From Durham to Zaporizhja: All Around Christmas... by MLAC

The Snowman

mlacdurham — 2025-12-17 12:11:49 UTC

I think almost everyone in the UK knows The Snowman. It’s a beautiful animated film from 1982, and every year before Christmas it’s shown on the BBC and played all around the country. I’ve even had the chance to hear it performed live in Durham Cathedral, which was an incredible experience.

In our family, we all love it. Even though we’re quite an international bunch, this little piece of British culture, and British Christmas, has become our own. That’s why I wanted to share it with you too.

Merry Christmas!

Zhanna

Christmas traditions and skiing

2025-12-17 16:00:37 UTC

For my family and I, skiing is a very big part of Christmas for us. We love being around the snow as we don't really get too much of it in the UK. So for us we usually end up skiing around the Christmas period and it really helps to exemplify the mood of Christmas. Often we end up skiing in France and this year I was lucky enough to go on the Durham ski trip in Tignes France.

The snowy atmosphere and the cold weather helps to put me in the mood for the Christmas and get excited for it.

2025-12-17 16:46:43 UTC

One aspect of Christmas I love is cooking with my family - here’s a picture of a risotto my brother made last Christmas (it was very tasty!). It’s rare that we get to be together as we live in different places so I cherish winding down and sharing a love of food with my family! I’m still not allowed to help with Christmas day cooking (the 25th) as my mum and uncles seize control of the kitchen, and push me out any time I try to enter!

In the second photo you can see my attempt to get my family to smile and pose for a Christmas lunch photo (it’s a hard challenge!) On Christmas day we have a traditional meal with roast potatoes, mashed potatoes, bubble and squeak (cheesy leeks - I can’t stand this?!!), Yorkshire pudding (a kind of pastry in a round shape), roast meet, gravy steamed vegetables. Christmas dinner is usually lighter as we can barely move enough to cook after all this!

In the third photo you can an attempt at making a gingerbread house. We weren’t organised enough to print out a template, so it ended up a bit uneven! At least my friends enjoyed the ginger bread :)

Sometimes we’re lucky enough to spend Christmas in the Swiss mountains! We always wish for snow then as it’s beautiful for hiking, snowshoeing, skiing, making snowmen and sledging!

One unusual tradition we have in our family is to make a dessert based on a film. In the past we’ve made the death star from Star Wars, a canon from Napoleon, light sabers from Star Wars and this year we’re making a penguin. I do this with my uncle and brother and we try to keep what we’re making a secret from the rest of the family. Let’s hope nobody finds out…

The last photo is of our (artificial) Christmas tree that I decorated with my uncle today. When do you put your Christmas tree up and decorate it?

I wish everyone peace of mind, kindness and togetherness this Christmas, wherever you are. I would love to hear how you are celebrating Christmas time. Wishing you all the best!

Merry Christmas from Derby, England!! 🎄🎅

Xavier

Remembering our friends at Zaporizhzhia

2025-12-18 15:44:07 UTC

As we approach Christmas, we are all thinking of all our good friends at Zaporizhzhia National University. We much value the friendships that we have made with you.

You, your friends and families are all in our thoughts.

We wish you all a Merry Christmas and we really look forward to working with you all in the New Year.

Peter

Our Christmas starts...

ihssenniklas — 2025-12-18 17:26:24 UTC

...when our dog is donning his Christmas gear. I hope the picture brings you a little smile over the holidays.

Merry Christmas to you and your families!

Niklas

Christmas Snowman! ☃️

2025-12-19 11:57:46 UTC

I live in the South of England so we don’t usually get snow around Christmas time but this year, being in Durham meant I saw lots of snow as early as November. Wintry weather always helps me to get into the Christmassy spirit! ❄️ I have attached a photo of a snowman that my friends and I made outside our college before lectures. :)

2025-12-20 16:38:03 UTC

All of us in the Hepworth/Cool Cabbage lab send a love and Christmas wishes to our colleagues in Zaporizhzhia - especially to those fellow Brassica fans in the Plant Breeding Institute! We've loved having your students visit us and hope for more visits, more joy and peace for the New Year.

Best wishes all!

Jo & the CC lab

Holiday greetings

2025-12-22 16:46:38 UTC

Patron arrived in Newcastle more than two years ago and is now happy with his new friends and family. He is sending greetings to his friends in Ukraine and wishing them peaceful holidays.

2025-12-23 23:36:37 UTC

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all who celebrate in Zaporizhzhia! We are very much looking forward to a brighter and more peaceful year, and hope to meet many of you online or here in Durham in the coming year. We are excited to continue developing our collaborative projects and looking for new opportunities. We are thinking of all our friends and colleagues in Zaporizhzhia and sending you the warmest fastive wishes for the upcoming year.

Lena

Merry Christmas!

2025-12-24 11:09:10 UTC

Dear friends, colleagues, and remarkable people we have yet to meet in Zaporizhzhia, we admire your resilience and courage. We wish you strength, steadiness, and moments of warmth and hope in the year ahead. You are very much in our thoughts.