By Julia Nazzareno, Paris School of Business, France 

I have got some bad news… Christmas is over. The most magical time of the year is now far behind us and I have already missed a few of my resolutions… oops. Let me just say, Manchester really made an effort in bringing warmth and festive vibes to the city. I think that the Christmas Market was probably one of the highlights of my journey here in Britain. I may have eaten all the food every single night because the spirit just made me so happy. If there is one time of the year where you should spend a few days in Manchester, it is definitely during Christmas! It made every night out special as you could just wander by the shops and have an excuse to eat some candy or/and chocolate.  

The urge to buy any Christmas themed homeware or clothes was real but when you stay in one place for less than a year, you need to restrain yourself otherwise it is going to end up in the bin, not your already jammed suitcase. To compensate this frustration I would go to the Christmas market almost every night to enjoy the big Santa Claus on top of the Town Hall as well as the smell of hot mulled wine.  You know, Manchester is quite a small city so you quickly go round and round the centre a million times and you may get tired of it but during Christmas, I could never get fed up with it. There were so many lights, shops and smells to discover which made it incredibly entertaining.  

December also meant that I could go back to Paris to see my family and spend the holidays with them. The only downside of the Christmas holiday though is that you know the exams are just around the corner, patiently waiting for you to return from weeks of eating roast dinners, pudding and red wine. However, this time of year just  passes by so quickly! In one month, you get the end of semester one, Christmas, the new year, the exams and the start of the new term. I cannot believe that this trip is already halfway over. I know I should not see the glass half empty but time flies… I remember my first weeks in Manchester and now it has become a habit and a new lifestyle. The New Year is always a good time to reflect on memories, adventures and impressions. Manchester sure made it feel like home during Christmas and I wish the Christmas market could just stay there all year long.

“Cheers to a New Year and another chance for us to get it right.” – Oprah Winfrey