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Listings
BLOOD: Today’s opportunities to donate blood are at Britannia International Hotel by Canary Wharf, ASDA in Charlton, Walthamstow Assembly Hall and Richmond Athletic Association. Free, see site for terms and conditions
CHRISTMAS MARKETS: Find a festive market near you and pick up some presents while scoffing a mince pie.
SKATING: If you haven’t fallen over on your rear end in way too long, then you’ll find our round-up of all the pop-up ice rinks in London here. You’re welcome
CHRISTMAS SHOWS: Check out cracking festive theatre shows on in London this season, with options for all sorts of folk.
KEW: Throughout the month, visitors to Kew Gardens can follow an illuminated trail throughout the garden’s beautiful winter landscape. There’s also a Christmas village and market for you to warm up at afterwards. Adults £12.50, kids £8, from 4.45-8.45pm daily, until 4 January 2014
OLD BOOKS: An exhibition featuring dedications found in second hand books starts today at Foyles. Free, just turn up, until 30 December
WINTER MUSIC: Spitalfields Music Winter Festival continues. Here’s our preview.Tonight you can enjoy a musical adventure for children with Frederick the Bold (£5) or join Remember Me (£12) — an immersive opera experience. Until 17 December
ART & SCIENCE: Winter Shuffle presents art and science film, talks, music, workshops, immersive theatre and more in an abandoned psychiatric hospital. Read our preview, some events free, until 15 December.
UKULELE: Whether you’re a regular Ukulele-er or just Uke-curious, pop down to Queen of Hoxton and hire one for a Hootenanny (or bring your own). Free (£20 returnable deposit for the ukulele), just turn up, 7.30pm
KATHERINE JENKINS: The Welsh songstress is at the Royal Albert Hall tonight for a special Christmas concert containing her favourite songs and carols. £29-£85, prebook, 7.30pm
FRIENDSHIP: AC Grayling talks about friendship at the London Jewish Cultural Centre. £12/£10, prebook, 8pm
Good Cause of the Day
The Prince’s Foundation for Children and the Arts holds its annual Carol Concert at The Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Square, featuring seasonal readings, musical performances, plus food and drink. £11-£32.50, prebook, doors open 7pm
London Connection Puzzle
Did you work out last week's puzzle solution? The clues were RICHARD HANNAY, BASIL, PETER PAN and CHON WANG. The solution is that all got into scrapes on the hands of Big Ben's clock face. Hannay is the hero from the 39 Steps, Basil is the Great Mouse Detective, everyone knows Peter Pan, and Chon Wang was Jackie Chan's character in Shanghai Knights. Well done to John Wilkes who was first to work it out (needing all four clues), and thanks to Neil Paterson for setting a really good puzzle. A new challenge starts tomorrow.
From the Archive
Londoners and their birds, from 2011. Also, did you know that this day two years ago was also the final outing of London's bendy bus?
London Weather by Inclement Attlee
To get you in the Christmas mood, The Editor has ordered Inclement Attlee to set all December forecasts to popular seasonal tunes. Today's is a meteorological take on the days of Christmas
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me,
The weather from Inclement Attlee.
On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me,
Two woolly gloves,
and the weather from Inclement Attlee.
On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me,
Three drenched men,
Two woolly gloves,
and the weather from Inclement Attlee.
On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me,
Forecasting words,
Three drenched men,
Two woolly gloves,
and the weather from Inclement Attlee.
On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me,
Five. Cold. Things.
Forecasting words,
Three drenched men,
Two woolly gloves,
and the weather from Inclement Attlee.
And jumping ahead...
On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me,
Twelve Peter Cockrofts
Eleven drainpipes running,
Ten clouds a-floating
Nine raindrops bouncing
Eight mists a-murking
Seven degrees and falling
Six breezes blowing,
Five. Cold. Things.
Forecasting words,
Three drenched men,
Two woolly gloves,
and the weather from Inclement Attlee.
