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December Editor's Picks

29 November 2019

Don a novelty jumper, hang up your Christmas lights and stock up on mince pies: December has arrived, and we’ve got the celebration-packed calendar to prove it. Embrace that festive feeling and see out the decade with a line up of events all set to make December the best month of 2019. It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

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Burning the Clocks, Brighton & Hove

21st December

Celebrate the shortest day of the year with a spectacle of lanterns at Brighton and Hove’s Burning the Clocks parade. Truly a community event, the winter solstice festivities will see hundreds of local people creating their own paper and willow lanterns, ready to be displayed during the captivating procession. Follow the parade through the town towards the beachfront, where the longest night will be marked with a dazzling bonfire and fireworks display.

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Glow, Harlow Carr

21st November - 28th December

With the increasingly early evenings comes the opportunity to experience a picturesque RHS garden in a whole new light, with Harlow Carr’s annual Glow exhibition. The glorious landscaped grounds will be transformed with numerous ethereal displays, including striking statues, twinkling colonnades and a luminous Queen Mother’s Lake. Wrap up in your warmest coat, pull on your walking boots and get ready to bask in the “glow” of these magical illuminations.

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Durham City’s Christmas Festival

29th November – 1st December

Hoping to tick a few presents off the list before the 25th? Set against the picturesque backdrop of Durham Cathedral, Durham City Christmas Festival is the perfect opportunity to pick up a gift or two. With enthralling street entertainment and over 180 craft and food stalls showing off the very best local fare, there’s something for everyone at this festive feast. Browse the selection – glass of mulled wine in hand – then exercise those vocal cords with an evening carol service at the Cathedral.

WHAT TO WEAR

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Cocktail Recipe

Take getting into the festive spirit literally and swap your champagne for a Christmas-ready cocktail: The Pastis Goes Pop. Extracted from Olly Smith’s new recipe book, Fizz, this quaffable concoction combines pastis, sparkling wine and crème de cassis for balanced flavours of anise and blackcurrant. Pair with your favourite nibbles and raise a glass to the end of the year.

Ingredients

-30ml pastis
-10ml lemon juice
-Crémant sparkling wine
-20ml crème de cassis
-Lemon peel as garnish

Method

Pour the pastis and lemon juice into the glass. Top with the crémant until it’s around two fingers’ width from the top. Pour the crème de cassis in, et voilà!

Garnish with a twirl of lemon peel and you have a two-toned drink that’s as hazy as holidays.