Silly season is officially in full swing. The magical time of year when your social feed is filled with endless elaborately decorated trees, bleary Christmas party outtakes and Spotify Wrappeds in the top one percent of Taylor Swift’s listeners.
Now, you’ve already skated your socks off in front of a beautiful backdrop (and if you haven’t, do – this may be the last year for a while), and you’ve got the street advent calendar, luminous, magical trail walks and a Jane Austen Christmas makeover, but what else is going on in and around the city to get you feeling festive?
We’re firm believers that you can never have too much Yuletide merriment, so we’ve rounded up a Santa sack full of fun, from adult panto and sub-zero swims to epic Christmas light displays and copious singalong options.
Sing it loud for all to hear
If your idea of festive cheer involves a pint and a proper sing, this one’s for you. Sussex Pub Carols are pitching up at the Lewes Road Inn for the first time, bringing their glorious, full-voice take on Christmas singing to the pub. As well as the big hitters everyone knows, it’s the place to hear local favourites (hello ‘Sussex Carol’ and the ‘Falmer Carol’) and get fully stuck in to the joy of a crowd that absolutely commits. You’ll also find them welcoming in the new year at The Pump House on New Year’s Day with another round of carols and Morris dancing.
Tuesday 23rd December; 8pm; free, but collecting for The Clock Tower Sanctuary
More information
Get your Christmas shop on
12 Meeting House Lane’s got a dose of festive sparkle as Dowse Design have opened a Christmas shop in the old Phohm space, filling it with artisan pantry goods, indie gifts and enough twinkly decor to make your baubles blush. Speaking of baubles, this is the place for foodies/hipsters who want all their faves incarnated in decoration form. Think Perello olive baubles, oat milk cartons, Torres crisps and more, all ready to pop on your tree.
Take a festive walk with a difference
A Christmas walk doesn’t have to be resigned to a post-turkey sandwich Boxing Day stupor. The lovely folk at Leonardslee and Wakehurst have transformed their gorgeous gardens into twisty, twinkling trails of illuminations and interactive light installations. After you’ve enjoyed a leisurely amble through the gardens, make sure to take an even more leisurely stroll around their gift and gourmet-packed Christmas market and shop.
Read more here
Get Christmas tree envy
Some places always do Christmas beautifully and The Grand is one of those places. Their Christmas lights have been on a while, but if you haven’t been inside, you’re missing out. Their 15-foot tree is a thing of beauty and having a few drinks (we rate their festive specials) in the opulent Victoria Lounge-Bar and admiring it gives us all the festive feels. If you’re lucky, their pianist might be playing too. For seriously blissed-out vibes, slot in a pre-Christmas-chaos session in their fully revamped L. Raphael spa, the only location for the luxe Swiss wellness brand in the UK.
The Grand Hotel, 97 – 99 Kings Road, Brighton, BN1 2FW
grandbrighton.co.uk
Get inspired at these Christmas light displays
We’ve just about managed to get a tree (and have resurrected our very festive gingerbread rat) and reckon we’re doing pretty well, so we are always in awe of the people who really go to town with their Christmas decorations. Bill and Nigel who used to organise the incredible display at Thornbush Crescent in Portslade have now retired, but there are still some pretty great lights at Gorse Close in Portslade and, slightly further afield, the seriously spectacular Saxifrage Christmas Lights are back in Worthing for 2025, raising money for Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance Charity. We haven’t verified these ones, but traditionally, there have always been brilliantly decorated houses on School Rise, off Whitehawk Road, and on Chorley Avenue in Saltdean – both collect for charity, too.
Saxifrage Way, Durrington, Worthing; BN13 3RU; 5pm – 9.30pm; until 1st January 2026
Brave the chill with a cold-water swim
Dig out your Santa hat and dive headfirst into one of the city’s Christmas Day dips. Saltdean Lido will be warming their waters to a balmy 19 degrees for anyone who fancies a more bracing start to Christmas Day. They’ve also got tickets for your poolside cheer squad who can participate from the sidelines with a mulled wine. And you can even hang around for a Christmas lunch if you don’t fancy cooking and have left it all too late. For the truly brave, dig out your Santa hat and join the crowd taking part in the famous Christmas Day Swim at Brighton Beach. Warm up post-swim/splash at Beach Box Sauna – open over the full festive period. Santa-decorated budgie smugglers optional.
Thursday 25th December; 11am; from free; Lido swims from £7
saltdeanlido.co.uk
Let the train take the strain at an illuminated spectacular
There’s something special about a steam train. Decorate it in thousands of colourful sparkling lights, add in some festive scenes and a light show and you’ve got yourself something pretty incredible to hop aboard. Yes, Bluebell Railway’s SteamLights event is back for 2025 to take you on a journey through the Sussex landscape, transforming rain-sodden wintry evenings into magical moments. Book a compartment for a 1.5-hour experience that delights all the senses.
Various dates until Saturday 30th December; from £21
Sheffield Park Station, East Sussex, TN22 3QL
bluebellrailway.com
Belt out the musical classics
Get your festive sing-along on at Musicals Mayhem – a raucous jukebox of your favourite showtunes with hi-la-ri-tea served by drag & cabaret force Le Gateau Chocolat. Think everything from Sound of Music to Frozen, Cabaret to Cats mashed together with big vocals, glitter and belly laughs. It’s 70 minutes of pure musical theatre joy at Brighton Dome – perfect if your tea’s already piping hot and your voice wants to join in.
Various dates until Wednesday 24th December; from £25
brightondome.org
Escape to a theatrical winter wonderland
Lose yourself in a winter wonderland that’s anything but chilly at FLIP Fabrique: Blizzard – a high-octane, poetic circus show blowing through Brighton Dome after Christmas. There’s world-class acrobatics, visual poetry and a wild, snowy journey that turns winter into pure magic on stage. The perfect flip- and wonder-filled antidote to the (probably) rainy weather we’ll be experiencing.
Saturday 27th – Wednesday 31st December; from £10
brightondome.org
See some cheeky panto (oh no, it’s not for kids)
Love panto, but wish it was, well, a bit more adult? Then this is for you: Brighton Family Panto are back with a very naughty version of Jack In The Beanstalk. Starring Brighton legend Alfie Ordinary, it’s got all the much-loved silliness of traditional panto (they do that too), but turned up to very grown-up. Expect cheeky twists, audience banter, saucy humour and all your favourite panto beats with zero children in sight. It’s festive, it’s rude, and it’s gloriously unfiltered.
Sunday 28th and Tuesday 30th December; from £21.26
brightonfamilypanto.com
Wrap up the year with a belly laugh
Bring your year to a close with a proper laugh at The Treason Show: That Was The Year That Was. Brighton’s long-running satirical sketch & parody comedy night is back at Ironworks Studios after Christmas. You’ll find sharp sketches, musical parodies and cheeky takes on all the moments you’ve been living through, all served with big local humour and proper punchlines. It’s the annual send-off your 2025 deserves, ready to put that awkward year firmly in the rear-view.
Sunday 28th, Monday 29th, Tuesday 30th December; £25.05
Book tickets
Rock out at a Christmassy tribute gig
Is it really Christmas if you haven’t heard Slade’s ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’ at least 500 times? Want to hear it at least one more before you consider Christmas done for the year? Then you need top Slade tribute act Slady. Playing at the Hope & Ruin in January, they’ll be keeping post-Christmas spirits high and banishing January blues with all the classic 70s and 80s hits. It’s (just after) Chriiiiistmas!
Saturday 3rd January; £11
Book tickets
With additional contributions by Zoe Dowsett
