With festivities getting into full swing, final preparations are probably at the forefront of most people's minds. Still looking for a present for your mum? Praying your brother's gift will make it through the post in time? Join the club.
But Christmas is also a time of romance. No TV series Christmas special is complete without the lovelorn lead finally coupling up with their long-time crush. And family get-togethers make it very clear which siblings have succeeded in securing a happy relationship and which are conspicuously single.
Maybe you're hoping for a tender embrace under a sprig of mistletoe (is that a thing in Belgium?) or someone other than Uncle Roddy for a heart-to-heart over a mug of mulled wine. You may not want a lot for Christmas. There might be just one thing you need...
Enough of the hypotheticals. Let's say you've managed to line up a date and can now progress to practical considerations: where do you go? Choosing the right venue can be as important as picking the right outfit (maybe not the Lidl Christmas jumper). Brussels has no shortage of bars but finding a place that isn't rammed with rowdy office parties can be a bit more challenging.
Fortunately, we've got exactly what you're after: a run-down of the best spots in town to kindle an end-of-year fire and round out the year on a high.
Tell @Orlando_tbt your (least) favourite first date.
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1. The best first date spots in Brussels
So you've succeeded in landing a date but need a good venue. First impressions are important and setting the scene can be key to making sure things go smoothly. Crowded, noisy bars are best avoided – small talk loses its charm at 100 decibels. Read more.
2. Cost of living crisis: 40% rise in Europeans needing social services
In just one year, a 40% increase in the number of people seeking support from social services has been recorded by two networks that assist and provide services to millions of people in need, Caritas Europa and Eurodiaconia, based on a survey across 18 European countries. Read more.
3. Congo Committee's own chair to blame for agreement failure, say francophone liberals
Leader of the Francophone liberal MR party Georges-Louis Bouchez has said that the failure of the committee on Belgium's colonial past to agree on giving formal apologies to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi and Rwanda is the fault of the committee's own chair, Wouter De Vriendt. Read more.
4. EU lends nearly €500 million to Brussels for major STIB overhaul
Brussels commuters can look forward to big improvements in local public transport, as the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Capital Region have signed a €475 million loan agreement to modernise the region’s urban transport fleet. Read more.
5. 20% drop in EU gas consumption as citizens battle energy crisis
EU natural gas consumption has fallen dramatically in recent months as citizens and businesses attempt to avoid soaring energy prices. Read more.
6. 'Close' by Lukas Dhont is named best Belgian film of the year
The Belgian Film Critics Association has announced that Flemish filmmaker Lukas Dhont's 'Close' is this year's recipient of the André Cavens Award. Each year, the prize is handed out to the best film produced in Belgium and released during the preceding calendar year. Read more.
7. Hidden Belgium: La Maison du Prieur
It took 20 years to restore. But the ancient Maison du Prieur (Prior’s House) on the edge of the Brussels forest is finally finished. And it looks gorgeous. Read more.
