Merry Christmas, Brighton!

I just couldn’t resist. It may be a bit after the date, but not too much and it just might wet some of your appetites to come over next year!

We have some events which are special just for Brighton at Christmas time events. Hence, why I wanted to make this blog post, as many tourists would not know what is so unique to us and why it’s such a great time of year in Brighton and Hove, actually!

Ice Skating

1 of my favourites is the ice rink in front of the Brighton Pavilion. I try to go once every year I’m here for Christmas and the best time is in the evening when the lights are all over the, very unique, Brighton Pavilion. There is no other building in the world that is like it and it’s a beautiful place to skate around.

This year, I managed to drag out a fellow Canadian and childhood friend to join me in my annual skate and it was a great catch up time while doing a very favourite Canadian pass time.

Friends on Ice at Brighton Pavilion

It’s not cheap and they don’t have figure skates, just ice hockey skates, but it’s worth it to do it once a year, especially with a friend.

Beach Huts

Every year the Hove Beach huts do a nativity advent calendar and each night a different beach hut opens it’s doors to the public, so they can see what Christmas theme has been designed for that night. I don’t know anywhere else that does this and if they do, most likely, it was Hove which started it.

Advent Beach Hut in Hove

It’s such a great excuse to get out after dark and go down to the beach. Mulled wine and minced tarts are on the offer as well, so you need not go without.

Burning of the Clocks

Every year on the shortest day, Brighton has a big parade to celebrate the darkest day by having a parade of lights. Local children and families make lanterns and parade through the streets of Brighton down to the beach where all the lanterns are put on a pile and burned.

Fireworks are set off as well, as long as there isn’t too much wind. It’s a great community event, which incorporates all communities, as it’s not a religious festival, so you can see all of the multiculturalism of Brighton at this event.