December has entered the chat: unassumingly, slowly, and with the emotional range of a month that asks us to sprint and hibernate at the same time. The city is leaning into its winter glow: lights flickering across the canals, gloves reappearing, cafés turning into refuge points, and everyone pretending they’re not already burnt out by the year that just was.
We’ve officially made it to the final chapter of 2025 (congratulations), the season of reflection, of rituals, and of trying to squeeze in joy wherever it fits. It’s the month where long dinners turn into small epiphanies, movies feel cozier than blankets, and the group chat becomes a battleground of ‘should we go?’ and ‘honestly, I’d rather stay in.’
This Cheat Sheet is here to help you do both.
This month, you’ll find what’s filling our minds, carts, bellies, and playlists, plus the full rundown of everything worth stepping outside for, even in sub-zero morale.
December also brings gifts:
• 2×2 tickets to the 3rd anniversary of Le Trou, taking over Bar Dancing Multipla on December 5
• 2×2 spots for our favourite funny man, Daniel Yazbek, whose show on December 28th at Boom Chicago promises the type of laughter that doesn’t come from disbelief or hysteria for once
• 3x 6-month memberships to MUBI, for your winter hibernation era, film-snob awakening, or simply avoiding the Christmas movie industrial complex
(Head to the events section for how to enter the giveaways.)
From holiday markets to end-of-year concerts, cozy film nights to unexpected gems around the city, consider this your monthly companion: part city guide, part cultural dispatch, part warm shoulder to lean on as we close out the year.
What keeps us informed
COP can’t cope: The COP30 conference took place in Belém, Brazil from 10th to 21st of November, and somehow managed to become one of the most divisive conferences yet. Quite a feat, given the bar. The final deal was widely seen as weak, neatly dodging most countries’ key demands. Although it promises to triple climate adaptation spending by 2035, the final document still couldn’t bring itself to mention fossil fuels, let alone offer a plan to phase them out. If you’d like a closer look at this year’s climate circus and what it means for the future, you can read all of COP30’s key takeaways here.
The BBC can't catch a break: In early November, Britain's public broadcaster found itself squarely in the crosshairs when The Telegraph published a leaked internal memo from former journalist Michael Prescott. The memo, sent to and promptly ignored by the BBC board, laid bare allegations of serious bias in the broadcaster's coverage of everything from Gaza to the 2021 Capitol insurrection. The pièce de résistance? A 2021 Panorama documentary that allegedly doctored Trump speech footage to make him look like he was actively inciting the Capitol riots—inadvertently lending a sliver of credibility to Trump's tedious "Fake News" refrain about Western media. Though the memo was criticized for factual errors and dismissed as Prescott's "personal account," it proved damaging enough for the director general and head of news to fall on their swords. The BBC landed back in the spotlight last week with a hard-hitting documentary exposing the Georgian government's use of WWI-era chemicals to disperse anti-government protesters last year. Naturally, Georgian Dream wasted no time hopping aboard the "BBC is fake news and disinformation" train and is now threatening to sue the outlet.
The peace plan no one asked for: The U.S. has been orchestrating a series of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia – while cheerfully sidelining the EU entirely. A 28-point Trump peace plan leaked in late November was allegedly based on a Russian non-paper submitted to the Trump administration in October, and read less like a U.S.-led initiative and more like a Russian wish list. With mounting questions about whose side Washington actually stands on, Europe has decided to take matters into its own hands. Facing projections that Ukraine might run out of funding by spring, the EU has been reconsidering its controversial plan to use seized Russian assets to bankroll Ukraine. It's also finally decided to pull the plug on Russian gas, reaching an accord to fully wean itself off Moscow's supply by 2027. The EU then fired back with a counter-proposal to Trump's so-called peace plan—which Putin, predictably, didn't love. He responded by theatrically declaring he'd be "ready for war with Europe, if it wants it." In retaliation, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte calmly announced he'd be ready to do whatever it takes to protect Europeans. Subtle as ever, Vladimir.
Nicki’s diplomatic debut: In one of our favorite, most unhinged news items of the month: Nicki Minaj spoke at the UN (???) to defend a completely unsubstantiated claim, perpetuated by pro-Trump politicians, that there's a genocide against Christians happening in Nigeria. Who could've thought we'd ever string together the words "Nicki Minaj," "the UN," and "Christians" in the same sentence? 2025 is serving up some wild surprises, and we're not even mad about it.
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What keeps us cultured
Olivier Rousteing steps away from Balmain after 14 years, sending the #Balmainarmy into succession speculation mode.
Anok Yai finally takes home Model of the Year at the 2025 British Fashion Awards and everyone breathes a collective yes.
Dr. Martens and Marc Jacobs revive the Kiki boots for the fairies who like their footsteps loud.
Aphex Twin drops two new Soundcloud tracks, and the internet immediately goes into forensic mode over Zahl am1 live track 1 and its unfinished sibling.
Rita Ouédraogo signs off at Buro Stedelijk with the 80th manifestation ‘The Belly of Momo’ by Kevin Osepa and it lands like a perfect full stop.
Camiel Fortgens teams up with Stedelijk for the Cut to Wear T-Shirt, which might be the most museum-coded DIY project ever.
What we’re reading
From love stories that sting a little to sharp takes on our digital reality, these are the reads gripping us this month.
Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector
Confessions of a Mask by Yukio Mishima
White Nights by Fyodor Dostoevsky
The Ex-Box by Tiana de Haseth on Aa Magazine
The Digital Exiles: Why people are abandoning their smartphones by Isobel Cockerell on Coda Story
AI of a Thousand Faces by Wired
What we’re listening to
The Bermuda Triangle by The True Underground Sound of Rome
Pipistrella by Nicolini
Aerial by not even noticed
Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness (30th Anniversary Edition) by The Smashing Pumpkins
Live At The Jazz Cafe, London by D’Angelo
Sun Tan by Snuggle
RATATOUILLE - Brad Bird cooks up the ultimate food film by the MUBI Podcast
What we're watching
Amalia Ulman’s Magic Farm
Jim Jarmusch’s Coffee and Cigarettes
David Lynch’s Twin Peaks
Darius Marder’s Sound of Metal
Vice’s High Society on Ketamine
Have tips on what you’d like to see more (or less) of? Any giveaway requests? Wanna rant about the political and economic state of the world right now? Hit reply!
What we’re shopping
December is here, and survival mode looks a little chic. Rain boots that hold their ground. Puffer jackets that double as armour. A beauty palette that saves you on mornings when daylight feels optional. Consider this your winter kit distilled into the pieces that actually get you through. And if gift season is starting to loom, stay calm. Our gift guide cheat sheet is on its way to your inbox.
Dr Martens 1460 Rain Boot 140€
Maison Rapito Sex Instructor Tee 39.90€
J.L-A.L x GOLDWIN Sinh Jacket in Seraphim 610€
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Instant Look in a Palette 69€
Samsoe Samsoe Polette long gloves 100€
Almond in a glass pouring bowl #5 in moss 28€
Promod leather blazer 15€
What we’re eating and drinking
We have entered the season of emotional support meals, and these are carrying us.
Moroccan breakfast at Riad no 37
Coconut Matcha at Cloud
Tuna Tostada at Bacalar
Martini at Contra
The Danish Straciatella Mortadella at Salvo Basement
& Finally, where we’re going:
December in Amsterdam comes with its own specific flavour: the city buzzing under fairy lights, everybody suddenly overbooked yet mysteriously always ‘free for glühwein,’ and an endless carousel of screenings, parties, openings, and concerts. It’s culture season, but make it winter-coded, and we’re very much here for it.
To make things sweeter, we’re closing the year with not one but three giveaways.
First up:
Le Trou turns 3 on December 5 at Bar Dancing Multipla. We’re giving away 2x2 tickets to celebrate with them. To enter, simply tell us: What makes a good birthday party? We’ll pick our favourite answers, creativity highly encouraged. (Please send your application before 18:00 on December 5th.)
Next:
We know most of us are in desperate need of a laugh that isn’t born out of disbelief, anxiety, or pure political exhaustion. Luckily, our friend Daniel Yazbek has you covered.
He’s giving away 2x2 spots to his upcoming comedy show on the 28th of December.
To enter, reply to this email and tell us: Why are you in need of a good laugh right now?
Honesty, delusion, or melodrama — all accepted.
And finally, for the hibernation era:
Our friends at MUBI are gifting three 6-month memberships to carry you through the long winter nights. To enter, send us your favourite winter or holiday film: comfort classics, heartbreakers, obscure deep cuts, we want to know it all.
Send us your give away entries by December 8th, we’ll be in touch with the lucky ones the very same day!
Once you’re done applying, here’s where we’ll actually be this month: art openings, concerts, screenings, dinners, parties, and the last waves of the 2025 cultural calendar.
Scroll on for our full December lineup, and as always, keep an eye on our Instagram every Monday for the weekly rundown.
WEEK 1 01/12 - 07/12
WEEK 2 08/12 - 14/12
12/12 Aminé | Melkweg
13/12 New Amsterdam Surf Association with Gotu Jim, EmsSoleil, and Eternal Joe b2b Bob Semp | Skatecafe
13/12 Karmel’s Birthday Misa, Massa Mama, Siga, Sarah Saleh, and 2440U | murmur
WEEK 3 15/12 - 21/12
16/12 King Princess | Melkweg
19/12 Maatje Paatje | murmur
WEEK 4 22/12 - 28/12
P.S. Stay tuned for our NYE Cheat Sheet. We’re making sure your last night of the year actually hits.
If you’ve made it this far, don’t keep it to yourself: pass it on.
Forward this cheat sheet to someone who’d actually show up.
See you next month!
Xx, Aa