Newcastle Officially Crowned UK Capital of Christmas 2022
According to latest research, Newcastle is the nation’s most festive city.
Date:
8 December, 2022
Feel the Christmas spirit from your head to your mistletoes
Newcastle has officially been crowned the UK’s inaugural ‘Capital of Christmas’, following the publication of new national research to celebrate the festive season.
A study by budgeting experts Park Christmas Savings, assessed the festive activity of every town and city across the UK, revealing Geordies to be the nation’s ultimate Christmas revellers.
Park data shows Tynesiders are best prepared financially for the festive season, with residents putting away more pounds ahead of the annual celebration than people in any other area.
Newcastle also boasts a host of the nation’s most popular and famous Christmas attractions, gets its Christmas lights on bright and early – and has a 33% chance of snow this December.
Love at frost sight
Front and centre of the city’s festive delights are its three buzzing Christmas markets, containing everything from Santa’s grottos to live festive music and locally sourced festive treats. This year they are bigger than ever, extending into Grey’s Monument and Grainger Street, with mulled wine, mince pies, bratwurst and plenty more on offer
Let's make Santa-mental memories
Park Christmas Savings’ research also looked at other variables including the average cost of a weekend visit in December, number of tourists and social media appeal.
This year, Newcastle also first stepped into the festive spirit earlier than most other UK regions – on 15 November – when the city’s Christmas lights were switched on.
Elsewhere, the Tyneside town is the joint favourite to enjoy a white Christmas in 2022, with a 3/1 chance alongside Glasgow and Edinburgh, according to latest odds.
On top of a variety of festive delights in the city, when it comes to spending, Park data shows one in 35 Newcastle households uses its Christmas savings scheme to budget for the big day.
A considerable 73% of early bird Park savers in Newcastle’s actually confirmed and activated their Christmas 2022 savings plan before Christmas Day, 2021!
By paying what they can when they can on a regular basis, Park customers get to manage the cost of Christmas over the course of a year by starting early; the residents of Newcastle are more prepared for the festive season than people in any other city.
Myrrh than just a pretty tree
The city is also home to one of the country’s most iconic Christmas trees each winter. The ‘Bergen Tree’ has been presented to Newcastle by the residents of Norway every year since 1949, to symbolise the nation’s gratitude to Newcastle for its support during World War Two.