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Winter in Newcastle 2025-2026

Activities are on throughout December and into January on campus and in the city.

Spending your holidays in Newcastle?

If you’re spending December or the Winter Break in and around Newcastle, there are many events offered across the University and city for you to take part in. Have a look below at all the activities and events – some do require you to sign up in advance!

While many services across the University will be closed from 5pm on 24 December to reopen on 5 January, support is still available to you – make sure to have a look at the ‘Wellbeing and the Winter Break’ section for more information about what you can access during this time.

Explore Gurleen's Top December Events guide for even more activities both on and off campus.

If you’re looking for ways to relax during the quieter days, Callum and Bill share their recommendations in Winter Escape: Films, books and games to enjoy.

And if you’re planning to exchange gifts with friends, Bill has put together a list of Student-friendly gifts under £10 to help you keep things affordable.

You can also read our Belong Blog post about 'Christmas in Newcastle 2025'.

Are you an international student staying in Newcastle or in the UK over the holidays? This blog post from UKCISA has some great tips from international students about spending the holiday season in the UK.

Activities

Special Catering Offers from Eat@Newcastle

Get into the holiday spirit with Eat@NCL with their festive food and drink offers and menus:

  • Sweet Mince Pie Offer: Purchase a sweet mince pie for only £1 with any other purchase while supplies last.
  • Christmas Barista Drinks Menu: includes 'Merry Mint Hot Chocolate' and 'Toasted Hazelnut Mocha'.
  • Christmas Lunch Offer: from 8-10 December, enjoy a festive lunch menu at the Courtyard.

Crafts and Festive Fun at the Libraries

Festive Book Swap

Looking for something new to read over the winter break, but can’t choose a title? Lots of books on your shelves and need to make some space? Good news! We’re running our festive ‘blind’ book swap at the Philip Robinson Library from Monday 1 of December and throughout the festive period.  

Get crafty at our university libraries!

 

Festive Events at the International Study Centre

The International Study Centre is offering events open to Newcastle students, a great way to make new connections!

  • 1 December: Christmas Lights Switch On, 11:00 – 12:00, Ground Floor Area - International Study Centre (INTO)
  • 3 December: Christmas Crafts, 11:00 -12:00, Ground Floor Area - International Study Centre (INTO)
  • 5 December: Christmas Movie, 11:00 – 13:00, Lecture Theatre 1 - International Study Centre (INTO) 
  • 18 December: Board Games, 11:00 – 13:00, Ground Floor Area - International Study Centre (INTO)
Christmas Events with Unite Students

If you're living in Unite Students accommodation - there's a full schedule of events on for you to take part in! See below for the buildings where each activity takes place.

Date Time Title Event Description
Mon 1st Dec 7pm Sprinkle Some Joy (Newgate) Cookie Decorating Join us for a sweet and festive evening of cookie decorating! Warm up with the cozy vibes as you create your own delicious masterpieces. We’ll provide the cookies, colorful icing, and plenty of sprinkles—just bring your creativity!
Tues 2nd Dec 7pm Together We Sparkle (Newgate/Magnet)  Bauble making Help us make the common room tree shine!
Join us for a festive evening of creativity and connection crafting baubles and decorations to hang on our Christmas tree. We’ll provide all the materials so you can design something unique and add your personal touch to the tree.
Tues 2nd Dec 10am-6pm Craft Day (Plaza) Craft Day A selection of crafts to enjoy - bauble making, decorating making and more.
Wed 3rd Dec All Day Christmas Quiz Drop (Newgate/Magnet) Competition Collect a quiz sheet from Reception, complete
and return
Wed 3rd Dec 10am-6pm Craft Day (Plaza) Craft Day A selection of crafts to enjoy - bauble making, decorating making and more.
Thurs 4th Dec 7pm Merry Mugs Workshop (Newgate/Magnet) Mug painting  Craft a personalised festive mug for yourself or
to gift to someone special to drink your very own christmas drink from.
All materials supplied
Thurs 4th Dec 10am-8pm Christmas Cards (Plaza) Christmas Cards Write out a Christmas card for your flat mate or friend in the building and we'll post it for you.
Fri 5th Dec 7pm Circle of Cheer (Newgate/Magnet) Wreath making Join us for a festive and creative evening where
you’ll design your very own beautiful bauble
wreath! This hands-on workshop is perfect for
getting into the holiday spirit, learning a new
craft, and creating a stunning decoration to
take home.
Fri 5th Dec 8pm Christmas Movie Night Christmas Movie Night Cast your vote and join us in the common room for snack and drinks for movie night
Mon 8th Dec 6:30pm Santa's Bingo Bash (Newgate, Invite
Magnet)		 Xmas Bingo  Get ready to shout “Bingo!” in true festive style
at our Christmas Bingo Night! Join us for an
evening packed with holiday cheer, exciting
prizes, and plenty of fun. Whether you’re a
seasoned bingo pro or a first-timer, this event is
all about laughter, good company, and a sprinkle
of Christmas magic.
Tues 9th Dec 7pm Cards & Cocoa (Newgate/Magnet) Xmas card decorating Unleash your festive creativity at our Christmas
Card Decorating Workshop! This is the perfect
opportunity to add a personal touch to your
holiday greetings and spread joy in style. 
Wed 10th Dec 2-5pm Winter Wonderland Fair (Newgate, Invite Magnet) Christmas Fair - Hot chocolate stand, xmas food/treats, mulled wine, little room decor, xmas cards, xmas keyrings, photobooth, charity stand (going home for xmas and got left over food?),  pin the nose on rudolph, reindeer ring toss, staff dressed up.
Festive Feast Competition: Best christmas dinner food competition entries
Best flat christmas decor competition		 Step into a winter wonderland at our Christmas Fair, packed with festive cheer and plenty of stalls to explore!
With festive games, competitions, little gifts, delicious food, warm drinks, and maybe even a visit from Santa, this is the ultimate way to get into the Christmas spirit.

"Think your flat has what it takes to be the
most magical space this holiday season?
Enter our Best Decorated Flat Competition
and spread some Christmas cheer! "
Thurs 11th Dec        
Fri 12th Dec 7pm Christmas Classics (Newgate) Xmas Movie Night Get cozy and join us for a festive film! We'll have some christmas snacks and warm drinks to fit the vibe. Christmas film of choice will be posted on the events board. 
Mon 15th Dec 8am Santa’s Breakfast Table (Newgate/Magnet
/Plaza)		 Breakfast Morning Start your day with a sprinkle of Christmas cheer and a delicious breakfast to get you into the holiday spirit.
Tues 16th Dec 6pm Gingerbread Dreams (Newgate) Gingerbread house making Bring your buildings skills for a wholesome evening of creating your own gingerbread house and the best part: decorating!
Tues 16th Dec 7pm Christmas Classics (Newgate) Xmas Movie Night Get cozy and join us for a festive film! We'll have some christmas snacks and warm drinks to fit the vibe. Christmas film of choice will be posted on the events board. 
Wed 17th Dec 2pm Christmas Fun Run (Newgate/Plaza/
Magnet)		 3-5km run Put on your running shoes (and maybe a Santa hat!) and join us for a festive dash to celebrate the season. Whether you run, jog, or walk, this event is all about spreading holiday cheer and enjoying some fresh air together.
Thurs 18th Dec 7pm Christmas Classics (Newgate) Xmas Movie Night Get cozy and join us for a festive film! We'll have some christmas snacks and warm drinks to fit the vibe. Christmas film of choice will be posted on the events board. 
Fri 19th Dec 8am Santa’s Breakfast Table (Newgate/Magnet
/Plaza)		 Breakfast Morning Start your day with a sprinkle of Christmas cheer and a delicious breakfast to get you into the holiday spirit.
Tues 23rd Dec 6pm Merry Masterpieces (Newgate/Magnet) Christmas Painting Celebrate the season with a creative twist! Join
us for an evening of festive fun as you paint your own Christmas-themed masterpiece. Whether you’re a seasoned artist or a complete beginner, this is the perfect way to relax, get creative, and enjoy the holiday spirit.
Winter Wellbeing Walk

Winter Wellbeing Walk is a great way to take a little time out during the winter vacation, enjoy some fresh air as we walk through one of our fantastic city centre parks and share in good conversation with others along the way. The free session is open to students and staff at Newcastle University and will last about 1 hour.

30 December at 13:00, The Arches

Give it a Go Events

Join in with our exciting activities – either free or at a discounted rate! 

The Students' Union building will be closed from the afternoon of 19 December 2025 and reopen on 5 January 2026.

Volunteering Opportunities

Are you looking for opportunities to help others over the winter break? NUSU has compiled a list of volunteering opportunities you can take part in here: https://nusu.co.uk/volunteering

Virtual experiences with Forage
Winter Break is the perfect time to boost your skills!

Check out Forage, a free online platform that offers Virtual Experience Programmes with a wide range of companies and sectors to complete in your own time, at your own pace. They provide valuable insights into what it would be like to work for those companies and a great way to gain experience and understanding of various sectors whilst boosting your CV.

Find more online resources from the Careers Service.

 

Events and Activities in and around Newcastle

There are many activities on in and around Newcastle during the festive period which you can take part in!

Events in the Ouseburn

There's plenty going on in the Ouseburn if you're feeling festive!

You can see more here: Christmas in Ouseburn Valley – Ouseburn Trust

Special Events at the Tyneside Cinema

The Tyneside Cinema has a full schedule of holiday films, from classic to modern.

Concerts by Candelight at Newcastle Cathedral

The Glasshouse also has many festive musical events, you can see the full schedule here: https://theglasshouseicm.org/whats-on/christmas-at-the-glasshouse-2025/ 

Day Trips from Newcastle

There are many interesting places close by that could make a good day trip from Newcastle during the holiday period! If you decide to travel make sure you know how to check train and bus services.

  • York – With regular trains from Newcastle, York is well-known in the North for its annual Christmas Markets. The walkable city centre is also filled with history.
  • Beamish – An open-air 'living history' museum which shows visitors how people lived in the North East over the past century. Beamish also has special events on throughout December Christmas 2025 - Beamish.
  • Edinburgh – With regular trains from Newcastle, Edinburgh has things to see throughout the year, but also has many festive events and markets.
  • Hexham – A Northumberland town with an ancient abbey, which is hosting a Christmas Fair on 13 December: https://hexhamabbey.org.uk/event/hexham-abbey-christmas-fair-2025/  
  • Corbridge - A Northumberland village with classic stone buildings, cosy pubs and cafes and a Roman town.

Support and General Information

Wellbeing and the Winter Break

During the Winter Break period, our usual wellbeing services will be taking a rest, along with most of the university, and therefore there will be a reduced provision on campus. However, we do have a catalogue of resources that are available for students to help them nurture their own wellbeing, and signpost to appropriate support.

You can find out more here: Winter and Your Wellbeing.

The accessible version of this content is available here: Winter and Your Wellbeing - Accessible

Spectrum Life - Wellbeing app

Take some time to explore our new Wellbeing App - Spectrum Life. With plenty of support options to choose from, why not register now to access hours of wellbeing content and improve your mental health, fitness, and nutrition.

You can also access your Student Support Service, redeem lots of wellbeing discounts, and much more! All you need to do is:

  1. Go to: newcastleuniversitystudents.spectrum.life/login
  2. Click: New here? Sign up!
  3. You will need to use your college/university’s unique code: NUNI
  4. Create a password and click: Sign Up
  5. Make sure to download the Spectrum.Life app
Spectrum Life - Mental Health support

As stated above, Spectrum offers Mental Health support which is 24/7 -  they understand that mental health distress is not a 9-5 Monday to Friday issue.

Their team of mental health professionals can provide you with immediate help and support in managing whatever issues you are facing, as well as referral into further support where appropriate.

They offer access to their mental health team via telephone, live chat, SMS & WhatsApp channels.

Their team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Call them on:
UK: +448000318227
International: 0035315180277
Whatsapp/SMS: 07418 360 780

Campus Facilities Opening Hours

Eat@Newcastle

Eat@Newcastle outlets across campus will be closed during the University's closure period.

The following Eat@ locations will be open the week of the 22 December and close in the afternoon of 24 December:

  • The Grand
  • Courtyard
  • Catalyst Café
  • Robinson Library
  • Sports Centre
  • Bites

Sports Centre

The Sports Centre will be closed from 16:00 on Wednesday 24 December 2025 and will reopen on Monday 5 January 2026.

Language Resource Centre

The Language Resource Centre will be closed from 16:45 on the 19 December, reopening at 9:00 on the 5 January.

You can still access the LRC's remote learning resources during this time. Find out more here: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/language-resource-centre/digital-resources 

Libraries

The opening hours of the libraries will vary over the holidays - you can check what buildings are open and how to access online resources here: Library Services over the Winter Break

IT Service (NUIT)

For information about IT support services over the Winter Break, please visit the NUIT website.