Exciting Things to Do This Winter

*This is a collaborative post*

It might be dark outside, and the temperatures may be falling, but that doesn’t mean you need to board yourself indoors until the summer months. There are plenty of exciting things to do and places

to be in the winter this year, whether you’d like to find a festive activity or choose to do something different that doesn’t involve the holidays.

Whether you want something to do as a family, couple’s activities or ideas for your corporate Christmas celebration, here is some inspiration to get you started.

At this time of year there are plenty of festive events available to attend or keep yourself entertained with, whether it’s a New Year Party with friends or colleagues or a winter fair. You don’t necessarily have to spend anything to enjoy yourself either, the world outside has plenty to offer you.

As long as you don’t live in the middle of nowhere, your neighbours and surrounding community will

soon be putting up their Christmas lights and decorating their homes festively for the coming celebrations, if they haven’t started already! A couple of weeks into the month of December is usually the best time to see Christmas lights and decorations, within the 12 days until Christmas.

Warp yourselves up warm and go for a stroll around the neighbourhood, people are usually keen to show off what a good job they’ve done with their festive decorations so get chatting to your neighbours and they might offer you an indoor tour! 

On a particularly cold night, it’s good to take a thermos of coffee or tea to keep you warm and you can always make an evening of it, wandering at your leisure into town or to your nearest nice restaurant or eatery for dinner.

If there is one thing around Christmas time that doesn’t fall in short supply, it’s Christmas fairs. Between council organised festive markets, school-hosted winter fundraisers and independent festive exhibitions, you will be sure to find one nearby to where you live. 

In past years, hundreds and thousands of people have flocked to the London German Christmas Markets however, many of the stalls offer similar wares and walking between the different markets doesn’t offer the variety it used to. Birmingham have a fantastic Christmas market that stretches down the high street and offers plenty of different trinkets and handmade gifts, although it can get busy with lots of people flocking to the stalls to grab some tasteful presents. 

In Exeter the Christmas Market surrounds the Cathedral and has loads of street food stalls!

Check your local newspaper and online listings to find out if there are any Christmas markets or fairs being held within reasonable travel distance to you, they are likely to be quieter and possibly offer goods made by individuals from your residential community. It’s a perfect opportunity to support both family and local independent businesses.

The chillier months aren’t just about Christmas, in fact the British winter lasts through until March

most years, so there’s a few months where Christmas is almost a whole year away! If you are looking for something to do that isn’t dependent on the big holiday, here are some ideas to keep you busy.

It gets cold in the winter, but with the temperature prone to fluctuation, this isn’t a recommendation to find the nearest frozen pond or river and have a go. Instead, look out for pop-up ice rinks or take a is it to one of the year-round available ice-skating rinks in the UK. 

While it can take a bit of practice to get used to being on skates, once you start getting momentum, your adrenaline and excitement will take over and you’ll never want to leave!

As human beings, we were designed to walk large distances, ever since our caveman days and just because it’s a bit colder and darker outside, doesn’t mean we need to stop enjoying the outside world. 

Wrap up in multiple layers, this makes it easier to cool down by removing a layer at a time, pack flash lights, grab your sturdy, non-slip boots and head outside. 

If you are lucky enough to live  somewhere it’s snowing, find somewhere peaceful and enjoy the unusual silence that accompanies the snowfall. The world is completely different in the winter, yet we unfortunately don’t always get a chance to appreciate it.

If your family is one that has plenty of summer activities to get through when the spring comes back

around next year, you might find you have little time to get your home organised and tidy.

Use the quieter winter months when people are more reluctant to go out as an opportunity to have a clear out and a general tidy up. 

Donations are appreciated around the year, not just before the festive holiday so you can take your bits to a nearby charity drive or donation centre or put aside to sell once the car boot sales are in full swing come the warmer months.

Whether you stay indoors this winter or continue your adventure outside, don’t let the season slip

by without enjoying yourself!