December has been a riot of sparkle and candlelight. Christmas Day promises to be a wild family fest? But what of the time until New Year’s Eve stretching ahead, short, empty and flat. Sound like a familiar description of the period between Christmas and New Year?

Don’t despair – there is fun to be had for adults and children alike as the month draws to its close. Plus, it is a chance to relax, recharge and prepare for the maelstrom of life to come. Hunker down, light some candles, have a bath, read a book and then get creative with your outings.

As Vogue, the bible of stylish living, has it: ‘For those unfamiliar with the term Twixmas, it covers the precious days betwixt and between Christmas and New Year, when the constant cooking has been and gone (behold, the leftovers) and before you have to start thinking about the realities of January.’

Here, we’ve lined up all the diversion you need to top up your tank.

Cabaret


Cabaret

Eddie Redmayne and Jessie Buckley star in this electrifying new production of Kander and Ebb’s decadent musical set in Weimar Germany. The Victorian Playhouse Theatre has been transformed into a 1930s Berlin nightclub especially for the show. Redmayne recently said to Graham Norton: ‘Jessie and I love Cabaret, so we decided to investigate it in a different way. It’s properly immersive for the audience, you really feel like you are in the Kit Kat Club in Berlin.’ Jessie added: ‘It’s been so fun, and the company is amazing, the director is amazing, and Eddie is alright!’ Snap up tickets while you can, because they are the hottest in town. Atmospheric, vital and profoundly moving, this is the one West End show you simply must not miss. Book tickets here.


Take A Hike


TAKE A HIKE

The British love a walk. We always have – and we are famous for it. But it’s all too easy to fall into a rut where leisurely walks with our families are concerned. Why not branch out with a new route this Twixtmas? The elegant and user-friendly National Trust website offers up literally hundreds of walks across the country. Search by theme (scenic route, best for dogs, wildlife trails, etc) or location. Explore more here.


Illuminated Trail At Blenheim Palace





Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire comes up trumps every holiday with well-organised and thoughtful events for the family. This after-dark illuminated Christmas trail is no exception – and it’s on until January 3. Prepare to be awed as over a million lights, lasers and sounds float through the exquisite palace gardens. Book tickets here.


Backyard Cinema


Backyard Cinema

This vibrant young company takes striking London venues – including candlelit churches and cobbled courtyards – and transforms them into immersive cinemas. They leave out no detail in their effort to ‘transport the audience to another world’. Expect chic cocktail bars, street-food vendors and imaginative décor for whichever movie is running. Their Christmas Movie Spectacular even features a live choir. Stylist magazine says: ‘It doesn’t get more magical than Backyard Cinema.’ Book tickets here.


Winter Gardens Exhibition At Thyme


THYME_ WGPressTwo

Set in idyllic Cotswold countryside, this exquisite hotel, restaurant, spa and cookery school hosts perfectly judged events throughout the year. Their Beauty of Winter Gardens photography exhibition, situated in the Tithe Barn, is open until April 4. The show accompanies a new book by garden writer Clare Foster, with photographs Andrew Montgomery. They say: ‘With intricate detail and graphic shapes, the photographs are intensely beautiful within the pages of the book – but possibly even more striking and dramatic when hung as prints on the wall.

‘The book includes 12 gardens, some private, others by well-known garden designers. This exhibition picks out some of the highlights from these fascinating and visually contrasting gardens.’ Book tickets here.


Puppet Theatre Barge


PUPPET THEATREEdith_Piaf_Promo

Book a show at the UK’s only floating puppet theatre. For 40 years, this inventive endeavour has stolen the hearts of young and old. The idea that charming live puppetry performances could possibly take place on a beautifully converted barge in London may sound fanciful – but this place is for real. Book tickets here.


Try Out A Dry Ski Slope


Skis

If you can’t – or don’t want to – get to the real mountains, make your own fun on one of the UK’s brilliant dry ski slopes instead. Sessions include all you need to get started. Newbies beware: a lifetime obsession may start here. Book tickets here.


By Becky Ladenburg
December 2021

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