7 Ways To Make The Most Of The Festive Downtime

Like a time zone all of their own, those hazy days between the festive celebrations and New Year give you a free pass to make your own rules. It’s that yearly sweet spot when you can get up late, hunker down with some delicious leftovers, and live in your cosiest loungewear without fear of judgement – and rightly so.

At the same time, Betwixtmas gives you the chance to add something unexpected to your calendar. Whether it’s visiting a gallery without the usual crowds, inviting your friends over for a themed takeaway, or learning a skill with an online class, this laidback period lets you get creative. From ice skating to podcast marathons, here are some ways to get more out of your festive downtime.

1. Cook up something creative using all those leftovers

If you need to stock up on grocery essentials after hosting friends and family, or want to make your leftovers last longer with the addition of some tasty extras, you can order any missing ingredients using Deliveroo.

“Our customers can browse the supermarket partners on the app – including Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and more – and top up on cupboard staples or fresh fruit and vegetables,” says Jack Dale at Deliveroo.

Eligible Cardmembers can get £5 back, twice every month*, when ordering their favourite groceries and meals via the Deliveroo app or website, using their Amex Gold Card.

2. Swap the telly marathon for a night at the cinema

Bored of the TV specials? Catch James Cameron’s sci-fi epic Avatar: The Way of Water (released 16 December) on an IMAX big screen, snuggle up for a seasonal classic at Backyard Cinema’s festive pop-ups in London and Manchester, or see Whitney Houston biopic I Wanna Dance With Somebody (released 26 December) at your local cinema. Whatever you choose, there’ll be shorter queues for popcorn.

3. Visit a gallery or museum you love minus the crowds

Most major galleries and museums stay open during the Twixtmas period, from the Victoria and Albert Museum to the Tate’s family of galleries and the Royal Academy – and they’re likely to be quieter than usual. Explore Polish artist Magdalena Abakanowicz’s forest of towering woven sculptures at Tate Modern, or see the works of trailblazing women artists who are criminally unsung in the history of 20^th century modernism at the RA’s exhibit, Making Modernism.

4. Invite your friends over and order a Twixtmas takeaway

If you’ve used one of your two monthly Cardmember £5 Deliveroo credits* for a leftover cook-up, why not use the other for a change from your usual festive dishes and invite your friends over for a Betwixtmas takeaway? Order a slap-up festive brunch from Leon or Gails, host a movie night accompanied by Wingstop’s spicy wings, or enjoy a comforting pasta dish from Prezzo. If you have a sweet tooth, there are loads of dessert options from the likes of Creams and Caspas.

“Over this period, we often see customers wanting to try something that isn’t the usual turkey with cranberry sauce and switching up their flavours by ordering from Asian-focused restaurants like Pho or Kokoro,” says Jack Dale, Marketing Manager at Deliveroo. “Alternatively, if you’re looking to impress your in-laws, why not order in from gourmet restaurants like Pasta Evangelists, Giggling Squid, or Dishoom.”

5. Listen to the entire back catalogue of your favourite podcast

Substitute your usual festive film marathon for a deep dive into a popular podcast. Get food inspiration from Ed Gamble and James Acaster’s Off Menu, learn the stories behind some of the world’s best-known companies in How I Built This, or delve into the archives of an all-time classic like Desert Island Discs. This is your time to binge-listen.

6. Go ice-skating under the twinkling lights

For a magical open-air skating experience, visit the Queen’s House Ice Rink at Royal Museum Greenwich, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with stunning views of Greenwich Park and Canary Wharf. Alternatively, skate under the neoclassical columns of Somerset House and enjoy rink-side gourmet dining at Chalet Suisse by Jimmy Garcia, where you can cosy up in alpine-themed surroundings. You can always upgrade your skate experience with a champagne cocktail in the Skate Lounge by Moët & Chandon.

7. Refresh your mind with an online class – or book one in for 2023

Fancy learning a new skill as you head into the new year? From life drawing to pottery to improving your emotional intelligence, use sites like the School of Life, Obby or Event Brite to book a mind-expanding class, event or workshop in something offbeat.

*Full Deliveroo Benefit Terms and Conditions apply

Save to your Card by 06/05/2023. Benefit end date is subject to change and may end before the stated date. If this happens, we will send you an email to notify you of the change and inform you of the new end date of the offer.

Enrolled Card Accounts will be eligible to receive up to £5 twice per calendar month in statement credits for transactions charged to the Card to which the offer is saved.

Excludes transactions where you do not spend directly with your Card to which the offer is saved, online at Deliveroo.co.uk or via the Deliveroo App.

In a calendar month, each of the two (2) £5 statement credits will only be applied to the first two (2) Deliveroo transactions charged to the Card to which the offer is Saved.

Enrolled Cards may receive less than £5 from each of the two statement credits during each calendar month if on each occasion the total amount of eligible transactions charged to the Card is less than £5.

Statement credits not used during the applicable calendar month do not roll over to the following month and will expire. If you have not redeemed your credit in each calendar month you forfeit receiving this credit.

Offer is only intended for the targeted recipient of this offer.

Transactions made with a Supplementary Card will not count as transactions made for the benefit of the Basic Cardmember, and will accordingly not be eligible for the Card Benefit.

Offer only applies to spend made in Great British Pound (GBP) on the Card to which the offer is saved, including an American Express® Card loaded into a mobile payment wallet.

Offer does not apply to spend on other Cards you might hold and is not valid for transactions made using Payment Aggregators.

Credit is not redeemable for cash or other payment form.

Credit should appear on your Billing Statement within five business days from qualifying spend but may take up to 90 days from the transaction date.

Credit will not be applied to your Card Account if your Card has been suspended or cancelled.

Credit may be reversed if your qualifying purchase is refunded or cancelled. Any misuse, as reasonably determined by us, relating to your redemption of Amex Offers may result in an awarded credit being reversed, and ineligibility from future Amex Offers and other promotions. This reversal may take place up to a maximum of 180 days after the offer campaign end date.

Offer not valid on orders paid on finance.

By enrolling into this offer you agree to American Express sending you a communication confirming enrolment, redemption and an expiry reminder of this offer.

Full Offer Terms available here. (https://www.americanexpress.com/uk/network/amex-offers-terms.html)