A capital idea for Christmas
Discovers just how London is putting a sparkle back into the festive season
IT felt like everyone around the world was on Santa’s naughty list last year.
Grottos had the ‘closed’ signs up, elves were on furlough and around 200 pantos were cancelled. Oh yes they were! Many families had to spend the big day apart and yours truly even ended up attempting to cook a turkey for the first time in years.
Luckily, no-one got food poisoning for Christmas, although I did have nightmares of spending Boxing Day in A&E.
Now London’s West End is serving up Christmas with all the trimmings to put some sparkle back into the festive season.
More than a million LED bulbs light up the area – making history as the world’s largest Christmas light switch-on. From the shopping mecca of Oxford Street, Regent Street and South Molton Street, the luxury boutiques of Bond Street and Mayfair, to the bright lights of Piccadilly Circus, the culture of St James’s and the theatres of Leicester Square, the area is filled with dazzling displays.
Following what has been a most challenging 18 months, West End businesses are kick-starting a campaign to shine a light on the exciting and thrilling experiences that can only be discovered right here.
The John Lewis store on Oxford Street is among those leading the way with an entire Christmas floor packed with gifts, decorations, ornaments and every bauble you can think of, from snowmen and frogs to dinosaurs and fish.
Staff themselves say they discover something new every day. If you want a pink whale as the centrepiece of your Christmas decorations this year then this is the place to head to.
Work by local craftspeople is on offer at the store’s Curated Makers Market, with new workshops offering everything from gin tasting to tips on how to make the perfect Christmas wreath.
You can even buy personalised Quality Street gifts or film yourself in the alien spaceship that is the highlight of John Lewis’ Christmas adverts.
There is so much to do during a London visit – from snapping a selfie at Bond Street’s iconic Christmas tree to experiencing the world’s first Bollinger 007 Champagne Bar in Burlington Arcade.
I stayed at the beautiful Beaumont Hotel in Mayfair, which offers a great location for making the most of a Christmas break. The David Bowie experiential pop-up on Heddon Street, in honour of the musician’s 75th birthday, is among the new attractions, or you can book yourself in for a Christmas burlesque dance class at Danceworks, if you still have any energy left after all that shopping and sightseeing.
I chose an afternoon tea at Fenwick of Bond Street to help recharge the batteries, before catching the new comedy sensation Pride And Prejudice (sort of) at the Criterion Theatre. It was the first time I had stepped into a theatre in 18 months and made me aware of just how much I had missed the joy of a live performance. There is only so much telly you can watch and this multi-talented five-strong female cast is proving just the tonic when it comes to welcoming audiences back to the theatre. It’s a gloriously original new take on the Jane Austen story that is earning well-deserved standing ovations.
Lunch at Whitcomb’s at the new Londoner hotel in Leicester Square is another treat worth making time for. The dover sole came highly recommended and did not disappoint, while the whole modern menu was packed with tempting dishes.
Alright, I thoroughly stuffed myself, but it was worth every mouthful. Believe me, you need the calories to help you visit all the Christmas attractions packed into the West End before going in search of the perfect present at the oldest toy store in the world, Hamleys.
Celebrities love Dr Barbara Sturm’s skincare range and treatments and a new centre has now opened in Mount Street offering everything you need to get ready and look good for the festive season.
It is a little oasis of calm amid all the Christmas activities and, let’s face it, after lockdowns, furloughs and restrictions, we all deserve a bit of pampering and one unforgettable Yuletide party.
And there’s no better way to start than to enjoy the bright lights of London.