Christmas courses

Take the pressure out of the festive season with a range of relaxing and rewarding art and craft activities. This is a welcoming and informal class where you will have the opportunity to try different art and craft techniques. We will explore the concept of mindfulness and take part in activities which aim to create a sense of peace and wellbeing. You will have the chance to try papercrafts, modelling materials and painting techniques all with a festive theme. You can take part in group guided activities as well as being encouraged to come up with your own art ideas. You will be fully supported to work in a range of techniques and to develop your craft making skills whilst experiencing the benefits of art and craft activities for mindfulness.

During this online course you will undertake practical exercises at home and participate in online virtual walks where you will need to make some map reading choices. You need no prior knowledge to take part in this course, just a love of the outdoors and a willingness to have a go. This will sharpen your awareness of details on the map and may also improve your observation skills while out in the countryside.

Give the gift of time to your loved ones this Christmas. This course is designed to show you how to blend a collection of beautiful essential oils using the classic scents of the season. Not only do essential oils smell divine, they also have a huge range of therapeutic effects on the human body. If you are looking for muscle pain relief, anti-stress or something to help sleep and relaxation you will learn a wide range of techniques on this short course. We will cover safe blending, learn the properties of the most popular essential oils and also a range of classic Swedish massage techniques that you can apply as part of your Christmas gift.

Getting stressed at the thought of Christmas? Start your day with a lovely, relaxed stretch session with Georgia. Chair yoga is a wonderful practice that adapts traditional yoga poses to be done while seated in a chair. It’s perfect for people who may have limited mobility or chronic disease such as long Covid, knee and back problems. Also excellent for people who find it challenging to transition between standing and seated positions, or simply want a quick break from office work. In general, yoga can help manage stress, symptoms of depression, and relieves anxiety. It can also boost your mood, and quality of sleep. Seated yoga helps strengthen and lengthen muscles, ease pain and increase mobility. We will cool down and ensure this results in both uplifting and deeply restful practice by including meditation for the latter part of the session. A wonderful to start the day.

If you find the run up the Christmas stressful, join me for this yoga nidra session. Yoga Nidra translates to Yogic Sleep. It’s a deeply restful Yoga practice, and a very effective way to rest and restore at the end of the day. If you want to manage stress and anxiety and reduce fatigue, we’ve got you covered! Yoga Nidra with Georgia offers you the tools, time and space you need to manage stress and open yourself up to a place of stillness, calm and deep relaxation. Yoga Nidra helps you to easily drift into a clam and meditative state from a place of comfort and ease.

On this course you will make a variety of Christmas gifts to give to your loved ones. We will make both edible and non- edible gifts suitable for a variety of people. You will make everything along with me, so you can ask questions and share your ideas throughout the session.

Do you find the Festive season challenging or lonely? Perhaps you need a break from all the noise and build up that surrounds Christmas and you just need to press pause, take a breath and relax. Give yourself some ‘me’ time, take a break for a little while and join WEA tutor Jane Williams, where she will explore the myths behind well-known constellations of the winter sky, such as Orion the Hunter, the Seven Sisters, and the Great Bear and much more.

In this calming, meditative drawing workshop, you will have the opportunity to create intricate holiday-themed Zentangle designs on a paper. This workshop is designed to promote relaxation and mindfulness, allowing you to unwind as they explore the art of Zentangle. You will learn basic Zentangle techniques, such as creating simple shapes and lines, and discover how to transform these elements into festive patterns that capture the holiday spirit. By the end of the session, you will leave with beautifully adorned creations, embodying both your artistic expression and the joy of the season.

Join this online hand embroidery course and take some time out at this busy time of year to sit down and enjoy making a selection of handmade decorations with a varied group of learners. This course is suitable for students that are new to embroidery or those that are experienced at stitching and want to add their own extra details. There will be a different decoration to make each week and add hand embroidered stitching to embellish. You could keep the decorations for yourself or give them as a lovely gift that could be used again and again each year.

We generally think of a “traditional” Christmas dinner as being “turkey and all the trimmings”, but what are they, why are they traditional, and where do all of them come from, historically and today? Perhaps not surprisingly, some traditions go far further back than others. What do those sprouts have to do with Brussels, and why are they compulsory? My explanations will be based on my interest in historical cookery, but the recipes (available to download after the talk) will be on a purely practical and modern basis.