Things to do if you’re staying in town over the Christmas holidays
Christmas can be a little different when you’re too old to visit Santa’s grotto or take part in the nativity. However, getting into the festive spirit is still completely possible! Here I have narrowed down some fun things to do that might catch the interest of other fellow students.
This section has some ideas of cheaper ways to get into the festive spirit this Christmas:
- Christmas Dinner with your friends. Instead of paying upwards of £20 a head, get together with your friends and share the different cooking elements. If you split the price of everything between a group, you will easily be able to get a nice joint of meat, some veggies to roast, some gravy and bubbly for less than half the price that a restaurant reservation would cost you.
- A Christmas movie night! This is much cheaper than the cost of a cinema ticket and can be done with endless hot chocolate, your pjs and a sofa which is much more cosy.
- Make some festive biscuits or (if you’re brave!) try and construct your own gingerbread house. Templates can be found for free online, and you can purchase all the ingredients for less than a few pounds (a little bit extra if you want decorations).
- Crafts-you could make some Christmas cards or paper snowflakes to decorate your room/home or send to your loved ones. There are plenty of pre-made kits out there for less than a fiver online, but if you need some inspiration, how about:
- Homemade potpourri
- Making a snow globe (including a picture of yourself and a friend/loved one could make a lovely gift)
- Making a natural Christmas wreath
- Making candle holders from jam jars
- Making snowflakes from lolly sticks (add glitter to really get into the festive spirit!).
- Making Hanukkah sun catchers from lolly sticks (paste shreds of tissue paper in the gaps to catch the light).
- Carol services- can be wonderful to get into the Christmas spirit. On the 24th Dec there will be a carol service at St Leonard’s Church in town for example, but there are more happening periodically over the festive season so keep an eye on Facebook or local notice boards to see when these will be.
There will also be some brilliant activities in halls run by Halls life which are completely free! You are welcome to attend these even if you are not a halls resident. Make the most of these fun activities including:
- Halls life at the Byre Panto
- 20th Dec Speed friending and board games (ABH and DRA)
- 21st Dec Gingerbread house decorating (DRA)
- 21st Dec Christmas card crafts (OM)
- 22nd Dec Christmas Ornament decorating (ABH)
- 23rd Dec Potpourri making (DRA)
- 23rd Dec Painting with wine and cheese (OM)
- Christmas movies including
- 25th Love actually with pizza (ABH), also one at DRA with snacks tbc.
- 26th Dec Tote bag decorating (DRA)
- 26th Dec Bubble Tea Making (OM)
- 27th Dec Afternoon tea (ABH)
- 28th Dec Scrapbooking (DRA)
- 28th Dec Colouring and hot chocolate (OM)
- 29th Dec Hogmanay decoration making (ABH)
- 30th Dec Board games (DRA)
- 31st Dec Hogmanay Ceilidh (ABH)
- 31st Dec Visit to Winterfest markets (OM)
- 1st Jan West sands walk
- 1st Jan Movie and snacks (DRA)
- 2nd Jan Board Games (ABH)
- 3rd Jan Cookie decorating (DRA)
- 5th Jan Festive baking (OM)
Note: OM=Old Mill in Dundee, ABH=Agnes Blackadder Hall, DRA=David Russel Apartments. More information can be found here.
There are lots of fun Christmas activities happening in town, around fife and Dundee if you want to get out and make the most of your time with no exams over the next few weeks, such as:
- Cinderella the Panto-The Byre Theatre, St Andrews (until 31st Dec). Tickets from £19. The usual fairytale plot with some extra singing, dancing and jokes to entertain. More information can be found here.
- It’s a wonderful life screening-The Byre theatre, St Andrews (20th Dec). Tickets from £6. The 1946 classic feel good Christmas film. More information can be found here.
This year the University will again be offering Aldi and Love St Andrews vouchers for students who choose or need to stay in their term-time accommodation over the winter break. Vouchers will be available for collection from the ASC until Wednesday 20th December, after this date vouchers can be collected from the Wardennial Teams at Agnes Blackadder Hall and David Russell Apartments. Vouchers are available for collection strictly between 7 pm and 10 pm each evening, starting from December 20th until 3rd January. To schedule collection, students should contact the assistant warden team using one of the following numbers:
Agnes Blackadder Hall: (01334 46) 7019
David Russell Apartments: (01334 46) 7103