For a good chunk of us Brits, Christmas can be quite the boozy affair – and there’s absolutely no denying that.
No matter how your Christmas tends to pan out, if you’re partial to an alcoholic tipple, then there’s an extremely good chance that one or two – or considerably more – are going to be sipped on throughout the festive season.
But with the Christmas drinking usually comes the all-mighty Christmas hangover.
It turns out though, that us Mancs are set to be feeling the fuzzy heads more than others this year, as research conducted by CBD and supplements brand, fourfive, has revealed which UK cities are likely to be the most hungover this Christmas – and Manchester has got itself a spot in the top five.
According to the research, searches for ‘hangover cure’ increase by 34% on average each December as Brits clamber to ease sore heads and waves of nausea brought on by the party season.
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The data reveals that Newcastle made the most searches for ‘hangover cure’ on a per capita basis – with 889 searches per 100,000 people during the festive period.
In second and third place are Belfast and Manchester, respectively, with Leeds and Norwich also securing their place in the top five most hungover cities.
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Manchester will be the third most hungover city this Christmas / Credit: Sandy Hibbard (via Unsplash)
Top 10 Most Hungover Cities in the UK
Newcastle
Belfast
Manchester
Leeds
Norwich
Edinburgh
Glasgow
Nottingham
Bristol
Birmingham
According to the survey, on average, the term ‘hangover cure’ generates 22,200 average monthly searches, but they typically increase in December.
Other queries that typically see an increase at Christmas include searches for ‘hangover remedies’ and ‘best thing for a hangover’, so, with so many of us searching for the illusive hangover cure, what is the best way to tackle post Christmas party side effects?
Clinical neuroscientist and nutritionist, Dr Elisabeth Philipps, from fourfive says proper hydration is the key to swift recovery this Christmas, explaining: “Alternate alcoholic drinks with a glass of water and by taking a hydration tablet before drinking alcohol and after a heavy drinking session the next morning. B vitamins are also crucial to helping with your energy levels, and topping up your electrolytes will help to replace the lost water in your body.
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Searches for ‘hangover cure’ increase by 34% on average each December / Credit: Andisheh A (via Unsplash)
“Make sure to eat before drinking too.
“Healthy fats are the best option to line the stomach, which is where alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream. Try an avocado smoothie, hummus salad. or even cheese on toast to set yourself up for the night.
“It can be tempting to try and sweat out the hangover but too much exercise will only worsen dehydration – keep it light with a winter walk or simple yoga session.”
The simple hack that can save healthcare workers and teachers money on their holidays
Danny Jones
With cost-of-living pressure ever-present in the background of most everyday lives, finding some spare pennies for a getaway feels more difficult than ever, and if there’s anyone who deserves discounts on a holiday, it’s healthcare workers.
That’s why, when we became aware of the simple hack that can save those working in healthcare services money on holidays, we thought we’d help spread the word.
We’re sure lots of you working within the sector already know plenty about this booking strategy, but for anyone who doesn’t, how do you fancy saving up to half a grand on your next jolly?
In fact, even those working in education can cut their costs, too.
With searches for ‘holiday voucher code’ up by 73% on Google, and even the likes of TikTok seeing ‘money saving tips’ up by 45%, travel agency TUI have decided to team up with the Health Service Discounts platform for 2026.
Providing those who work for the NHS with a ‘Holidays for Heroes’ (HfH) access code on various popular peak-season trips, this exclusive discount can be added on top of all other seasonal TUI deals, including the company’s ‘First Choice’ package holidays.
With the HfH code alone guaranteeing workers an extra £100 off their bookings, play your cards right, and you could get up to £500 in total discounts overall.
How to access the healthcare ‘Holidays for Heroes’ deal
Separate from standard Blue Light card savings, here’s how it works, and don’t worry, it’s all very simple:
As mentioned, education workers can also benefit from similar money off, with an extra £50 per person through the TUI x Discounts for Teachers partnership, as well.
Ella Foden-Lynch, Partnerships Manager for TUI, said in a statement: “Getting away is absolutely vital for wellbeing, especially for those working in high-stress healthcare and education roles.
“With the cost-of-living crisis still putting a strain on household budgets, we know how hard it is to stretch your pay to cover a much-needed family break. By unlocking these exclusive TUI deals, we hope to give our key workers the realistic recovery time they deserve without the financial worry.”
So, for those of you healthcare heroes and teachers looking for a well-deserved break, we urge you to find an affordable holiday that suits you very soon. With cheaper airport pints also inbound later this year, here’s hoping you save even more spends for when you’re away.
The new James Bond game is full of Easter eggs – including a nod to Manchester United
Danny Jones
Even if you’re not a big gamer, you may have seen that a rather popular new James Bond game recently dropped: 007 First Light – and if you’ve played it yourself, you will have no doubt come across many Easter eggs and references throughout, including one to Manchester United.
As we happen to be currently playing it for ourselves, we’ll admit that hearing any mention of our hometown or even just quintessentially UK nods that any Brit would enjoy was likely to result in putting a grin on our faces.
That being said, apart from whenever the next FIFA—sorry, EA Sports FC drops, we weren’t expecting to hear Man United brought up in one of the biggest video games of the year.
In fact, we’re going to go out on a limb and say that nobody has this on their 2026 bingo card.
Credit: @CaptPierce93 via r/Manchester (screenshots shared to Reddit)
It may just be a slightly tongue-in-cheek throwaway line in a cutscene, but it’s still been enjoyed by many around the world.
As player ‘CaptPierce93’ writes in his caption of his Reddit post sharing the snippet: “The game has a good splash of product placements that don’t get overwhelming; an earlier portion of the game even has radio chatter of a Manchester City and Liverpool match as well.”
He’s right as well: we’ve come across lots of different little interesting nuggets and cameos during our limited playtime, and it’s safe to say we’re looking forward to seeing what else we can spot.
While any Mancunian or true, dyed-in-the-wool United fan will no doubt squirm a little at the use of ‘Man U‘ (we’re thinking like when people ‘Manny’), it’s still pretty cool nonetheless.
You can see the specific scene in full down below.
Such a surreal few seconds.
There’s something very satisfying about hearing ‘Greenway’ – played by recognisable British actor Lennie James (Snatch, The Walking Dead, Blade Runner 2049) – utter the words “Stretford End”.
And before you ask, no, he isn’t a Red: the South Londoner is a Spurs fan and is also said to have a soft spot for Valencia, as it happens.
We’re pretty sure there aren’t any other Manc references to keep your eye out for, but we’ll let you know if we stumble upon more as we continue playing the game.
There’s something about videogame Easter eggs, in-jokes and refs like these that we never tire of; you just never know what little tidbits are going to inspire someone…
Emily Sergeant -
23rd December 2022 
