From the more traditional Christmas markets to a BYOB-fuelled Christmas curry, December in Edinburgh means the festivities are well underway.
The beloved Christmas market is an annual occasion in any Edinburgh resident’s diary. Many gather from far and wide under the picturesque castle, conveniently distracting you from the fact that, despite only just stepping inside the venue, you’re already £30 out of pocket. If you are smart enough not to attempt to visit the market during its opening days, then pat yourself on the back – you are the MVP in your own life and saved yourself from wading through crowds that would look more in place at Murrayfield stadium, not the local churro stands.
Whilst the Christmas market is vast and varied in its food and beverage options, there are definite dos and don’ts. It would be rude not to indulge in a bailey’s hot chocolate or a classy glass of mulled wine, accompanied by a festive orange slice – because getting your vitamin C in is essential at this time of year. For non-vegetarians, it seems fitting to try the most extensive German hot dog you’ve ever seen and submit an audition for the new year’s episode of Man vs. Food. Try and avoid the magnetic pull of the pick-and-mix display. Last year I witnessed first-hand another victim of ‘date night’ at the Christmas markets as Mr Charming generously said to his date, ‘pick whatever you like’. Three bubble-gum bottles and four strawberry pencils later, the man at the till confidently charged the young stud £27. (Hopefully, there’s a second date after the hit his wallet took that time around.)
The frantic state of Princes Street during the run-up to Christmas is another obvious feature of the merry month. Thought you had left the ‘argy bargy’ back with Black Friday? Think again. Christmas wish lists are in, and the shoppers are out. Never has navigating the streets of the city centre been so infuriating, as happy-go-lucky modern-day Father Christmas’s weave in and out of shops, collecting gifts and tripping you up at every corner as their wheely suitcases trail behind them. Taking on Princes Street during the Christmas season is enough to turn anyone in a rush into the Grinch.
And for students, decorating the flat for Christmas usually means two things: an excess of fairy lights and highly flammable tinsel. This décor adds Christmas cheer that is definitely needed as we students crawl out of the dark, depressing pit that was November, but it also poses a serious risk when any sort of naked flame gets involved. Whether it’s a Christmas dinner with flatmates or friends, I guarantee you one thing, just like a TNT detonating cord, that tinsel is bound to go up in smoke. So, have your fire blankets and smoke detectors ready this holiday period.
Continuing the theme of flat festivities, advent calendars become a hot topic as the end of semester one draws to a close. A row or two emerges as the only flatmate with an advent calendar realises their prized possession has suffered a snack-happy flatmate fuelled free for all. Oh, and they can kiss goodbye to that lucky 24th chocolate that would have been ransacked by December 8th at the latest.
What screams Christmas in Edinburgh more than a tikka masala on a random Wednesday evening in a sweaty curry house? Surrounded by teammates coated in so much green face paint you barely recognise them – credits to them, for brussels sprout, you must go all out! If you haven’t been involved in such an occasion, you would no doubt have witnessed the aftermath. Swarms of boys and girls alike dressed as elves and makeshift Xmas trees – courtesy of Amazon’s battery-powered fairy lights- hit the streets of Edinburgh, dragging the scent of onion bhaji into the club, where it lingers until the early hours. You can rest assured that the deathly combination of Indian spices and Dragon Soop makes for a ‘wild night out’ that you remember in the morning.
The lack of household heating, food in the fridge and clean laundry is often an early sign that it may be time to venture home. Once those last essays are submitted and dreaded exams completed, hop onto the trainline app, and secure your forward-facing seat back for Christmas. Travelling home is an ordeal in itself as you take your chances with the fact that your chosen train is more likely to stop dead in its tracks and leave you stranded at York than it is to reach your final destination. The tough task of bringing home luggage for the Christmas break becomes particularly tricky as you try to launch a 20kg suitcase over your head into a space on the luggage rail that would be lucky to fit your BLT sandwich from the meal deal you snapped up at the station. The trains at this time of year are uncomfortably busy, and if we’re all being honest, by mid-December, your social battery is at an all-time low. So, pop in your headphones, blast a bit of Chris Rea and pray someone locked the front door as you journey home, and your neighbours rejoice at seeing the tail end of you – until next year….
Image Credit: The image “Edinburgh Christmas Market” provided by Eden Kersse to The Student was used with permission.