This year for our annual Christmas market trip, we decided to go to Birmingham as it was easier to stay in the UK. We were planning to go to Dortmund as we had in 2018 and 2019 but going would have meant we'd have had to isolate over Christmas while waiting for PCR tests and it just wasn't worth it.

Instead of not going anywhere like last year, we decided on Birmingham as the market looked like the best one in the UK from pictures, and it is run by the same people who run the Frankfurt one, so it was very German.

We only stayed in Birmingham for one night so we traveled up on a Sunday, got there around lunchtime, and started exploring the market. 

When we go to Germany, we usually focus on the food and drink on day 1 and then the shopping on day 2. There may have been too much focusing on drink on day 1 that led to not that much hopping on day 2, but we were all just excited to be together celebrating when we couldn't last year.

I really enjoyed my time at the markets and it seemed a lot more authentically German than other ones I've seen in the UK. However, I feel like this market was more about food and drink and less about shopping stalls as there were only a few of those. 

Related: Dortmund Christmas markets

As the UK is not really known for its Christmas markets, it isn't difficult to beat the other ones in the UK in my opinion. I haven't yet seen one here that is better than Birmingham but if you have been to a really amazing one, I'd love to hear about it!

Incidentally, I have been to the Bath Christmas markets before and they have a lot more shopping stalls than anything else with less food and drinks if I'm not mistaken. However, there is not much of a market in Bath this year. 

With the food in Birmingham, there was not much to choose from in terms of what to eat, but there were plenty of places to get classic Christmas market food like Bratwurst, chips and mayo, and Frikadellen. 

Does it compare to German Christmas markets though? Absolutely not, German markets at this time of year are unbeatable, the UK just can't compete. Having said that, I am really glad we went to Birmingham and we all had a lovely time so it is definitely worth doing as an alternative.

We stayed in the Jury's Inn hotel which was pretty cheap for one night too! All in all a fun couple of days. It was also my first time going to Birmingham and I'd love to go back, it is amazing for shopping.

Have you been to any UK Christmas markets that you enjoyed?

I have started doing a few book reviews this year and that's because, to be honest, I have only really started regularly reading as a hobby this year.

When I was at uni I had to read for my course so I didn't really want to do it in my free time, but I've actually been enjoying it since leaving. Does that mean I'm a real-life adult now?

So, I thought I would share my favourite books I have read this year with you.

My best reads of 2021

1. Women Don't Owe You Pretty by Florence Given

2. Humankind: A Hopeful History by Rutger Bregman

3. The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris

4. Good Vibes, Good Life: How Self-Love Is the Key to Unlocking Your Greatness by Vex King

5. His Other Woman by Louise Voss

6. Drag Queen of Scots: The Dos and Don'ts of a Drag Superstar by Lawrence Chaney

7. Release the Beast: A Drag Queen's Guide to Life by Bimini Bon Boulash

8. Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard

I was debating doing a Christmas gift guide this year as I did one last year, but I thought since I created the Salisbury Bloggers network this year, it would be great to share some local businesses with you, whether you are from the Salisbury area or not.

If you are not yet aware of the Salisbury Bloggers network, this is an Instagram account I created over summer with the aim of connecting creators and local businesses in Salisbury and the surrounding areas. While being at uni in Bournemouth, I was part of the Bournemouth Bloggers group and had some great opportunities from being part of it, so I thought Salisbury needed something similar. Follow the Salisbury Bloggers network on Instagram here.

Another aim of the group is to create opportunities for Salisbury creators, similar to the opportunities I had from Bournemouth Bloggers. So, if you are a local business wanting to work with influencers and creators, or if you're a creator looking to work with local businesses, get in touch and see more information here.

Salisbury Christmas Gift Guide

So, I am going to be sharing my favourite local businesses with you where you can get great gifts for loved ones for Christmas.

1. Wolf Cabin Wax Melts

I recently ordered some wax melts from Naomi at Wolf Cabin Wax Melts and they smell amazing. Wolf Cabin is a small wax melt business local to Salisbury which was started in 2020 and the name of the business inspired by everything cosy, just like you would find in a cabin.

Their wax melts would make great Christmas gifts and stocking fillers. They have such a wide range of scents - Christmassy and non Christmassy and they are so affordable too.

2. Rosebourne

3. Ginkgo Accessories

4. Crystals

5. My Mini Wardrobe

If you are looking for handmade knitted clothes for little people in your life, then look no further than My Mini Wardrobe on Etsy.

These items are handmade in Salisbury and you can personalise and chat with the business owner to collaborate on the perfect pieces.

6. Weathered Knots

Paige from Weathered Knots creates and sells the most amazing home decorations made out of Macrame knots. So much talent goes into these items, and again she is local to Salisbury.

Paige's website is definitely worth a look. There are so many unique gifts you could buy for a loved one to spice up their living space.

7. Army Flying Museum

8. Ruby and Moon

9. Maul's Cheese and Wine Bar

10. Chalke Valley Soaps

11. Artisan Wine and Spirit Co

12. Bluestone Vineyards

13. Cholderton Rare Breeds Farm

Now that I have left uni and don't have to read for my dissertation anymore, I am actually enjoying reading as a hobby for the first time really. One of the books I have really enjoyed reading lately is Lawrence Chaney's first book, Drag Queen of Scots: The Dos and Don'ts of a Drag Superstar.

If you don't know who Lawrence Chaney is, they are a Scottish drag queen who won RuPaul's Drag Race UK Season 2 and I have been a fan since watching the show. I have also seen Lawrence Chaney perform live which was fabulous.

I haven't really read a biography until this one and I thoroughly enjoyed it, so I had to share my thoughts with you.

What was the book about?

The book does what it says on the tin. It is an autobiography mixed with advice for drag queens who want to start out. As Lawrence was only 24 at the time of writing, the book is about their childhood, teenage years and how they got into drag, and ultimately winning Drag Race.

Related: Women don't owe you pretty book review

After watching Lawrence Chaney KILL IT all of season 2, it was so interesting to read about their childhood. As with many drag queens, they were bullied throughout most of their childhood, mostly for being gay, being fat or being Scottish. Although it was hard to read about, Lawrence made light of this and in the end, the bullying lessened at school due to their sense of humour. Being funny and making fun of themself was a way out of being targeted and I resonate with this a lot.

After that Lawrence wrote about getting into drag and gender identity. They said at one point that they are still on a journey with gender so even though I have heard Lawrence be referred to as he/him out of drag and she/her in drag, I am using gender-neutral pronouns in this post such as they/them/theirs.

The book had a lot of content about mental health but it was a light read due to a balance of talking about important subjects whilst also injecting comedy into the book.

Should you read this book?

The answer is 100% yes! Even if you are not into RuPaul's Drag Race, it's still so interesting to read about how an ordinary person pursues their dreams and becomes a drag superstar. 

Related: 5 books I wish I'd read sooner

Have you read this book?