Study, work or travel in the UK. British
culture and life.
Things to do in the UK in January 2008
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Study, work or travel in the UK. British
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Things to do in the UK in January 2008
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JANUARY
2008
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 January sales, Oxford Street, London |
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 (see Personal/Health for ideas about ways to keep warm) 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 (see: Ideas/Gifts/JanuarySales), 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 (for details, see the boxes below). |
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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 31 May 2008): Free - The Colonel's Review (Sat 7 June 2008): about £10 - The Queen's Birthday Parade: Trooping the Colour (Sat 14 June 2008): about £20 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/output/Page4934.asp * 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 next Garter service will take place in June 2008
(likely to be on Monday 16 June 2008 - to be confirmed). 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. Apply by sending a letter (including a stamped self-addressed envelope)
between 1 January and 1 March to: The Superintendent, Windsor Castle, Windsor,
Berkshire SL4 1NJ. A ballot is held and successful applicants are notified. For further information, see: http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page4944.asp * Pictures of Windsor: Travel/Tours/England/Windsor |
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Applying for tickets to Royal Ascot (in June):
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| Bookings for Royal Ascot usually start in early January.
The official opening will be on Tuesday 17 June 2008, and Ladies Day will
be on Thursday 19 June 2008. 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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Tue 1 Jan -
Wed 2 Jan |
Hogmanay
New year celebrations in Scotland (both days are a public holiday 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 |
| Tue 1 Jan | 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 Parliament Square (near Westminster underground station, next to the Houses of Parliament) at 12 noon. It travels along Parliament Street, Whitehall, Cockspur Street, Lower Regent Street and half way along Piccadilly, finishing close to Green Park underground station. 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 |
| Tue 1 Jan | New Year's Day holiday A public holiday in the UK. Public transport is often similar to a Sunday service: check with transport providers for details. For details of the Transport for London services on New Year's Day, see: http://www.tfl.gov.uk. |
 Big Ben: the start of the year |
 Hogmanay celebrations in Edinburgh |
 Fireworks at the London Eye |
| Thu 3 Jan - Fri 8 Feb |
Get Into London Theatre 2008, London Some specially priced tickets are available for a range of plays, musicals and dance performances in London. This promotion is organised by the Society of London Theatre. For details, see: Life/Entertainment/Theatre/Tickets |
| Sun 6 Jan | Twelfth Night (Epiphany), all of the UK Christmas decorations are taken down on 6th January (Twelfth Night), which is 12 days after Christmas Day. |
| Sun 6 Jan | 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 at 2:45pm (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 6 Jan | 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. |
 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 |
| Fri 11 Jan - Sun 20 Jan |
London International Boat Show, London Boat show at ExCeL in Docklands (nearest station: Custom House on the DLR; map). See: http://www.londonboatshow.net. |
| Sat 12 Jan - Sun 27 Jan |
International Mime Festival, London A season of mime events at various venues in London. See: http://www.mimefest.co.uk |
| Sun 13 Jan | Russian Winter Festival, London Free event in Trafalgar Square (organised by the Russian British Cultural Association) celebrating Russian history and culture. There will be music, dancing, stalls selling Russian food and drink and crafts. For full details, see: http://www.eventica.co.uk/events/rwf/2008 * Pictures from this event: Ideas/Album/RussianWinterFestival |
| Sat 19 Jan | HotCourses International Student Fair, London An event in London for international students who are interested in taking a course at a UK college or university. It takes place from 11am-4pm at the New Connaught Rooms in Great Queen Street (nearest Tube stations: Holborn, Covent Garden or Aldwych; map). For more information about the event and how to register, see: http://www.hotcourses.com/fair * Finding courses at a British college or university: Course/University |
| Wed 23 Jan | Postgraduate Study and Training Fair (ULCS), London Fair providing information for people who want to do postgraduate study. The event is held at the Business Design Centre in London (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 23 Jan | 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 Business Design Centre in London (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 |
| Fri 25 Jan | 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, see: http://www.rabbie-burns.com/burnssupper. To look for London pubs/bars with Burns Night Day themes, see: http://www.citypublife.co.uk * Scottish dancing: Life/Entertainment/Dance |
 Scottish music ... |
 ... dancing ... |
 ... and food |
| Sat 26 Jan | Australia Day, all of the UK 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 To look for London pubs/bars with Australia Day themes, see: http://www.citypublife.co.uk/Site/themenights.php * Useful links for Australians coming to the UK: Links/Australia |
 Australia Day celebrations: out on the streets ... |
 ... and in the Walkabout bars |
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