Mimi Parker’s presence is angel-like on Christmas, her pure tone cutting through the ice and snow with a powerful, light-filled resonance that was her vocal trademark. By this point in their career Low were masters of atmosphere, confidently simmering songs to their essential bones. They’d drop desolate chord changes and vocal turns of phrase into vast oceans of space, letting the emotion shimmer outward, gut-punch ripples that turn to waves. Decorating the Furniture: instead of having a tree, use your furniture to make a shrine to Christmas, and decorate that instead. Tell people what they can do to help. And let them know if there's anything they could avoid doing. For example, let them know any activities you'd like to be involved in, and how they can support you during Christmas. Or you could tell them any topics you find hard to discuss, so they can avoid asking. Have a break from large meals with a bowl of soup. Having a bowl of soup is a great option when you need a break from big meals over Christmas. As long as you avoid creamy versions, they are normally low calorie and at the same time they are very satisfying and keep you feeling fuller for longer. Try our delicious soup recipes.

Our quiet nights will be on Monday 4 December and Monday 11 December 2023. We will reduce the volume of the music around the event and reduce capacity so guests can enjoy a calmer and less crowded environment.In a large mixing bowl mix together the prunes and apple. Add the sugar, then beat in the eggs a little at a time. The Salvation Army has a 'Toys and Tins' appeal every year that enables them to provide food hampers, brand new toys & gifts for children, teenagers and older people in need. You can be referred by an agency such as social services or you can refer yourself. Use Leftovers: have a plan for your leftovers. Think of meals that could use up excess (e.g. risotto for meat, patties with leftover veg). Ensure you use up the stuff that will go off first, and then use up the things that will happily sit in the fridge for a few more days. Worst case, if making meal plans overwhelms you, commit to freezing your leftovers and make a plan once they are safely frozen. Alternating between alcoholic and soft drinks can help to limit the amount of alcohol you consume and keep you hydrated at the same time. But soft drinks, like fruit juices, tend to be high in free sugars, so keep to just a 150ml serving of these (around one small glass) a day.

Think about whether you really need to do things if you're not looking forward to them. It may that you can do them for less time, or in a different way. If pine trees don’t really grow where you are, consider a different type of plant altogether. You can hang baubles off of any tree with branches. Figs, yuccas, whatever you have and suits where you live. Juggling Inferno will return for a second year for some of the premium nights with their magnificent fire juggling performances. Switch to rapeseed oil or olive oil for roasting and watch how much is used. Unsaturated fats such as rapeseed and olive oil are excellent for roasting your turkey and potatoes. Not only do they give beautifully crisp results, they're also heart healthy, unlike the saturated fat in butter. As all fats are high in calories, still watch how much you use. Reusable Containers: if you’re going to be cooking up a storm on Christmas day, or you like to pre-prepare lots of food so you can avoid cooking for the rest of the week, reusable containers are a must. Most things keep better (and last longer) in sealed containers. Make sure you’ve got plenty of glass jars, Pyrex, yoghurt pots, Tupperware, or whatever you storage vessel of choice is.Charity Gift Cards and Donating to Charity: Charity gift cards are gifts that go to people in less economically developed countires, via the person you “gift” them to. You buy a goat for someone in Africa, and your gift recipient receives a card telling them this is what you’ve done. One of my course participants, Karen, told us that every year she buys (literally) a pile of poo for all her family and friends. It’s one of the gift card options offered by Oxfam. If novelty gifts appeal to you but waste definitely does not, this pretty much nails it. Newspaper: if you receive a newspaper at home or at work (or you know someone who does) then make use of this to wrap presents. Another alternative is Who Gives A Crap (or other brand) toilet paper wrappers. If other people's questions are difficult, you could try to think of some answers in advance. For example, about your plans or how you're doing.

New for 2023 we’ll be welcoming The Luminas with costumes inspired by the coral reef these elegant, stilted ladies are sure to add a touch of sparkle. The second spellbinding act is sure to add a little fairytale sparkle. Imagine coming face-to-face with a 7ft living Snow Globe. This magical human Snow Globe glides gracefully through crowds to the sound of festive music. Push the button on the front of the Snow Globe and watch as snowflakes surround the beautiful Snow Queen and her ornately decorated winter wonderland scene. How would Low treat perhaps the most recognisable Christmas song of all time? Straight to the heart. Silent Night makes you a believer whethe you’re religious or not. It’s a quietly stunning rendition seemingly performed off the cuff, recorded using one mic, possibly in a wooden cabin, candle light scintilating in the evening darkness. Taking Down The Tree is a hymn of hope, all slow burning instrumentation and powerful melody. Rounding off with Parker’s solo vocal and guitar on One Special Gift, “Christmas” ends with an uncertain yet beautiful tone. Parker and a guitar, completely commanding the space and the listener’s emotions.If you don’t want to cancel Christmas, but the thought of all the excess wrapping, plastic decorations, gifts that end up in the charity shop within weeks of Christmas day and fighting all the food waste fills you with dread, today’s post is for you. Because it is possible to have a low waste Christmas, I promise. Talk about your plans in advance. It might help to agree on things such as budgets or timings beforehand. For example, you could agree not to give presents this year, or decide a set amount to spend. Suggest an activity or an easy way to move on, if you want to help end an unwanted conversation. For example, this could be playing a game, or taking a screen break if you're on a video call. There will be loads of free events going on throughout the UK such as carol concerts, craft-making sessions & Storytimes. Most of these free events are run by local councils, churches, museums, and charities. You will have to have a search on Google for your area to find out what is available. I usually pop in "free local Christmas events". Free Vegetables

Don’t miss our Premium nights where you will come face to face with some spellbinding acts! Premium nights include an extra sprinkle of magic in the form of two surprise Glow acts that promise to dazzle guests of all ages.Look for local offers or events. Local organisations, such as charities and community centres, may have free or low-cost events for Christmas. Or they may be able to offer support with things like gifts or food. Supermarket giant ASDA has started giving away all their remaining vegetables on Christmas eve. You can help yourself to as much as you like! So why not grab enough to last you a few weeks - you can even batch cook some nutritious vegetable soups. The veg was reduced down to 0p around 5pm and the stores shut at 7pm so leave it as late as possible. Here's how to do Christmas Dinner on a Budget Low’s original If You Were Born Today reminds us of their slow-core origins, with a sparkling, clean electric guitar and minimal percussion the only accompaniments needed for the heavenly harmonies. Like all Low music, it’s music that seems born of somewhere else, somewhere pure and heavenly yet somehow in all of us. Elvis Presley’s Blue Christmas is sad, but Mimi Parker’s? It’s something almost unbelievably precious, a creation to hold close. Hers is the loneliest voice in the world that paradoxically makes you feel infinitely less alone. Try out some new traditions if any of your previous traditions don't feel possible this year. For example, if they're too expensive, or too difficult because of a bereavement. These new ideas could be a one-off, or they could become part of Christmas in future.