A magical ho-ho-ho
Christmas is a time of awe and wonder, and there’s no better place for children to experience this than at a magic show performed by Santa! Taking place in Brigit’s Garden, Galway, from December 8-23, Santa and his little helper will mesmerise kids and their families, along with the added touch of Mrs Claus who will also be present.
A visit will last approximately 2½ hours, with Mrs Claus and other activities for the first 1½ hours, followed by Santa’s Christmas Magic Show.
A ticket includes delicious mulled apple punch for all the family on arrival; making Christmas decorations with Mrs Claus in the thatched Roundhouse; a festive treasure hunt around the award-winning Celtic Gardens, along with a host of other perks.
This professional but intimate production takes place in the cosy surrounds of the Hazelroom in Brigit’s Garden. See brigitsgarden.ie.
Running life’s race
Most people dread the thought of running: it’s time-consuming, energy-draining, and odour-inducing. Is it even worth your time? The answer is a resounding yes. According to academics in Australia who collated scientific literature investigating the potential links between running and death risks, any amount of running is better than none at all. The findings, which appear in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, show that a link between any amount of running and a 27% lower risk of all-cause death. This finding applied to both females and males.
Moreover, the team linked running with a 30% lower risk of death relating to cardiovascular disease and a 23% lower risk of cancer-related death.
The correlation even applied to people who only ran once per week or less frequently. Individuals who ran at low speeds of under 6 mph and those who ran for less than 50 minutes also saw this reduced risk.
Ask for a flask
Flasks are pretty underrated gadgets; they have the unyielding power to keep your beverages hot throughout the whole day without the need of any clever electronic buttons or wires. With the days becoming chillier as the winter season begins, the desire for your coffee or tea to remain at optimal temperature is needed now more than ever. There’s no need for cold slurps from a take-away cup or an office mug when a flask can house your hot drinks for hours on end. New ones can even hold meals and not just boring, traditional soup but also more solid foods like curry or beef stroganoff. Trips to the microwave are redundant now given that you can simply open the lid of your flask and tuck in. They’re cheap, reliable and can make a big difference to your working life.