Christmas. That fun time of year when we visit family, swap presents and watch too many Christmas films. Yet for students, deadlines, assignments and stress await before they can begin their holidays. There might be slightly less cash in the bank, but there are many ways in which you can have a fun student Christmas.
Food
As the end of term looms, the temptation grows to eat out more with friends and celebrate the festive season in style. However, if the purse strings are tight why not have a Christmas dinner with your flatmates as a final get-together before you leave for the Christmas holidays. For a small contribution each of you can buy all of the necessary ingredients. Afterwards, Secret Santa gifts, mulled wine and a cheesy Christmas film will all go towards creating the perfect student Christmas.
Volunteering
Christmas is a time to give back and you could get involved by taking up one of the many Christmas voluntary opportunities around. Local charities run homeless shelters and there are various shifts that volunteers can take up. Furthermore, there are activities which you can do with your friends such as Christmas Carolling or Santa Fun Runs – these take place in many cities across the UK. Use these opportunities to raise money to donate to a good cause. For those who are limited on time, donating groceries and toiletries to a food bank or warm clothes to a charity are the small things that will make a huge difference this Christmas.
Budget
The key is to plan early in order to save a few extra pounds: as this is one of the busiest – and most expensive – times for travelling, book your tickets in advance (and with a railcard) if you know when you are going to be travelling. Also, find new ways to do your Christmas shopping – making sure to plan early, make a list and stick to your budget. If you do go over budget, you could opt to creating some of the presents yourself, or undertake some temp work to earn some extra money.
Remember it only comes around once a year, and there is no reason why you can’t enjoy the fancy dress parties, Christmas markets as well as decorating your flat or room, and have a spectacular student Christmas too.