Study, work or travel in the UK. British
culture and life.
Things to do in the UK in January 2012
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Study, work or travel in the UK. British
culture and life.
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Things to do in the UK in January 2012
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JANUARY
2012
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 January sales |
Introduction January is the start of the second term (Easter term) at schools and universities. It is usually one of the coldest months of the year and the days are short. This is a time when people make New Year's resolutions. You can also buy some things cheaply in the January sales, as shops try to sell the goods which remain after Christmas. If you are in Scotland, be sure to enjoy the Hogmanay celebrations at the start of January, and then Burns Night later in the month. You should apply now if you would like a chance of getting a seat to watch the Queen's Birthday Parade or the Garter Day parade in June, or if you want to buy tickets to go to Royal Ascot. |
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Sun 1 Jan -
Mon 2 Jan 2012 |
Hogmanay
New year celebrations in Scotland. The celebrations in Edinburgh are especially famous; for full details, see: http://www.edinburghshogmanay.org. * Photos of Hogmanay in Edinburgh: Ideas/Album/Hogmanay * For details of tours from London to Edinburgh for Hogmanay see: Travel/Tours/Dates/December |
| Sun 1 Jan - Fri 10 Feb 2012 |
Get Into London Theatre, London A limited number of top price tickets for London shows between the start of January and mid-February are on sale for reduced prices of £35, £25, £15 or £10. * For details of how to book see: Life/Entertainment/Theatre/Tickets |
| Sun 1 Jan 2012 | New Year's Day Parade There is a free street parade in London. There are more than 10,000 performers (including marching bands, cheerleaders, historic vehicles, clowns, jugglers and acrobats), and giant balloons. The parade starts at Piccadilly (at the junction with Berkeley Street, close to Green Park underground station) at about noon, then travels along Lower Regent Street, Waterloo Place, Pall Mall, Cockspur Street, Trafalgar Square, Whitehall and Parliament Street. It ends at Parliament Square (near Westminster underground station, next to the Houses of Parliament) at about 3pm. Collectors along the route will be raising money for charity. For more details, including a map of the route of the parade, see: http://www.londonparade.co.uk. * Photos from this event: Ideas/Album/NewYearsDayParade |
| Mon 2 Jan 2012 | New Year's Day holiday, UK A public holiday in the UK. Check with transport providers for details of their services. |
| Tue 3 Jan 2012 | Public holiday, Scotland A public holiday in Scotland, but not in other parts of the UK. |
| Fri 6 Jan - Sun 15 Jan 2012 |
London International Boat Show, London Boat show at ExCeL in Docklands (nearest station: Custom House on the DLR; map). See: http://www.londonboatshow.com |
| Fri 6 Jan - Sun 8 Jan 2012 |
Tours from London If you want to join a tour this weekend (starting in London), these are some options: Fri-Sun: Edinburgh, Loch Ness and Highlands by train Sat: Cambridge ; Oxford ; Bath, Stonehenge and Secret Places Sun: Oxford, Stratford On Avon, Cotswolds * For more tour options, see: Travel/Tours/Dates |
| Fri 6 Jan 2012 | Twelfth Night (Epiphany), all of the UK Christmas decorations are taken down on 6th January (after Twelfth Night, which is 12 days after Christmas Day). |
| Fri 6 Jan 2012 | Farewell to Christmas, London There is a service to mark Twelfth Night at the Geffrye Museum. This is located on Kingsland Road in London (nearest Tube: Liverpool Street, then take bus 149 or 242 north from Bishopsgate; map). There is music and carol singing, holly and ivy decorations are burnt, and mulled wine and cake are provided (it is traditional to hide a bean and a pea in two bits of the cake: the people who get these are made King and Queen for the day). The event is held outside in the garden, so you should dress warmly. The event starts at 4pm and lasts for one hour. See: http://www.geffrye-museum.org.uk/whatson/christmas-past-2011. |
 King Bean and Queen Pea at the Lion's Part's Twelfth Night event |
 Christmas decorations burnt, Geffrye Museum |
 Carol service at the Geffrye Museum on Twelfth Night |
| Sun 8 Jan 2012 | The Lion's Part: Twelfth Night, London The Lion's Part put on a free celebration of seasonal English traditions. See the Holly Man, find out what mumming and wassailing are, and have a chance of becoming King Bean or Queen Pea! The event starts outside the Globe Theatre (nearest Tube stations: Southwark or London Bridge; map). To check details, see: http://www.thelionspart.co.uk/twelfthnight. * Photos of this event: Ideas/Album/TwelfthNight. |
| Sun 8 Jan 2012 | Jersey Boys, London See the musical Jersey Boys in London's West End (based on the songs of the Four Seasons). Dress Circle tickets (row F) are available for £40 (normally £67.50). The show starts at 3:00pm. If interested please contact mark@ukstudentlife.com |
| Wed 11 Jan - Sun 29 Jan 2012 |
International Mime Festival, London A season of mime events at various venues in London. See: http://www.mimefest.co.uk |
| Thu 12 Jan - Sun 15 Jan 2012 |
The Outdoors Show/The London Bike Show, London Shows at ExCeL in Docklands for people who are interested in outdoor activities or cycling (nearest station: Custom House on the DLR; map). For details, see: http://www.theoutdoorsshow.co.uk and http://www.thelondonbikeshow.co.uk |
| Fri 13 Jan - Sun 15 Jan 2012 |
Tours from London If you want to join a tour this weekend (starting in London), these are some options: Fri-Sun: Amsterdam & Brugge Budget ; Edinburgh, Loch Ness and Highlands by train ; Paris by Coach Sat-Sun: Oxford, Cotswolds, Bath, Lacock & Stonehenge Sat: York ; Bath and Stonehenge ; Bath, Stonehenge and Secret Places Sun: Cotswolds ; Brighton, Seven Sisters & Lewes Castle * For more tour options, see: Travel/Tours/Dates |
| Fri 13 Jan - Sat 14 Jan 2012 |
London Ice Sculpting Festival, London Free ice sculpture event next to the ice rink in Canada Square Park (nearest Tube or DLR station: Canary Wharf) See: http://www.londonicesculptingfestival.co.uk |
| Sat 14 Jan - Sun 15 Jan 2012 |
Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival, Whittlesea Traditional folk festival in Whittlesea (near Peterborough), featuring Molly and morris dancing and a straw bear. See: http://www.strawbear.org.uk |
| Fri 20 Jan - Sun 22 Jan 2012 |
Tours from London If you want to join a tour this weekend (starting in London), these are some options: Fri-Sun: Edinburgh weekend break ; Amsterdam & Bruges coach tour ; Edinburgh, Loch Ness and Highlands by train ; Paris by Coach Sat-Sun: Overnight Hilton Hotel Oxford, Stonehenge & Bath ; Oxford, Cotswolds, Bath, Lacock & Stonehenge Sat: A Day in Wales ; Brighton ; Bath, Stonehenge and Secret Places Sun: Brighton ; Cambridge, Ely & the Fens * For more tour options, see: Travel/Tours/Dates |
| Mon 23 Jan 2012 | Chinese New Year Today is the start of the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese calendar. * Photos: Ideas/Album/ChineseNewYear |
| Mon 23 Jan 2012 | Mamma Mia, London See the musical Mamma Mia in London's West End (based on the songs of Abba). Stalls tickets (centre of row D) are available for £40 (normally £64). The show starts at 7:30pm. If interested please contact mark@ukstudentlife.com |
| Wed 25 Jan 2012 | Burns Night, Scotland Burns Suppers are traditional celebrations of the birth of the most famous Scottish poet (Robert Burns) on 25th January 1759. They take place throughout Scotland. Poetry readings (including "To a Haggis"), a meal of chicken and leek soup ("cock-a-leekie" soup) followed by haggis, turnips ("neeps") and potatoes ("tatties") and sherry trifle ("tyspy laird"), finishing with the joining of hands and singing of "Auld Lang Syne". There may also be a Scottish ceilidh (traditional evening of music and dance). For details of events, see: http://www.scotland.org/culture/festivals/burns-night * Scottish dancing: Life/Entertainment/Dance |
 Scottish music ... |
 ... dancing ... |
 ... and food |
| Wed 25 Jan 2012 | Postgraduate Study and Training Fair (ULCS), London Fair providing information for people who want to do postgraduate study. The event is held at the Senate House, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HU (near Angel underground station; map). For details about the fair, see http://www.careers.lon.ac.uk/postgrad. * Finding a postgraduate course in the UK: Course/Postgrad |
| Wed 25 Jan 2012 | MBA Fair (ULCS/Association of MBAs), London Fair providing information for people who want to take an MBA course at a business school. The event is held at the Senate House, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HU (near Angel underground station; map). For details about the fair, see: http://www.careers.lon.ac.uk/mba. * Finding an MBA course in the UK: Course/MBA |
| Thu 26 Jan 2012 | Australia Day Australians celebrate their national day on the anniversary of Foundation Day (26 January 1788). Popular locations for celebrations in the UK are the Walkabout bars: http://www.walkabout.eu.com * Useful links for Australians coming to the UK: Links/Australia |
 Australia Day celebrations: out on the streets ... |
 ... and in the Walkabout bars |
| Fri 27 Jan - Sun 29 Jan 2012 |
Tours from London If you want to join a tour this weekend (starting in London), these are some options: Fri-Sun: Paris Eurostar ; Edinburgh, Loch Ness and Highlands by train ; Paris by Coach Sat-Sun: Overnight Hilton - Northern England Peaks and York ; Oxford, Cotswolds, Bath, Lacock & Stonehenge Sat: Wales daytrip ; Bath, Stonehenge and Secret Places Sun: Isle of Wight ; Oxford, Stratford On Avon, Cotswolds * For more tour options, see: Travel/Tours/Dates |
| Sun 29 Jan 2012 | Chinese New Year: Chinatown event, London Celebration of the Chinese New Year in the Chinatown area of London (around Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Chinatown and Shaftesbury Avenue), from 12-6pm. 2012 is the "year of the dragon". Note that the narrow streets of Soho can get very crowded: be careful to look after your belongings. For more information, see: http://www.chinatownlondon.org * Photos: Ideas/Album/ChineseNewYear |
 Chinese New Year |
 Chinese dragon dancing |
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Applying for tickets to Trooping the Colour and rehearsals
(in June):
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| Dates and approximate costs for seats at Trooping the
Colour and rehearsals are: - The Major General's Review (Sat 2 June 2012): Free - The Colonel's Review (Sat 9 June 2012): about £10 - The Queen's Birthday Parade: Trooping the Colour (Sat 16 June 2012): about £25 You can apply for tickets between 1 January and the end of February by sending a letter (including a stamped self-addressed envelope) to: Brigade Major, HQ Household Division, Horse Guards, Whitehall, London SWlA 2AX A ballot is held in mid-March and successful applicants are notified and asked for payment (cheques must be paid from a British bank). For further information, see: http://www.royal.gov.uk/RoyalEventsandCeremonies/TroopingtheColour/TroopingtheColour.aspx * Pictures of Trooping the Colour: Ideas/Album/TroopingTheColour |
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Applying for tickets to Garter Day event in Windsor
Castle (in June):
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| The Garter service takes place in mid-June (this year's
service will probably be on Mon 18 June 2012). A limited number of tickets
is available for members of the public to stand inside the precincts of
Windsor Castle and watch the procession to St. George's Chapel (you can
apply for up to 4 tickets). A ballot is held and successful applicants are
notified. For further information and details about how to apply for tickets,
see: http://www.royal.gov.uk/RoyalEventsandCeremonies/Garter%20and%20Thistle%20Services/GarterDay.aspx * Pictures of Garter Day: Ideas/Album/GarterDay |
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Applying for tickets to Royal Ascot (in June):
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| The official opening will be on Tuesday 19 June 2012,
and Ladies Day will be on Thursday 21 June 2012. The final day will be on
Sat 23 June 2012. To buy tickets, see: http://www.royalascot.co.uk. * Pictures of Royal Ascot: Ideas/Album/RoyalAscot |
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Preparing for Valentine's Day (in February):
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| This month is a good time to prepare for Valentine's Day (14 February). For some ideas of possible presents of treats, see: Ideas/Gifts/Valentine |
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