Dear Taipei,

I’m sure I’m in good company when I think, “how the hell did we get to the end of the yer so quickly?!” Christmas music has started to pervade every public space, and everyone is rugging up as the weather takes a cold turn.

The best way to send off 2017 is by hitting up the many events held around Taipei. If you’ve got no idea where to start, check out my December Events Calendar below! It features twenty events to get you up and about this month.

By the way, I have a bit of an announcement to make… I will no longer be writing articles for Travelog. As you may know, I’ve been writing for them since they launched – nearly 2.5 years ago (since August 2015). I’ve been in charge of putting together the monthly Taipei events guide each and every month, and have written various other pieces of content for them.

It’s been a lot of fun having my writing published there, however, it’s time to say goodbye for now. It was a really difficult decision – one I didn’t take lightly. But, I think every freelance writer has to weigh up the rewards of each writing job at some point, and with a heavy heart I decided that it’s time to move on.

The good news is that I’ll keep you up to date here, on Typing To Taipei! So be sure to check in every month to get the best round up of events in Taipei!

Without further ado, here are the best December events around town:

December Events in Taipei

Christmasland (All month)

Come December, you’ll see many Christmas trees sprinkled around Taipei’s shopping squares, malls, and public places. But there’s nothing quite like the gigantic LED Christmas tree you’ll find in Banqiao, New Taipei City. Find out more here.

The Diary of Anne Frank (December 1-3)

What’s sure to be another memorable theatrical performance at The LAB Space, The Diary of Anne Frank will be brought to life by thirteen talented actors. The play will be based on a new adaption of the story by playwright Wendy Kesselmen, which incorporates newly available information on Anne. Get the full details here.

Santa Claus in Taipei (December 2)

Looking for a way to give back? Lend a helping hand or make a gift donation for the kids at NTU Children’s Hospital. Learn more here.

Craft Comedy (December 2)

Head to this comedy night at 23 Public to see two headliner comedians from Shanghai, and also a lineup of local and expat comics. Find out more here.

Latin Food & Music Festival (December 2)

“This day we proudly share our dances, food, music and hospitality of all the Latinos who openly welcome our Taiwanese friends and expats who love and share the Latino Feeling towards our Latino community and its culture!” Discover more here.

Hi! We Are Back! Marine Litter Photography Exhibition (December 2 – 16)

Head to this free exhibition to see the destruction marine litter has through the lens of photographers. Learn more here.

Golden Pin Design Award 2017 Forum — Dialogue & Design in Taipei (December 7)

“Good design is accompanied by a dialogue, allowing us to share our deepest feelings and inform the sense of design. This year, let’s find the answers together with Dialogue & Design.” Read more here.

2017 Sweden Day (December 9)

Organised by the Swedish Chamber of Commerce Taipei and Business Sweden, this event at Huashan 1914 Culture and Creative Park will introduce you to the best in Swedish culture. There’s also a chance to meet some notable Swedish companies. Learn more here.

Second Time Culture & Art Book Fair in Taipei (December 9)

Head to Huashan 1914 Culture and Creative Park to find stalls of Taiwanese & Japanese independent publishers, bookstores, boutiques, artists, etc. Read more here.

It’s a Christmas Carol Cabaret Taipei (December 9)

Get in the Christmas spirit with the 7th round of this Christmas Cabaret fundraiser. There will be Christmas songs, live music, entertainment, drinks, a raffle, and more. Get more info here.

Green Flash Brewing Pub Crawl Release Event Taipei

A pub crawl with a craft beer twist! Attendance is free, just pay for what you drink. Learn more here.

Santa Paws Photo Party (December 10)

“Get ready for the hottest Christmas Party of the year – the ONLY one where you boogie down with your furry friends to a live DJ, grab delicious food, and get an amazing photo with Santa! The best part is that proceeds will go to charity!” Get more info here.

Comedy Open Mic (December 13)

An English speaking stand-up comedy open mic at BeerGeek MicroPub. If you can’t make it on the 13th, there’s another one on the 27th! Find out more here.

2017 Taipei Music Festival Taipei Music Design Festival (December 16 -17)

If you’re interested in advertising, media, movies, games, music, or design, you will enjoy this lineup of lectures on these topics from some of Taipei’s most creative folk. (N.B. It seems that this will be a Chinese language event).  Learn more here.

Beer Pong Tournament (December 16)

A beer pong tournament with some major prizes up for grabs. Read more here.

Game Night by Top Shelf Games at the Local (December 21)

Craft beer and board games combine at the Local at this monthly games night run by Top Shelf Games. Find out more here.

Mexican Street Tacos (December 22)

Get your taco fix at this taco-centric eating event at Crafted – Beer & Co. Learn more here.

2017 New Taipei City Merry Christmas City – Folk Song Concert (December 23)

A Christmas concert held in front of New Taipei’s towering LED Christmas tree. Discover more here.

Winter Solstice Relay (December 23)

Beat the Sunset – Solstice Relay is a race against the setting sun. Teams of two or four take turns running a 3k loop to see how many laps they can complete before the sun sets. Held at Dahu Park. Learn more here.

Comedy Open Mic (December 27)

Check out some of Taipei’s best standup comedians at BeerGeek MicroPub’s English speaking stand-up comedy open mic. Find out more here.

New Year’s Eve (December 31)

Wondering what to do for NYE in Taipei? There are tons of NYE events in Taipei to choose from, with most bars will hold some type of countdown event/party. Check out Facebook events to see a full list of options.

If you want to see the fireworks at Taipei 101 up close and personal, you’ll want to head in as early as possible to stake out a spot. Be warned: it gets incredibly crowded, so if you’re not a fan of crowds, find a spot in the surrounding streets, or hike up Elephant Mountain for a view from the top.

Hope your last month of 2017 is fantastic, everyone! Thanks for supporting my lil blog – I appreciate each and every view you’ve given it, and I hope you’ll continue visiting in 2018!

-TTT

Know another December event worth going to? Leave a comment below!