Spreading joy with Winter Wisdom – University launches festive lecture series

University of Gloucestershire is inviting schools, college groups, members of the public and staff, to come together for Winter Wisdom – a series of festive-themed lectures and discussions.

Taking place across its four campuses from Monday 8 to Thursday 11 December 2025, Winter Wisdom will showcase the breadth of the University’s academic expertise while exploring the traditions, curiosities and cultural moments that shape the winter season.

Including thought-provoking talks and hands-on creative sessions, the programme ranges from feminist perspectives on Christmas, to the legal implications of Kevin McCallister’s ingenious traps in Home Alone.

Highlights of the Winter Wisdom programme include:

• Is Christmas a Feminist Issue?
  Dr Eleanor Tiplady Higgs will explore how popular representations of women at Christmas, and particularly the figure of Mary, relate to contemporary feminist concerns around motherhood, work, family and care.
  Date: Monday 8 December, 18:00–19:30
  Location: Park Campus
• Winter Wildlife at Christmas
  Professor Anne Goodenough will unpack the stories, myths and ecology behind familiar festive symbols in nature – from robins to reindeer.
  Date: Tuesday 9 December, 18:00–19:30
  Location: Francis Close Hall Campus
• Soaring, Luminous, Mysterious: The Gothic Vision in Architecture
  Dr Yvette Putra will consider how Gothic architecture transformed the skyline and spiritual imagination of medieval Europe, leaving a legacy that still inspires today.
  Date: Tuesday 9 December, 18:00–19:30
  Location: Francis Close Hall Campus
• What Nobody Tells You About New Year’s Resolutions
  Illustrator and educator, Kimberly Hall, will invite attendees to rethink New Year’s resolutions, offering creative and reflective approaches to setting – or not setting – goals for the year ahead.
  Date: Wednesday 10 December, 18:00–19:30
  Location: Oxstalls Campus
• Home Alone and the Law: Were Kevin McCallister’s Traps Ingenious or Unlawful?
  Catherine Crampton takes a tongue-in-cheek look at the festive classic, Home Alone, testing it against real-world legal principles and asking whether Kevin’s booby traps could be considered self-defence or something more serious.
  Date: Wednesday 10 December, 18:00–19:30
  Location: Oxstalls Campus
• The Art of Christmas: Print Your Own Christmas Cards and Wrapping Paper
  Helen Williams will be running a creative workshop, where participants can design and print their own festive cards and wrapping paper, while reflecting on past, present and possible future Christmas symbols.
  Date: Thursday 11 December, 18:00–19:30
  Location: City Campus

All the workshops are free to attend but booking is required. For more details and booking information, please visit the University of Gloucestershire website.

Ends.

Notes to Editors: for more information, please contact the University press office on 01242 714516 or [email protected]

University of Gloucestershire: www.glos.ac.uk

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