It is finally my favourite time of the year: Christmas Time.
Since starting my Master´s degree in London, I had been looking forward to the Christmas season here. Before coming to London, I had spent quite some time on Instagram for research purpose on which places to explore in London. I can totally recommend doing some research on Instagram before going to new places, particularly, when you are interested in photography. Instagram cannot only help you discover cute and less famous places, but for me it also serves as a photo inspiration because, especially when you have just started with photography, you can simply try to recreate photos. So, during my research I came across so many incredible photos and videos about London during the Christmas Season. Therefore, I was super excited to experience it first-hand. And I can tell you, I was not disappointed!
The whole city is decorated with different Christmas light installations. It is truly a magical experience. In particular, on Carnaby Street and in Covent Garden you can feel the Christmas Spirit in the air. However, considering the energy crises Europe is facing at the moment, it sometimes is a little bit hard to enjoy the Christmas lights to the fullest.
I am obsessed with Christmas markets and so far, no Christmas market could compete with the ones in Germany. But the ones in London are serious competition. Maybe this is mostly due to the fact that they adapted many of the German Christmas market traditions. The most exciting Christmas Market in London, if you are not afraid of crowds, is the Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park. It is more a combination of Christmas Market and fun fair. There are so many different rollercoasters, so it is ideal for adrenalin junkies. But even when you are not a huge fan of rollercoasters, the variety of food and beverages, life music and entertainment offer something for everyone. The only issue are the prices. Be prepared to spend a lot of money!
Over the Christmas break, I am going home to see my boyfriend, parents, and friends. Also, since more than half of the students at UCL are international students, most of them go home over Christmas. A couple of my flatmates are going to stay in London because they come from the States or India which is too far away to go home for only two weeks. But they will visit me in Berlin over New Year´s Eve and I am so excited to show them around my home city. However, before the Christmas break, I must write two exams and one literature review that is due after the break. So, there is still some work for me to do.
December 2022 | Lioba Berndt
