I hope you’re all not too stressed from trying to navigate Christmas markets and trying to hold conversations with people in moody festive jumpers.

Whether you’re embracing the tinsel or not, here’s my list of what to look forward to in this rather nippy December…

Dinner events

If you’re looking for something a bit special to do this month there are a few exciting dining events to book your place at – here are my picks of the bunch:

• The Matatu Kitchen – a new East African Supper Club at Wilsons Sunday 11th December, £25
• Festive Feast at The Bank on 12th & 19th – 5 courses inc. glazed goose & smoked salmon, £40
• Wild Winter Feast at Hamilton House – 3 courses of ancient foods serenaded by music, £25
• Shine for Shelterbox – a 5 course candlelit meal at Yurt Lush, to raise money for Shelterbox, £45.

Markets and Fairs

It’s a bumper month for markets, so get yourself along to one of these for some last minute gift shopping!

• St Nicks Night Market on Friday 2nd
• Indies in Bristol at The Island, 3rd Dec – stalls, food talks & a food trail!
• Bristol Bazaar pop-up Christmas shop at The Island, 1st-24th Dec
• Windmill Hill City Farm Magical Winter Fair, 10th Dec
• BS5 Winter Market, 11th Dec in St George’s Park
• Christmas Brewers Market at Good Chemistry’s brewery in St Philips, 10th Dec
• Bristol Eats night market on Friday 9th outside Steam (next to Clifton Down station)
• The German Christmas markets in Millenium Sq (complete with an Après ski-style bar!) and Broadmead.

Plus there are the regular Harbourside Markets every Saturday and Sunday, and Tobacco Factory Market every sunday.

Christmas!

There are lots of Christmas-related posts already out there, so here are just some highlights…

Events

Bristol is pulling out all the stops this year, with some seriously weird and wonderful parties to end the year. The ones I’ve got my eye on are:

• Bingo Wings Christmas Special at Yurt Lush, Sat 10th, £12
• The Bank Tavern Christmas Shindig, Sat 10th- reindeer burgers, music & Santa!
• Cava & Pintxos NYE party at Pata Negra, £31.50
• NYE funk & soul party at Steam – live music , DJs, prosecco and pasties! £10
• New Year’s Eve Party at Tobacco Factory – 1920’s Metropolis theme, £35
• New Year’s Day Silent Disco at Bambalan – inc. buffet & cocktails, £31.50

For a more comprehensive list of events, check out the Best Christmas & NYE Parties guide from Foozie, or the Christmas menus and Christmas Day Dining features from Bristol Bites.

Christmas gift guides 

On my Christmas list this year:

• The Psychopomp 4 seasons gift set
• A food hamper from Source, Papadeli or Real Economy
• A Gingerbeard Preserves gift set

Some more Bristol-centric gift ideas can be found on the Wriggle Bristol Gift Guide (put together by the very clever Bedsit Bonvivante)

Courses & Tastings

A quick round up, but here are a few lessons you could squeeze in before the close of 2016…

• Gingerbread Christmas Village class at Bakesmiths (ticket also includes lunch & mulled wine) – 11th Dec, £95
• Seasonal gift making at Little Kitchen, 4th (choc truffles – £40), 10th (preserves – £55) & 11th (sweet – £45)
• Christmas wine tasting at The Library with meat & cheese boards, 12th Dec, £30
• Make your own gin at Weber & Tring, 14th Dec, £35
• Cider & cheese tasting at The Cider Shop, 16th Dec, £20
• Port, cheese & chocolate tasting at Bordeaux Quay, 10th Dec, £40
• Champagne & sparkling wine eve at Catch 22 (includes fish & chips!), 7th Dec, £37.50

That’s it for my event round ups this year! I’ll be posting my Best of 2016 list in a couple of weeks, so let me know on Twitter or Facebook what your favourite food & drink places are!

And if you need some more wintery inspiration, how about these guides:

• The Quest for the Best Roast in Bristol
• Bristol’s Classiest Cocktail Bars
• Bristol’s Cosiest Pubs
• Bristol’s Best Hangover Destinations

Dates for the Diary

• Fri 2nd – St Nicks Night Market
• Fri 2nd – Jewish Deli Dinner at Aron’s
• Sat 3rd – Christmas celebrations at CARGO
• Sat 3rd – Indies in Bristol
• Sat 3rd – The Drapers Arms 1st birthday celebrations
• Sun 4th – Christmas pudding & mince pie class at Bakesmiths
• Sun 4th – Chocolate truffle making at Little Kitchen
• Tue 6th – Shine for Shelterbox at Yurt Lush
• Wed 7th – Cheese & wine tasting at Arch House Deli
• Wed 7th – Cheese & ale tasting at Brigstow Bar & Kitchen
• Wed 7th – Champagne & sparkling wine with fish & chips at Catch 22
• Wed 7th – Armagnac tasting at Weber & Tring’s
• Thu 8th – Christmas dinner on the SS Great Britain
• Thu 8th-Sun 11th – Winter Beer Festival at The Hare
• Fri 9th – Steam festive night market with Bristol Eats
• Fri 9th – Pie night at No.12 Easton
• Fri 9th – Introduction to cider at The Cider Shop in Wapping Wharf
• Sat 10th – The Bank Tavern Christmas Shindig
• Sat 10th – Port, cheese & chocolate tasting at Bordeaux Quay
• Sat 10th – Seasonal gift making (preserves) at Little Kitchen
• Sat 10th – Gin & tonic tasting at Bordeaux Quay
• Sat 10th – Christmas Brewers Market
• Sat 10th – Bingo Wings Christmas Special
• Sun 11th – BS5 Winter Market
• Sun 11th – Seasonal gift making (sweets) at Little Kitchen
• Sun 11th – Gingerbread Christmas Village class at Bakesmiths
• Sun 11th – Matatu Kitchen at Wilson’s
• Mon 12th – Festive Feast at The Bank Tavern
• Mon 12th – Christmas wine tasting at The Library
• Wed 14th – Wiper & True tap takeover at The Famous Royal Navy Volunteer
• Wed 14th – Wild Winter Feast at Hamilton House
• Wed 14th – Make your own gin at Weber & Tring’s
• Thu 15th – Christmas street food party, King St
• Fri 16th – Cider & cheese tasting at The Cider Shop in Wapping Wharf
• Sat 17th – Bristol Bazaar Christmas Market at Malcolm X Centre, St Pauls
• Mon 19th – Festive Feast at The Bank Tavern
• Sat 31st – Cava and Pintxos NYE party at Pata Negra
• Sat 31st – Funk & soul NYE party at Steam
• Sat 31st – New Year’s Eve 1920’s Party at Tobacco Factory
• Sun 1st – New Year’s Day Silent Disco at Bambalan