• Home
  • News
  • World
  • Politics
  • Money
  • Lifestyle
  • Entertainment
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Travel
  • More
    • Tech
    • Web Stories
    • Spotlight
    • Press Release
What's On

River Island to shut 33 stores with hundreds to lose their jobs

8 August 2025

Arsenal transfers: Gunners face Eberechi Eze issue if new Real Madrid plan fails

8 August 2025

Spectacular UK castle ‘straight out of a fairytale’ you can stay in this summer

8 August 2025

Freddie Mercury’s secret love child biography faced with backlash amid upcoming release

8 August 2025

Perishers – 8th August 2025

8 August 2025

Brits warned to avoid BBQs as UK faces sweltering heatwave with highs in mid-30s

8 August 2025

Putin’s sick catalogue of kidnapped Ukrainian kids sorted by eye and hair colour

8 August 2025
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Trending
  • River Island to shut 33 stores with hundreds to lose their jobs
  • Arsenal transfers: Gunners face Eberechi Eze issue if new Real Madrid plan fails
  • Spectacular UK castle ‘straight out of a fairytale’ you can stay in this summer
  • Freddie Mercury’s secret love child biography faced with backlash amid upcoming release
  • Perishers – 8th August 2025
  • Brits warned to avoid BBQs as UK faces sweltering heatwave with highs in mid-30s
  • Putin’s sick catalogue of kidnapped Ukrainian kids sorted by eye and hair colour
  • Israel’s Netanyahu condemned over Gaza City plan – ‘action will only bring more bloodshed’
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube
England TimesEngland Times
Demo
  • Home
  • News
  • World
  • Politics
  • Money
  • Lifestyle
  • Entertainment
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Travel
  • More
    • Tech
    • Web Stories
    • Spotlight
    • Press Release
England TimesEngland Times
Home » ‘I celebrated Christmas on UK tourist beach and everyone thought the same thing’
News

‘I celebrated Christmas on UK tourist beach and everyone thought the same thing’

By staff8 August 2025No Comments8 Mins Read

There’s a tinsel-decked train crammed full of tiny angelic children, Christmas trees decorated with buckets and spades, and even the seagulls are behaving themselves

Santa
Santa enjoys the sunshine at the Bridmas celebrations on the beach(Image: Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)

Christmas gets earlier every year, goes the traditional moan – and this year, it’s so early that there are children running around in flip-flops and Santa is at risk of sunburn on the beach.

The seaside town of Bridlington in Yorkshire is celebrating the big day four months early – but nobody seems to be complaining about it.

In fact, as we look around at this newly transformed winter wonderland, everyone seems to be having fun. Crucially, no-one is arguing about their mother-in-law’s measly Christmas pudding servings or getting into fist fights over the crackers.

Instead, there’s a tinsel-decked train crammed full of tiny angelic children, Christmas trees decorated with buckets and spades, and even the seagulls are behaving themselves – although their screams are being drowned out by the sound of the local choir singing Christmas carols.

READ MORE: Calls for 90s tattoo necklace to return as Maya Jama and Millie Bobby Brown join trendREAD MORE: ‘I accidentally named baby after dog food brand and I don’t know what to do’

Christmas
Christmas has arrived early on the Yorkshire coast(Image: Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)

In a bid to put Bridlington on the map, the Yorkshire coastal town is staging ‘Bridmas Day’ – proving it’s not just a summer holiday destination.

And it may be 22 degrees in the shade, but it’s already beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

As we swap donkey rides for a tinsel-sprinkled train ride, conductor Jonathon Kinghorn rings his bell and six-year-old River shouts “Hello, Mr Christmas!” before we start our journey along the promenade into what feels like another world.

Santa welcomes people on the beach
Santa welcomes people on the beach(Image: Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)

River is here with her mum Chelsea, 32, and grandma Jane Filby, 62, and tells us she is so excited to be at Bridmas because her birthday is on Christmas Day – and she can’t wait to tell Father Christmas.

Jane says: “We’ve come from Northamptonshire for a week’s holiday and we didn’t know about Bridmas until we saw it on the news this morning.

“We were already planning to come to the beach for the day and when we saw this event was also going on we thought, ‘That’s great because it’s River’s birthday on Christmas Day’ – but we didn’t tell her until she got here.”

Market
The celebration aims to highlight Bridlington as a year-round destination(Image: Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)

River is most excited about meeting Father Christmas: “It’s exciting – I’m also looking forward to building a sandcastle and going into the sea. I love having a birthday on Christmas Day because I get double the presents.”

Her mum Chelsea added: “It’s a bit strange celebrating Christmas on a hot, sunny day in August but River’s auntie goes to Australia every year so I suppose it’s a bit like that.”

Grandma Jane says it’s a great day out and – while they wouldn’t turn their nose up at mince pies and mulled wine – they “can’t wait to have fish and chips”. As long as the seagulls keep their beaks off, that is.

Tree
Christmas tree decorated with buckets and spades at the Bridmas market(Image: Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)

Along the stretch of mile-long sandy beach, families are setting up their deck chairs for the day and kids are building sandcastles and sand mermaids. We spot the big man himself, Father Christmas – who could probably do with some Factor 50 instead of his fur-trimmed velvet hat – who tells us he’s from the North Pole but loves coming to Bridlington for his holidays.

“It’s absolutely balmy celebrating Christmas in August but that’s what we do in Bridlington as we’re a crazy bunch around here,” he ho-ho-hos.

“It’s out of my comfort zone because as you know it’s much colder in the North Pole but even though I’m a bit toasty I’m managing – they’re keeping me hydrated.”

Jackie
Mirror reporter Jackie Annett takes a ride on the Bridlington fun bus(Image: Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)

We spot one festive-mad family pulling their youngest two children along the white sands in Santa’s sleigh.

Dad Darren, 51, says: “We found out about Bridmas a week ago – we absolutely love Christmas in our family. We always wear short-sleeved Christmas outfits every year because we like to crank the heating up high, so we had the perfect outfits ready for Christmas on the beach.”

Wife Tracy, 56, adds: “We love Christmas as a family and every Boxing Day we wear matching Grinch pyjamas. Today’s brilliant, the atmosphere is great, everyone’s having a good time and it’s good to see everyone outside with their families having fun.

Carol singers entertain the crowds
Carol singers entertain the crowds(Image: Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)

“It’s really busy and we were worrying when we were walking up that it was only gonna be us dressed up. We moved to Bridlington a few months ago – we love living here, everyone is so friendly, everything’s on your doorstep and people talk to you when you’re out and about.

“Bridmas is good for the town as it shows that all year round there’s lots to do for families – we’re going to go and see Father Christmas and go on the train and we’ll definitely be coming back next year.”

Gingerbread
A Christmas gingerbread man is spotted on the fun bus(Image: Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)

Roxanne Ellis, 37, from nearby Goole, says: “I’ve got my three children with me, my mother, my auntie, my cousins and their children – we’re having a big family day out in Bridlington. We came especially for Bridmas as I love Christmas.

“I could start celebrating Christmas now and put my tree up – I love spending money and giving gifts and eating pigs in blankets.

“I’ll probably buy a few Christmas presents from the market stalls today. It’s a brilliant idea for local businesses and it’s lovely to get out as a family – we’ll be taking the kids to see Father Christmas later.”

Bridlington
Bridlington hosted its unique “Bridmas Day” on Wednesday, 6 August(Image: Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)

But while her son Bobby, 12, says he’s having a good time, he points out that there’s one thing missing.

“I like Christmas but I don’t have any presents so it’s not as good as the real Christmas,” he says. “It’s a bit different to actual Christmas as you have snow and other things to look forward to like mince pies but I’m still enjoying it. It’s a bit funny that it’s hot and I’m sitting on the beach celebrating Christmas in August.”

Alan, 73, and Hazel Austell, 72, have brought their granddaughter Evie, five, to the beach for the day and they’re all wearing Christmas jumpers, although they’ve tied them around their waists because the sun is blazing.

Family
(L-R) Tracy Wall, 56, Darren Wall, 51, Josh Wall, 24, Jaime Wall, 24, Zach Wall, 14, (bottom row) Layla Wall, 3, Ava Rose Wall, 2(Image: Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)

Alan says: “We thought we’d bring our Christmas jumpers with us and get into the spirit of things but it’s so warm. It’s something different and we’ve been looking forward to it. Having two Christmasses a year isn’t so bad – we’re looking forward to taking Evie to see Father Christmas and going on the Santa train.”

Meanwhile, Fiona Turner, project coordinator for East Riding Council is manning the impressive ice sculpture by the huge Christmas tree in the market which, unsurprisingly, is melting in the heat.

“We’re promoting the ice trail, which is happening in the town over the weekend of November 15 and 16 – the idea is to show people that Bridlington is alive during winter as well, it’s not just for summer,” she says, studiously ignoring the steady drip-drip of her sculpture.

“It’s lovely to see Bridlington so busy. Businesses here do okay in the summer but it’s important to support them all year round. There’s a lot of culture in Bridlington and lovely scenery – it’s beautiful.”

Family
(L-R) Jackie Ellis, 62. Bobby Ellis Waudby 12, Angie Gibson 63, Kelsey Gibbon 36, Roxanne Ellis 37(Image: Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)

But not everyone is impressed when it comes to celebrating Christmas Day so early.

The Grinch rocks up and looks around disdainfully. “It’s a bit ridiculous celebrating Christmas in the middle of August,” he sniffs. “I would probably change the fact that it is warm and Christmassy, to be honest with you.”

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Tumblr Email

Related News

Brits warned to avoid BBQs as UK faces sweltering heatwave with highs in mid-30s

8 August 2025

Moment Harvey Willgoose’s killer flashes knife after stabbing classmate to death

8 August 2025

‘Secret codes’ cruise ship workers use in front of passengers, according to ex employee

8 August 2025

‘Fun and outgoing’ Brit found dead in Holland ditch after house party

8 August 2025

‘I clean five-star hotels for a living – real secret to sparkling floors is 20p’

8 August 2025

Final tragic moments of boy, 15, who died on M60 ahead of Oasis gig

8 August 2025
Latest News

Arsenal transfers: Gunners face Eberechi Eze issue if new Real Madrid plan fails

8 August 2025

Spectacular UK castle ‘straight out of a fairytale’ you can stay in this summer

8 August 2025

Freddie Mercury’s secret love child biography faced with backlash amid upcoming release

8 August 2025

Perishers – 8th August 2025

8 August 2025
Stay In Touch
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Vimeo
Don't Miss
News

Brits warned to avoid BBQs as UK faces sweltering heatwave with highs in mid-30s

By staff8 August 20250

Parents have been urged to talk to their children about the ‘risks of starting outdoor…

Putin’s sick catalogue of kidnapped Ukrainian kids sorted by eye and hair colour

8 August 2025

Israel’s Netanyahu condemned over Gaza City plan – ‘action will only bring more bloodshed’

8 August 2025

‘Powerful’ Hoover robot vacuum price drop makes it £1,000 cheaper than Dyson

8 August 2025
England Times
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
© 2025 England Times. All Rights Reserved.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

Go to mobile version