Get an art fix
Forget endless chocolate and binge-watching TV – instead, get out and soak up a bit of culture on Christmas Day. Wrap up and head to Southport’s Crosby Beach to check out Antony Gormley’s Another Place sculptures. They’re made of 100 life-size cast-iron figures looking out to sea. For more incredible outdoor artworks, check out Visit England’s guide.
Cruise the canals
How about booking you and your family a trip to bob along Britain’s beautiful waterways for the festive period? You can find a range of available narrowboats across the country at Waterways Holidays.
Share hosting duties
Mix up the traditional Christmas dinner experience and take the stress out of cooking with a pot-luck dining theme – where every guest brings a dish. Don’t forget the star of the show, a cheeseboard with a Boursin cheese – it’s a guaranteed winner.
Take a festive dip
Join the revellers who strip off, brave the icy waters and blow away the Christmas Day cobwebs with a swim. Take part in the UK’s largest sea swim in Porthcawl, South Wales (free to attend). Or head down to Cornwall’s Crooklets Beach, where Bude Surf Life Saving Club’s Christmas Day swim doubles up as a fundraiser. Post-swim hot chocolate, sausage rolls and mulled wine are provided to all participants (donations required). Alternatively, the Outdoor Swimming Society has an interactive wild swim map, to help you find wild swimming spots near you.
Get on your bike
If you’re in London, burn off that turkey and do something different by taking part in the free annual 16-mile Christmas Day cycle ride – starting at the Cutty Sark at 10am or in Southwark at 11am – weaving through the capital’s silent streets. All fitness abilities are welcome and Santa suits are optional …
Have a singalong
Come Christmas Day, Eastbourne bandstand has festive atmosphere in spades. Since 1935, a brass band has been performing everything from Christmas carols to festive party hits. It’s free to listen and there’s mince pies and mulled wine on offer. For a definitive guide to what’s going on in your local area this Christmas, just tap your postcode into The List.
Go skiing
Are you dreaming of a white Christmas? Then hit the slopes on Boxing Day at the Snow Centre in Hemel Hempstead. You can ski 160 meters of snow or race your family on a sledge. Lift passes (from £45.90 per person) include skis (or a snowboard), boots and poles.
Belt out the hits
Christmas carol-oke is a karaoke event, created by Bar Hütte, that takes place in Liverpool, Manchester and London. Round up your friends, rent one of their alpine-style festive huts (from £49.50 for 6-10 people, throughout December, excluding Christmas Day) and belt out Christmas classics to your heart’s content.
Grab your skates
Get your skates on at Guildford Spectrum ice rink in Surrey – one of the few ice rinks in the UK to open its doors on Christmas Day. Grab your woolly hat, get in the community spirit and whizz around their Olympic-sized rink. £6.30 (plus £2.20 skate hire).
Escape the crowds
Fancy seeing two of Britain’s most picturesque cities when they’re eerily quiet? For £125 per person, Golden Tours will take you to Windsor and Bath on Christmas Day. There’s a guided walking tour, a traditional Christmas lunch (with all the trimmings) and a peek at Stonehenge along the way.
Stroll through history
Step back in time to 1660 on the annual London Walks Christmas Day stroll. This was the year Oliver Cromwell’s strict Christmas laws were relaxed and the festive season re-established. Meet for this two-hour walk by the huge Christmas tree on Trafalgar Square at 11am and follow in the footsteps of famous diarist Samuel Pepys’.
£10, £8 concessions, kids go free.
Find stillness
Escape the Christmas hubbub and chill out on a Christmas Day retreat at the London Buddhist Centre. From 10am-5pm in Bethnal Green, you’ll get to delve into a day of peaceful reflection and meditation (suggested donation: £30). For the feeling of zen in your own home, try a free online yoga tutorial such as Yoga with Adriene.
Bring a Boursin
Combining a creamy crumbly texture and mouth-watering garlic and herbs, Boursin is a welcome addition to any festive buffet – and a versatile soft cheese for your party season cooking, too. Discover a host of inspiring recipes at boursin.co.uk/MerryBoursin
