The time has come, McDonald's is finally launching its full Christmas menu for 2023, and there's lots of festive feasting to get stuck into.
It’s been a long time coming but McDonald’s finally joined the Christmas party today (22 November), and there’s a bunch of new and returning fan favourites on the lineup to get those mouths watering.
We’re talking Cheese Melt Dippers, Galaxy McFlurrys, limited-edition festive pies, and the highly-anticipated return of one of the chain’s most viral burgers of all time.
New to the menu this year is ‘The Big & Cheesy’ burger, which is made up of a large 100% beef patty, two slices of cheese, red onions, and crispy onions, topped in a cheese sauce and sandwiched between a toasted flour-dusted bun.
Image: McDonald's
There’s also option to add bacon onto that too, with the new ‘The Big & Cheesy with Bacon’.
But when it comes to the star of the burger show, it doesn’t get much better – or more talked-about – than the return of the Chicken Big Mac.
Having proven to be a huge hit with Maccies’ fans after it first debuted back in 2022, going viral and selling out both on its initial release and first return, the Chicken Big Mac is a twist on the chain’s iconic burger with a triple-layered bun, two chicken patties, a slice of cheese, lettuce, pickles, and of course, the Big Mac sauce.
Also being thrown back into the mix this year are the Cheese Melt Dippers, which are the perfect festive feast accompaniment made with camembert and served with a rich tomato dip.
Image: McDonald's UK
Not only that, but this year’s festive menu brings with it the chance to order the ‘McDonald’s Chicken Combo’ – which includes 10 Chicken Selects and a 20 Chicken McNuggets Sharebox – for the first time in restaurants after it launched on delivery platforms earlier this month.
Got yourself a bit of sweet tooth though? There’s three treats to choose from this year.
Fans of the axed Chocolate Pie and the soon-to-disappear Toffee Apple Pie will probably be pretty excited to give the new Galaxy Caramel Pie a try, which has a Galaxy-flavoured caramel sauce encased in a crispy chocolate pastry.
On the McFlurry front, there’s two new Galaxy offerings to go with your pie – one that’s swirled with chocolate sauce, and one with caramel, and both are topped off by little festive Galaxy stars.
The full McDonald’s 2023 Festive Menu is now available to tuck into, and is expected to stick around until the new year.
Leeds Christmas Markets is returning to the city centre in just two months' time and some major plans and changes have been announced.
Although Pop Princess Zara Larsson might want us to believe "Summer isn't over yet", it's safe to say that the recent downpours we've had across West Yorkshire disagree.
Leeds Christmas Markets are also ringing in the new season with a jam-packed video posted to social media announcing all the current plans and changes for its 2026 schedule.
This year, outdoor events company Thor’s Tipi are stepping up as the all-new operators of this Christmastime spectacular and are organising a celebration where 'even if you’re not from Yorkshire, you’re going to leave being from Yorkshire'.
Leeds Christmas Markets are returning to Leeds City Square from Thursday 19 November with plenty of Yorkshire-centric stalls / Credit: The Hoot Leeds
Although Leeds locals already know that Yorkshire is 'God's Own Country', the Leeds Christmas Markets team are making sure that the county is represented through its food, drinks and wider stalls.
In a video uploaded to its social accounts, foodie expert and Little Bao Boy Founder James 'Jimmy Chews' Ooi was given the honour of revealing all these exciting plans.
Informing everyone that "You best come hungry", Ooi noted that some of the phenomenal vendors taking part include La Grassa and The Savvy Baker.
Real Markets Yorkshire and Stump Cross Caverns are also getting into the Christmas spirit and setting up their own stalls at Leeds City Square this November.
La Grassa is just one of many familiar foodie faces returning to Leeds Christmas Markets / Credit: The Hoot Leeds
Rated restaurants and bars are contributing to the festive frenzy too, like Cabaret Thursdays at Italian restaurant Bibi's and beer garden destination Green Room are hosting singalongs at Leeds Christmas Markets.
There will be plenty of activities for families happening all around the unofficial capital of West Yorkshire like elf-themed scavenger hunts, various elves on various shelves and lots of live music.
If it wasn't apparent already, in the words of Jimmy Chews himself, there's about to be "So much Christmas that Mariah Carey is going to look like the Grinch".
Leeds Christmas Markets are returning to Leeds City Square from Thursday 19 November and there will be plenty of exciting announcements to the upcoming celebrations ahead of the big day.
Popular TV channel playing Christmas films 24/7 is now back on air in the UK
Emily Sergeant
Think it's too early for 'C word'? Never mind, you've already clicked on this article.
Sure, we may only be into our second full week of September, but given the fact the weather these past couple of days hasn't exactly screamed summer, it already feels like the festive season is around the corner - but whether or not you think it’s too early to be talking about Christmas, it’ll soon be too tricky to escape from.
Especially not when the famous TV channel showing festive film favourites non-stop is now back on air in the UK.
Yes, you heard that right - Christmas films, 24-hours a day, seven days a week.
If you’re ready to wave goodbye to summer, and in welcome autumn and winter with open arms, then there's arguably no better way of getting into the festive spirit than with the long-awaited and highly-anticipated return of the TV channel that's charmed audiences for over half a decade now.
GREAT! Christmas the UK’s biggest seasonal channel, and it's now live on Sky, Freesat, Freeview and Virgin Media.
You can expect almost four months of back-to-back seasonal movies.
The 24-hour feel-good and free-to-air channel will be bursting with non-stop Christmas spirit, and will be showing a heartwarming lineup of festive films - including some absolute fan-favourite classics that make it to screens every year without fail, alongside some cheesy Hallmark classics, new channel premieres, and so much more.
Viewers will find GREAT! Christmas on Freeview channel 51, Sky 319, Sky (Glass/Stream) 317, Virgin channel 424, and Freely channel 47.
Emily Sergeant -
22nd November 2023 
