to learn and connect. Maybe you and your cohort could run an online Christmas Quiz together and invite people to wear Christmas jumpers and/or hats or design a festive background.
If you’re working and studying online, when was the last time you took a screen break outside during a working day? During the winter months, morning daylight is said to be the most beneficial so why not step outside before midday. As well as being active, take time to pay attention to your surroundings: what have you not noticed before?
If you need a bit of inspiration, visit Your 5 Ways to Winter Wellbeing for more ideas.
On & off campus: Uni Mood Booster Playlist
If you’re not feeling the Christmas vibe and Christmas music isn’t going to fix that, check out our Uni Mood Booster Playlist for a little pick-me-up, filled with University of Cumbria staff and student favourites from campus and beyond. You could create your own Winter Wellbeing playlist and share it with others.
Campus Festive Feast Day – Tues 9 December
As each campus is unique, there will be a variety of hot food specials available with a sprinkle of festive atmosphere on the 9th December. Check your local campus catering outlet for details.
Community festive events & activities
See below for links to some of the festive/winter events and activities happening in the regions around our campuses this December.
Ambleside
- Rydal Christmas Fayre at Rydal Mount – 5th and 6th December 10am – 4pm
- Hawkshead Christmas Fair – 6th and 7th December 10am – 4pm; see this webpage for quick guide to Christmas markets & other December events in the Lakes.
- Handel’s Messiah – 13th December, Kendal Leisure Centre
- Wansfell Fell Race – 27th December; FRA kit needed for this short but tough course
- Wainwright at the Armitt December 2025 – final month of exhibition about a Lakeland legend
https://www.facebook.com/hawksheadchristmasfair/
Barrow
- Furness Christmas Roller Disco – Friday 5th December
- Walney Festive Wonderland and Market – Sunday 8th December
- Barrow Christmas Market and music – Saturday 13th December
- For December events in and around Barrow, visit All Events site
- Download the Barrow Buzz app to join the digital town hub.
Carlisle
- Fusehill St Christmas Craft Week – 1st to 5th December
- Carlisle Christmas Markets – 6th December & 13th December
- Christmas Events at Carlisle Cathedral – including Christmas services, carols by candlelight, the Christmas Tree festival, craft workshops, and more.
- Festive Craft Workshops
- Cumbria Pride’s Christmas Party – 14th December
- iCan Wellbeing is delivering a range of activities on Christmas Day – 25th December
- For December events in and around Carlisle, visit All Events.
Lancaster
- Christmas Global Café – 4th December 12 to 2: celebrate culture, connection & conversation in our Lancaster campus library
- Gregson Centre December events – including Makers’ Market on 6th December & lots more
- Victorian Christmas at the Judges’ Lodgings – 6th and 7th December
- Christmas Reading Event – 9th December 12:30 – 1:30 – listen to seasonal stories & poetry & read something yourself if you would like, in our Lancaster campus library
- Carols and Christmas music at St T’s – 19th December 7.00 – 8.45 pm
- Carols and Beers – 22nd December 6pm Pendle Witch, 7pm Water Witch, 8pm The Borough
- Christmas Day Lunch at St Thomas’s Church email will@st.tees.org.uk to book.
- Lancaster on Ice – skating, ferris wheel, food and drink until 4th January
- For December events in and around Lancaster, visit All Events and check out the Dukes and the Lancaster Grand Theatre listings for December and January
London
- Victorian Santa’s Grotto – 5th to 23rd December at London Museum Docklands, includes quiet sessions.
- The Big Christmas Market – 6th December – Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
- Tower Hamlets Markets – December newsletter to help plan a festive market trail.
- Urban Makers Christmas Markets – 13th & 14th December – Ecology Pavilion, Mile End Park
- Sounds from our Beautiful Island – 18th December from 6.30 pm “Join Grand Union Orchestra in a joyful performance honouring the voices, cultures and shared stories of Tower Hamlets’ diverse communities”.
- Ice Rink Canary Wharf – throughout December
- Mama Goose – see schedule for availability and dates for this Stratford East panto.
- Christmas fun in Tower Hamlets parks – throughout December
Support over Christmas break
The University will close at 4pm on Tuesday 23rd December 2025 and re-open on Monday 5th January 2026. See the University Support over Christmas page for information about accessing resources and support during the break.