2022 is coming to an end, the days are getting colder and the festive season is now upon us. If you’re a lover of the Christmas period, or you simply want to try and get more ‘in the spirit’ of things, there’s lots of opportunities to do that in Birmingham.
Birmingham is a city of culture and there is a huge array of things to do as a tourist or a resident of the city. If you’re a student, you’ll find a range of enticing attractions to fill your time outside of your studies with. When the festive season comes around, the city has a different feel to it and there’s lots of opportunities to experience how Christmas is celebrated in England and have fun with your new classmates! Let’s take a look at some of the best things to do in Birmingham this festive period:
- Visit the UK’s largest indoor funfair
Winter Funland is the UK’s biggest indoor funfair and its making its return to Birmingham this Christmas! This is a wonderful day out for a group of friends or families alike. You will be spoilt for things to do, from dodgems to waltzers, a huge ice rink and the chance to visit Santa in his grotto. On top of this, the funfair has an amazing circus with a great acrobatics show and Christmas clowns.
- Go Christmas shopping
Whether you are looking for gifts, want to buy a Christmas tree or fancy a stroll round one of Birmingham’s Christmas markets, you’ll find something to suit your needs in Birmingham. Get wrapped up, grab your shopping bags and enjoy this winter activity with your classmates.
- Spend an afternoon ice skating
Whatever your skill level, ice skating is a fun festive activity for all. In Birmingham, there’s a few different ice rinks depending on the atmosphere you are looking for. Ice Skate Birmingham is the biggest indoor rink in the city, it’s a central, family-friendly venue with an ice bar and lounge. If you fancy visiting Winter Funland, you can kill two birds with one stone and enjoy the fun fair and the skating rink in the same visit. For some extra Christmas magic, why not skate by Warwick Castle? This is a wonderfully festive option, with dancing light projections, twinkling trees and dazzling decorations. After you’ve shown off your skills on the ice, you can gaze at the magnificent 20ft high Christmas tree!
- Explore Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Markets
Birmingham’s FrankFurt Christmas Markets is a popular festive activity for locals and tourists alike. The city comes to life every winter when the market begins, it’s one of the best ways to get into the Christmas spirit and enjoy some of your favourite festive treats. From mulled wine to hot chocolate, crêpes, to German Bratwurst and Bretzel, make sure you come with some space in your stomach to enjoy all the food and drinks on offer!
- Dine in a festive igloo by the canal
What better way to cosy up and enjoy views of the canals this winter? The canalside igloos give you the best of both worlds – you can enjoy al fresco dining without having to endure the freezing Birmingham temperatures!
- Watch a Christmas classic at Birmingham’s drive-in cinema
There’s no better way to get in the Christmas spirit than watching your favourite Christmas classic and Birmingham’s Luna Drive-in Cinema is the best place to do it. The 2022 programme includes some Christmas favourites such as Love Actually, Home Alone, It’s A Wonderful Life, The Holiday and Elf, as well as more recent favourites such as Frozen and Last Christmas.
- Visit The Reindeer Park
The Reindeer Park lies in the Birmingham Borders, Sutton Coldfield. The caravan park exists as a lodge and campsite for families to visit, and its home to lots of different reindeer that guests can visit. Visiting this park is a must-do on the list of Christmas activities in Birmingham and you can explore lots of other activities in the park after seeing the reindeer.
- Attend an Ex Cathedra Christmas by Candlelight concert
Located at St Paul's Church in the Jewellery Quarter, these popular concerts are a great way to experience the true magic of Christmas. Gather at the church and enjoy an eclectic mix of music, a sequence of seasonal favourites and inspiring new music. You can also hear live readings and are able to bring your own refreshments. So, pack your mulled wine and mince pies and book your tickets here.
- Visit Cadbury World Christmas
If you’re a chocolate lover – this one is not to be missed! Located at Linden Road, Birmingham B30 1JR, Cadbury World transforms into a Christmas wonderland. You can explore all the usual activities, such as chocolate making (and eating, of course), afternoon tea and dining with fun characters like Freddo the Frog, but you can also enjoy some unique Christmas activities such as the Christmas pantomime.
- Watch a Christmas play
The pantomime is a popular Christmas activity across the UK. The pantomime is a fun, flamboyant, interactive performance usually following a well-known story or fairy-tale. This year, you can watch Cinderella at Cadbury World. If you’re not into Cinderella, you could also see Dick Whittingdon at Birmingham Hippodrome, the story of a man on his adventure to become Lord Mayor, packed with romance, laughter, music and dance. If this doesn’t sound like it’s for you, the classic Jack and the Magic Beanstalk is playing at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre too.
Get started with your ‘December in Birmingham bucket list’
The first week of December has flown by and we’ve found ourselves thrown into the festive spirit, with so many exciting attractions to do in Birmingham and just over a couple of weeks left until Christmas. Why not create your own personal bucket list and see how many Christmas activities you can do this winter?