The Winter Event that will remind you of the summer
Idiot Savant Presents The Christmas Carnival w/ Channel One, Laid Blak, Artful Dodger @ Bussey Building, Peckham
*Fri Dec 19 *
Xmas going out is great (apart from never having anywhere to put the six hundred layers of clothes you had on outside), Carnival is v great (apart from never having anywhere to pee) so some genius at South London staple the Bussey Building has combined the two for the Christmas Carnival. Features all the usual 'this time of year' party spirit plus three rooms of music - reggae and dub headlined by Laid Blak and the Channel One Sound System, carnival music and funky headlined by Crazy Cousins, a third from the 'magical' FWDSLXSH AND a festive Jerk Chicken stand outside.
The Rollerdisco that will be visited by Santa Stevie Wonderland Christmas
Rollerboogie @ Shapes, East London
Sat, Sun Dec 20-21
2014 has seen promoters embrace Rollerdiscos and ice skating parties like they're 13 years old again, with Jamz putting grime on four wheels in the summer and festivals from Lovebox to Kendal Calling having followed suit. Either it's that or parties on ice, as Work It x Don't Watch That's recent night out at Somerset House proves. This week it's Stevie Wonderland hosting a bunch of people looking like extra-fools on the dancefloor, with a Christmas Rollerboogie in East London. Alexander Nut and Damiano Von Erckert line up, with free skate hire and the best disco and boogie. They'll also be snow, christmas crackers and space for anyone who can't stand the thought of falling over. Saying that, if roller skating sounds like your idea of hell, probably better to just go to a normal pub.
The thing you should do at any time of year
Volunteer
*All year *
Crisis is a charity working with homeless people in the UK. At this time of year their Crisis at Christmas campaign recruits 9,000 volunteers in London, Edinburgh and Newcastle to provide warm safe spaces for people to visit, as well as running programmes in Birmingham, on Merseyside, Oxford and South Yorkshire all year round. If you could be one of them visit here, pay for a Christmas dinner or donate food and supplies. Shelter are also continuing their year round fundraising (they say 93,000 children are homeless in Britain this Christmas). Ideally, find a cause local to you and volunteer over the next two weeks (and further) because there are always charities needing more hands.
The winter film drive-in that encourages you to wear your sofa scruffs in public
***Manchester Magical Drive In Movie Spectacular @ Old Trafford Football Ground, Manchester ***
*Fri Dec 19 *
***Murray Moments: Scrooged @ Watershed, Bristol ***
Sun Dec 21
You don't get to call something a 'Spectacular' without having to live up to some big promise, but it sounds like this festive drive in (it's just like Grease!) is making a strong effort. Only the best festive films old and new (a Frozen sing alone, Home Alone, Elf, Muppet Christmas Carol, Gremlins, It's A Wonderful Life are all there, as is Die Hard!) on the biggest screen of its type Manchester has ever seen. Organisers encourage dressing festively - which The Debrief reads as 'bring take a duvet, big thermos of Baileys Coffee and a bigger tin of Quality Street'. At Bristol's Watershed there's also some festive films going on. As part of 'Murray Moments', aka lots of Bill Murray films, you can watch 80s classic Scrooged at the same time as picking up breakfast.
The breakfast to banish winter
@ Ali Baba Bar, London* **
Sat, Sun Dec 20, 21
Speaking of breakfast, if you've ever fancied spending Xmas in a warmer climate, say… Brasil then get a taste at VagaBundo's BBQ Brunch situated in Ali Baba Juice's new bar in Peckham. Cassava pancakes, slow cooked eggs, ham hocks, salt cod, banana cinnamon yoghurt, acai bowls w/ banana & granola (so so fancy) all served with coffee or tea and surrounded by xmas party hangovers. A lot, lot cheaper than a flight to Rio.
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Follow Sian on Twitter @SianRowe_
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.