Where to go: Christmas Themed Days Out

Christmas is once again just around the corner and whether you have been counting down the days by eating poor quality chocolate, or by gradually reducing the size of the list of presents still to be bought, the simple fact is, Christmas is now just a few weeks away.

And for those of you still in denial, see below.

Each year, we like to embrace the festive spirit by providing you with a seasonally themed blog. This year we thought we would investigate the different Christmas themed sporting events that are happening around the country. Unfortunately, despite being Christmas themed it seems that most of them occurred either last weekend or late in November, but we thought we would provide you with a guide to them anyway.

Remember this blog for 2012, when all these events will roll round again!

Here are our top 3 favourite Christmas themed events.

  

Mince Pie Eating Contest (Big Eat) -  Wookey Hole: Somerset

When: 2011 : 22 November.      2012: TBA

The Annual Wookey Hole Big Eat challenges competitors to eat as many mince pies as possible. Each competitor is  provided with a jig of water and a pile of delicious mince pies ( as you can see in the image ) The challenge is then to  eat as many as possible in 10 minutes, with the individual who can eat the most walking away with a cash prize of  £1000.

The event which started back in 2006, attracts competitors from all over the globe, and in fact the first  competition was one by an American woman by the name of Sonya Thomas who managed an incredible 46 mince  pies, a very impressive 5 a minute!

The mince pies themselves are cooked by a local bakery, and are also suitable for vegetarians. Spectators are also  welcome to the event, which is presided over by a compere to provide extra entertainment. Spectators also get  free entry to the caves along with free tickets to the big eat, so it can great for a fantastic fun day out.  This years  event was won jointly by two men, Michael Doggrell and Lee Palmer, both of whom managed 19 pies apiece. who both netted £500 each for their trouble.

If you think this is something you would like to have a go at, and scoff at the thought of a mere 19 mince pies, then keep an eye on the wookey hole website, for information on how you can get involved with the Big Eat in 2012.

 

Liverpool Santa Dash - Liverpool

When: 2011: 4th December 2012 : TBA

Usually taking place on the first or second weekend in December the Santa Dash is a 5k fun run    with a difference, which hopefully you have already guessed. Dressed in Red and Blue (I'll explain  that later) Santa outfits competitors race through the streets of Liverpool City Centre, with  finishers getting a santa themed medal as a reward.

The run which commences at Pier Head on Canada Boulevard, was narrowly beaten by Las Vegas  for the first time this year in the race for the title of the largest santa run in the world, but still managed to  attract over 7,500 competitors. Many competitors use the run as a means to raise money for  charity, and this year for the first time, the organisers linked up with JustGiving, to allow users a  quick and easy way to raise money for their chosen charity.

This year the race also presented a rather odd scene, (odder than usual) as many Santa's were dressed in blue, rather than red. The reason for this it was revealed was down to footballing allegiances, with Everton football club themselves, actually providing blue coloured suits for their fans who took part. You can see a fantastic video that shows this below:

Video posted by JMU Journalism:

I have to admit my favourite bit is the santas standing around portaloos, it just makes a strange scene even more surreal!

If the Liverpool Santa Dash sounds of interest to you, get yourself over to the Official Website run by RunLiverpool for all the information you will need. Entries for 2012 have not opened yet, but your keep on their site for the latest information. All competitors are issued with a santa suit, whether you are a Liverpool or Everton fan!

 

Christmas Pudding Race - Covent Garden - London

When: 2011: 3rd December . 2012: TBA

Combining the traditional christmas dessert and an Its A Knockout style assault course , this fun filled day involves  competitors racing through an obstacle course, whilst balancing their Christmas pud safely on a  cardboard plate. The duration of the event is around 3 hours in all, including qualifying heats to  determine the top racers.

The race which has been taking place since 1980, was thought up by the Cancer Research Aid  Committee, and has been a huge success ever since, raising around £15,000 a year for the  charity.

Entry is not cheap with each team expected to raise a minimum of £600 per team (with 6 on each team) and a fee of £25 per competitor, but it does go to a good cause and you can guaranteed a great laugh on the day. Spectators are also welcome, and due to the location, many take a break from their christmas shopping to watch the event unfold.

Fancy dress is encouraged with all the usual Christmas themed costumes, including Santa's, Reindeer and even one year a patomine horse! Competitors are also penalised for any damage to their puds during the race and the winner is the fastest team to complete the course, whilst keeping their pudding intact.

Another race has also now been started in Brighton which uses a similar format. To find out more about either race and to look into entering next year, visit their official website.

If you more information about events for the holidays, why not see our blog last year about what you can do on Boxing Day. (although the Malden Mud Race has now been moved to April 29th 2012.)