Christmas on Campus
There are lots of events happening on campus and further afield this Christmas. Explore below what's on, where you can get a Christmas meal, and when Uni services are open over the Christmas break. Also, why not get involved in our #warwickxmas social media campaign?
Looking for events in the local area? Festive events are taking place in Leamington Spa, Coventry, Kenilworth and Birmingham - including carols at Kenilworth Castle and Warwick Castle, and Christmas markets in Birmingham, Coventry and Leamington Spa.
Want an active Christmas? Warwick Sport's Christmas Vacation timetable is now available to download.
Sticking around on campus? Join the dedicated facebook group to meet fellow students, arrange socials or find out more about events taking place on campus after term ends, and find out below what's happening on campus over the next few weeks.
Sending Christmas post? If so, remember that the Post Office will be extremely busy from the end of November onwards. The Student Post Room has some guidance for sending and receiving post over the festive season and details of some alternative services, if you need something really quickly.
Many student societies are hosting Christmas events for their members - please see here for details. If you know of any other Christmas events not included here, let us know.
Jump to: Events on campus | Eating & Drinking | Opening hours | Travel
Events on Campus
24th November
Campus Christmas Tree Lights Switch-on: At 4pm we’ll illuminate the Christmas tree on the Warwick Arts Centre Plaza (outside the Bookshop). Accompanying the lights we’ll have a number of Warwick Student Societies performing - the Drumming Society, Brass Society, EQHO (HipHop Dance) and MTW (Music Theatre Warwick) will be delighting the crowds with some festive themed mini-shows from 4pm – 4.45pm. In addition, Warwick Arts centre will be opening its doors to little ones and their parents to have a preview of the Christmas themed zones in the venue.
24th November - 31st December
Stick Man: Scamp Theatre’s stage adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s much-loved book is touching, funny and original. Packed full of puppetry, live music, songs and dances, this show is the perfect way to spend a Christmassy evening with the family.
25th November
Christmas gift stall: University House (Atrium), 10am-4pm
26th & 27th November
The Arts Centre’s Family Weekend: Join us and celebrate this magical time of year with a dazzling and colourful weekend as we encourage you to discover The Wonders of Winter. Draw with light, move with colour and make amazing creations inspired by the coldest of the seasons. Including arts and sports activitiesand a food and craft market from 11-3pm.
27th November
Pajama concert: Winter Whimsy: The University of Warwick Chamber Orchestra and Chamber Choir play and sing music in celebration of crisp cold days and snuggly nights. Music includes excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker, Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, and just a hint towards Christmas with The Snowman.
28th November - 9th December
Warwick Christmas Lectures 2016: Six nights of fantastic new ideas, explosions, experiments and answers to questions taxing the University of Warwick’s finest minds. After the sell-out success of the past years, events are likely to be popular so get your tickets before it’s too late.
30th November
Market Day - Chocolate and gift festival: Come and soak up the atmosphere at the last Market Day of term, and find gifts and chocolates for all the family, whilst you try something tempting for lunch. There will be a vibrant mix of stall holders selling local, fresh produce or mouth-watering street food as well as Chocolate Trees, Handcrafted Belgian Chocolates & Truffles, Spirit & Liqeurs and many other handmade chocolate gifts!
1st December
Christmas gift stall: WBS Café, 10am-4pm
2nd December
Warwick Sport's Christmas Bauble Challenge: Navigate your way round the obstacle course whilst wearing a giant bauble! See how fast you can complete our course and win prizes... but watch out, the naughtly elves will be making sure your route has some suprises! Will you be quickest on the day?
3rd December
Trip to Bath Christmas Markets: Looking for a beautiful and truly unique Christmas destination? Visit Bath, a city so beautiful that it has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. On 3rd December, make the most of the Bath Christmas Markets with the Global Student Experience Team.
5th December - 6th January
Get Festive with the PG Hub: The PG Hub has a whole programme of events and activities to help get you in the festive spirit over the Christmas vacation! All events are free and open to all postgrads.
6th December
Wheels for All Santa Ride: Enjoy a leisurely lunchtime (12:30-1:30) 2-mile guided bike ride along the Greenway through the Warwickshire countryside dressed as Santa. Bring your own bike or hire one from UniCycles at Warwick. Santa suits and refreshments are provided. Donations are invited to support new adapted bikes for Wheels for All Coventry.
6th December
Die Hard (SU cinema): Join the SU Cinema society for a screening of Die Hard, the quintessential Christmas action-thriller! New York cop John McClane (Bruce Willis) is visiting his estranged wife and children for Christmas. The tank-top wearing, machine gun wielding police detective must save a building full of hostages, including his estranged wife, from the inside.
8th December
The Nutcracker - Royal Opera House Live Screening: It's Christmas Eve and Drosselmeyer the magician sweeps young Clara away on a fantasy adventure and a magical journey taking them through the Land of Snow to the Kingdom of Sweets. Tchaikovsky’s glittering score, the gorgeous festive stage designs and The Royal Ballet’s captivating dancing – including an exquisite pas de deux between the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Prince – make this Nutcracker the quintessential Christmas experience.
8th December
Christmas gift stall: Café Gibbet Hill, 9am-3pm
9th December
Candlelit Carol Service: The University’s Candlelit Carol Service is taking place on Friday 9th December at 5.15pm in the Chaplaincy, followed by refreshments. Everyone is welcome.
13th December
A Very Postgraduate Christmas: Join us in the main atrium of the SU for music, food and plenty of festive fun. Don your Christmas jumpers and get into the Christmas spirit with your fellow postgraduates and undergraduates are all welcome!
16th December
International Students' Christmas Dinner: If this is your first time experiencing Christmas or if it's just your first time spending Christmas away from home, join the Office for Global Engagement for the International Students' Christmas Dinner. The dinner will include arrival drinks, a 3 course festive feast, followed by a visit from Santa Claus for young ones and our annual Christmas Quiz!
21st December
University Christmas Drinks: Join Vice-Chancellor Stuart Croft for festive drinks on Wednesday 21st from 3pm in The Oculus. All are welcome.
25th December
Mass: Join the Chaplaincy for Mass at 12:30 on Christmas Day. Mass will also take place throughout each Sunday at 12:30 throughout the Christmas vacation.
1st January
New Year's Day Walk: The Chaplaincy are hosting a New Year’s Day breakfast and walk. Come to the Chaplaincy from 10.30am for a hot breakfast before heading out for a traditional new year’s day walk.
5th January
Board Game Night In: Join 'Tea and Tabletop' for a board game night in the Dirty Duck. There will be loads of games to choose from, catering to all abilities, so whether you’re looking for some light-hearted laughs or want to knuckle down and get your game on, there’s something for everyone.
Eating & Drinking
Get together with friends for Christmas lunch at any of the following venues:
Cafe Gibbet Hill | 1 and 8 December
Cafe Library | 29 November and 1 December
WBS Cafe | 1st and 8th December
University House restaurant | 29th November and 1st December
Lunch for £7.95 or £9.50 with mince pie and filter coffee, includes a choice of carvery, vegetables and all the trimmings, or a vegetarian option. Festive hot and cold drinks also available.
The Bread Oven
The Bread Oven has Christmas Specials on sale in Weeks 9 and 10.
Christmas at Le Gusta
Christmas menu available 21st November - 18th December - now taking bookings - | View the menu here
From 5th - 16th December, you can enjoy Fusion's 3 course Christmas set menu for £19 | View their Christmas menu.
Curiositea
Curiositea has Christmas Specials on sale now.
Opening Hours
Careers & Skills | Chaplaincy | Funding Office | Health Centre
ITS | Library | Nightline | Nursery | PG Hub | Post Office
Retail Outlets | Sports Centre | SU | Uni House
Careers & Skills
The Student Careers and Skills helpdesk in University House Learning Grid will be open:
12-14 December - 12.00 – 2.00pm
19-21 December - 12.00 – 2.00pm
4-6 January 2017 - 12.00 – 2.00pm
Chaplaincy
The Chaplaincy will be open to all students and staff with valid University ID cards from 9am to 9pm each day in the vacation (including bank holidays). Over the December vacation we host ‘The Student Lounge’ in the Chaplaincy. There will be board games and other activities to use and the projector set up for you to be able to watch films together. The kitchen will be stocked with fresh milk for hot drinks and bread to make toast with.
Funding Office
22nd December (midday) - 3rd January (9am) CLOSED
Student Funding will only be offering emergency loans to students until Tuesday 20th December.
Health Centre
12-23 December: Mon-Fri: 09:00-17:00
24 December - 2 January: CLOSED
If you need medical assistance when the Health Centre is shut, you can call 111 for phone advice by the NHS or go to the walk-in City of Coventry Health Centre. The Centre is open 7/7, 8am to 9pm.
If you are severely injured, you may go to the A&E in University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire.
ITS
All IT services will be available through the holiday period with no planned outages. Services will be monitored and we have a limited emergency out-of-hours provision to respond to any critical issues that occur.
The IT Help Desk will close at 17:30 on 22 December and re-open on 3 January at 08:30.
Library
Christmas holiday opening hours:
Fri 23 Dec – to close at 19:00
Closed: Sat 24 Dec – Mon 26 Dec inclusive
Open: Tues 27 Dec - Sat 31 Dec, open 11:00-18:00 (Helpdesk open)
Closed: Sun 1 Jan 2017
Open: Mon 2 Jan 08:30, 24hr
As an alternative study space, The Learning Grid in University House will open every day except Christmas day.
Nightline
Phone, drop-in and IM services will be closed over the Christmas university holiday.
However, the email service (nightline@warwick.ac.uk) will remain in operation, and they will respond to any emails within 72 hours.
All services will resume full operation on 9th January 2017.
Nursery
22 December - 3 January: CLOSED
PG Hub
17th December - 2nd January (inclusive): CLOSED
The PG Hub reopens on 3rd January.
Post Office
23 December - 2 January
Re-opening 3 January
Retail Outlets
Christmas opening times of cafes, bars, restaurants and shops
Sports Centre
SU
SU Reception:
12th-15th Dec: 8:30am-3:15pm
Closed from 16th Dec, reopening 9th January
SU Advice Centre:
12th-22nd Dec: 9am-3pm, Monday-Friday (closed 16th Dec for staff training)
Closed from 23rd Dec, reopening 3rd Jan (9am-3pm)
Check the SU website for any updates.
University House
The Learning Grid opening hours are as follows:
Sat 24 Dec – to close at 18:00
Closed: Sun 25 Dec (Christmas Day)
Open: Mon 26 Dec - Fri 30 Dec, 07:00-18:00
Sat 31 Dec – to close at 18:00
Open: Sun 1 Jan, 07:00 until 22:00
Main University offices: 23nd December - 2nd January inclusive: CLOSED
Travel
Be aware that transportation schedules are often busy and disrupted during Christmas. We recommend you double check all bus and train timetables before departing to make sure you arrive at your destination on time. There is likely to be no public transport anywhere on 25 December and a reduced service on trains and buses on other days (particularly 26 December and 1 January).
Campus Shuttle Bus:
Bus Services:
- De Courcey will not be running service on Christmas Day or Boxing Day and will have limited service through the week between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day.
- Check the Traveline, Stagecoach or National Express websites for details of services over Christmas week.
- You can view live bus departure here.
Rail Services:
- National Rail's website provides a summary of the train services being provided by each Train Operating Company during the Christmas and New Year period. Note that there are no train services running on Christmas Day and only certain services will run on Boxing Day. Train services will stop running much earlier than normal on Christmas Eve, Saturday 24 December 2016.
- Live departures: Canley | Coventry | Tile Hill | Leamington
Taxis:
- Taxis will likely charge higher rates on these days as well and remember that winter weather, particularly snow, can severely disrupt public transport services.
- If you are travelling by the Meter, you should never pay more than is displayed, unless agreed with the Driver. Meter price is per Taxi, not per person.
In all instances, if you are travelling with a pre-agreed price and not by the Meter, then you and the Driver must agree the price and destination before travelling.
- Trinity Street Taxis: 02476 999 999
Trish’s Taxis: 02476 266 666
Metro Taxis: 02476 690 924