Manchester Christmas Markets have officially run out of its beloved festive mugs, despite a stock of 140,000 cups.
The hugely popular event has now resorted to using leftover stock from previous years for its gluhwein and hot chocolates, billing them as ‘vintage and retro’.
It means that visitors to the Christmas Markets over its final few days will no longer be handed the 2022 design – featuring Christmas characters like Santa, Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, and polar bears all high-fiving each other – and will instead throw it back as far as 2012.
Shoppers pay a deposit of £3 for a mug, which is returned when mugs are handed back in at the bars – but it seems like this year everyone’s chosen to hang on to theirs as a souvenir.
Manchester City Council said that 80,000 collectable 2022 mugs were printed this year, with a further 60,000 printed with no dates to be used in future years.
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Manchester Christmas Markets 2011 mug design. Credit: Manchester City Council
After a particularly busy festive period, which has included the city’s first ever Christmas Parade, the entire stock has been obliterated.
By 12 December – just over a month since the markets opened – every 2022 mug had either been sold or was doing the rounds of the markets in its rental scheme.
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Then by 15 December, a whole week before the festivities wrap up, they were all gone and were being replaced by vintage mugs from previous years.
Councillor Pat Karney, Christmas spokesperson for Manchester City Council, said: “Our Christmas mugs have always been a massive hit with each year’s design eagerly anticipated, but this year they seem to have been top of everyone’s wish-list and the demand for them has been phenomenal!
Previous Manchester Christmas Markets mug designs:
Manchester Christmas Markets 2012 mug design. Credit: Manchester City CouncilManchester Christmas Markets 2017 mug design. Credit: Manchester City CouncilManchester Christmas Markets 2018 mug design. Credit: Manchester City Council
“Bad luck of course for anyone who maybe hasn’t been to the markets yet and so has missed out on one of them, but with all our vintage mugs now out in the markets until they close, what a great chance to grab a piece of Manchester Christmas past for all the retro-heads and collectors out there!
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“The vintage mugs have been proving a massive hit with visitors over the weekend who simply can’t get enough of them and have been lapping up the nostalgic designs with their kissing snowmen and mistletoe, and of course our 2018 vintage with their interactive and wearable red nose reindeers!
“Don’t miss out – come and grab one!”
Manchester’s world-famous Christmas Markets are spread across nine sites in the city centre, and are open until 5pm this Thursday 22 December.
The market stalls at Cathedral Gardens alongside Skate Manchester ice rink will remain open in the run-up to Christmas and again after Christmas until New Year’s Eve.
The opening times for stalls at Cathedral Gardens from 22 December are as follows:
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22 Dec – open 11 am close at 9 pm
23 Dec – open 11 am close at 9 pm
24 Dec – open 10 am close at 5 pm
25 Dec – closed for Christmas Day
26 Dec – 31 Dec – open 10 am close at 6 pm
Featured image: Manchester City Council
Christmas
Viral cosmetics brand P. Louise to bring exclusive pop-up to Trafford Centre this Christmas
Thomas Melia
Huge cosmetics and beauty brand P.Louise has announced an exclusive pop-up set to take place in Trafford Centre this Christmas.
Greater Manchester makeup artist turned business woman, Paige Louise, gained lots of traction online for her baby pink-packaged makeup products, branded after her nickname, P.Louise, and now the company has announced its bringing an exclusive pop-up to Manchester’s Trafford Centre just in time for Christmas.
After such a success last year, the pop-up event, aptly-titled ‘Pinkmas’, will be returning to Manchester, and its bringing P.Louise’s much-loved makeup brand to life through an interactive display at the Trafford Centre.
Visitors can expect to explore the magical world of ‘Pinkmas’ through three different immersive winter zones.
P.Louise Pinkmas is coming to the Trafford Centre this festive season / Credit: Publicity Picture (via Supplied)
Much like her P.Louise Empire site over in Stockport, Pinkmas elevates this experience by sprinkling a little bit of Christmas magic over the baby pink brand and its festive-themed makeup products.
Each of the interactive zones will serve their own purpose, encouraging you to get stuck in with a variety of activities all relating to the festive season.
You can enjoy decorating your own gingerbread treats in Mrs Claus’ Kitchen, personalising and making a keepsake of best-selling product ‘Bad B*tch’, all before writing a letter to Santa at the ‘Post Me Pretty Room’.
Each person who attends can expect to spend up to three hours travelling through each pretty pink zone, guided by the P.Louise elves on a story-led tour.
After all that wonderland wonderfulness, there’s only one thing missing from this festive extravaganza, and what screams Christmas more than a pantomime? A P.Louise Pantomime though, of course, with a guest appearance from Santa himself.
As you venture through the Pinkmas pop-up, there’ll be moments for you to get your hands on some P.Louise goodies and gift sets, as well as sampling the tasty treats from the food and drink stalls.
Get ready to deck the halls with blush, gloss and glamour this festive season, as P.Louise Pinkmas is residing in Trafford Centre for the entire Christmas period.
Visitors can expect to step into a world of glitz and glam when P.Louise Pinkmas visits Trafford Centre / Credit: Publicity Picture (via Supplied)
“I wanted to create the memories I never had, and above all else, give others the chance to make those magical moments,” commented Paige Williams, who is the dynamic founder and CEO of P.Louise.
Simon Layton, Centre Director at Trafford Centre, added: “We’re thrilled to welcome Paige Williams, a brilliant local success story, and her hugely popular brand for a festive experience that’s full of sparkle and surprises.”
P.Louise Pinkmas is returning to Manchester’s Trafford Centre from 1 December to 4 January, and you can find tickets and more information HERE.
Featured Images – Publicity Pictures (via Supplied)
Christmas
Disney On Ice is bringing its ‘Find Your Hero’ tour to Manchester this Christmas
Emily Sergeant
Disney On Ice is returning to Manchester with a brand-new magical adventure for the whole family this festive season.
I know June has only just begun and that officially means summer is here, but do you fancy just casting your minds forward to Christmas for a second?
That’s because Disney On Ice has announced today that it’ll be heading out on a tour of the UK once the festive season rolls around, and of course, the tour’ll be making a stop here in Manchester.
Audiences will get to discover what it truly means to be a hero, as Mickey and Minnie Mouse and all their friends from the Disney Kingdom come together to take families on a journey of unforgettable moments as they bring timeless tales to life on ice.
The production will travel throughout the UK, visiting places like Birmingham, Nottingham, Newcastle, Aberdeen, and Belfast, all before arriving at Manchester’s AO Arena.
This is your chance to re-live famous Disney stories with all of your favourite characters, alongside the magic of classic Disney songs and world-class ice skating.
Disney On Ice is bringing its ‘Find Your Hero’ tour to Manchester this Christmas / Credit: Supplied
The talented Disney On Ice cast rehearse for more than 550 hours to perfect each performance and encapsulate the characters, while a team of choreographers, and set and costume designers, create more than 200 props and more than 200 different costumes.
Encanto, Moana, Frozen, The Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, and Tangled are just some of the legendary Disney tales you can see reimagined when Disney On Icepresents Find Your Hero arrives in Manchester this December.
Disney On Ice presents Find Your Hero 2025/26 tour dates
bp pulse LIVE, Birmingham: 29 October – 9 November 2025
Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham: 12 – 16 November 2025
Utilita Arena, Newcastle: 19 – 23 November 2025
P&J Live, Aberdeen: 27 – 30 November 2025
SSE Arena, Belfast: 5 – 7 December 2025
AO Arena, Manchester: 10 – 14 December 2025
Utilita Arena, Sheffield: 17 – 21 December 2025
O2 Arena, London: 26 December 2025 – 4 January 2026
The magical production is arriving at the AO Arena this December / Credit: Supplied
The production brings beloved characters to life through cutting-edge figure skating, eye-catching costumes, and stunning set designs, with innovative lighting and thrilling special effects, making it an experience the whole family will treasure forever.
Disney On Icepresents Find Your Hero arrives at Manchester’s AO Arena from 10-14 December 2025, and tickets go on Three+ presale on Monday 9 June and AO Arena presale on Thursday 12 June, both at 9am.
All before they then go on general sale next Friday 13 June, again at 9am.
Daisy Jackson -
20th December 2022 
