Christmas lights in London 2105

It's that time of year again when London comes to life with festive lights in all the major shopping areas. I've been out and about checking them out for you and my view on 2015 is that some new ones are great, some areas have kept with old favourites which is no bad thing  but some of the major shops have not made much effort this year and one major street is just not up to our high standards. 

Carnaby Street's 2015 offering wins as usual, it's fun, it suits the street and is new and fresh and even looks good before it's completely dark!

Carnaby Street

A Carnaby Street side street

Carnaby Street 

Trafalgar Square hosts the Christmas tree sent each year by the people of Norway to express their ongoing thanks for our support during the 2nd World War. This year it's been a bit battered by a storm which hit the capital just after it went up, so it's slightly crooked but as lovely as ever, especially when reflected in the fountains. 

Trafalgar Square

Oxford Street has stuck with it's massive baubles which works well for them and I was pleased to see that South Molton Street have kept with their elegant blue arches.

Oxford Street at the Selfridges end

South Molton Street

Covent Garden has gone for enormous mistletoe this year which I liked and had some fun to it and they have kept their enormous Christmas tree and the striking silver reindeer.

Giant mistletoe in Covent Garden

Covent Garden's tree

Covent Garden's silver reindeer

This year's big disappointment is Regent Street where they have replaced their successful reindeer antlers with the 12 days of Christmas with small shiny triangles which are too small to bring much light and large circles with projected video animations which I couldn't quite fathom and the circles are not always lit on both sides.  Apologies for a poor photo to match!

Regent Street 

The Strand has joined in this year with a jolly look in blue which brightens up this part of the city: 

The Strand

Two of our major stores, Selfridges and John Lewis, usually have inventive and playful festive window displays but this year they are unimpressive and so have not made this gallery of the light show of 2015. 

London hosts ice rinks outside many of the famous landmarks such as the Tower of London and Somerset House, and the Natural History's rink is one of my favourite sights especially when the kids have a go. 

Skating a the Natural History Museum

Finally, I visited the posh shopping streets of Mayfair to see their lovely display, again kept from last year, of delicate, feathery lights. 

Mayfair

Mayfair

I hope you enjoyed this visit to London at Christmas, it's a great time of year to come here and even the shorter days are a bonus as you can see the festive lights from late afternoon onwards before enjoying a mulled wine in a cosy bar. 

Bye for now,

Sue

@itsyourlondon

www.itsyourlondon.co.uk

It's beginning to look a bit like Christmas in London!

London always looks beautiful at Christmas time as the shops, large and small, and the famous streets, like Regent Street and Oxford Street,  put a huge effort into their lights and window displays.  Most of them are up and twinkling now so I thought I'd give you a tour around London by night to enjoy these festive sights.   

There has been a big debate about whether it's too early to turn on the lights and does the build up to Christmas last too long but I'm swerving that and am determined to just enjoy them!

Harrods' fine building is outlined in lights all year round but the addition of the trees makes it look even more festive. 

Harrods

 Another place that uses the same lights each year is South Molton Street but they are so  beautiful and striking that I hope they never feel the need to change them!

South Molton Street

Love the red London phonebox framed by the lights

Oxford Street's lights are much better this year as they are less branded and more subtle, although quite hard to photograph!

Oxford Street from Marble Arch

Selfridge's is one of London's most famous department stores and its Christmas windows are keenly anticipated. This year is not a vintage one as my award (so far) goes to John Lewis - see below - but the amazing biscuit display is fun. 

Made from biscuits!

Biscuits and golden syrup (on the right)

Gorgeous biscuits

Making a statement!

Non biscuit window!

Love penguins

A good way to sell headphones

 Onto my winner of best window - so far - John Lewis on Oxford Street. They have shown amazing invention and wit by using household items to make creatures from penguins, to deer through owls and hares made from vacuum cleaners, luggage, washing up brushes and more.  Take a look:

Twinkling outside

Turkeys made from towels

Gorgeous luggage bear

Not sure what but very jolly!

Flying hare

Amazing what you can do with hair equipment!

More penguins...

Fluffy brushes

Vacuum cleaner deer

 And finally for now - Regent Street - who are also staying with last year's very successful look incorporating the 12 days of Christmas:

Lights filling the whole length of Regent Street

'5 goooold rings'

 
Watch out for part 2 of London's Christmas lights very soon.....

Bye for now,
Sue
www.itsyourlondon.co.uk 
@itsyourlondon

Christmassy London in lights

Only 15 days to go! I'm rushing around trying to make sure I have bought everyone's presents, posted all the cards and, most importantly, enjoyed London's Christmas lights! 

One of the wonderful traditions in London at this time of year is the lighting of the tress in Trafalgar Square. Every year since 1947 the people of Norway have sent us a magnificent Christmas tree as a gesture of thanks for British support during the dark days of the Second World War. The switching on of the lights attracts huge crowds and this year was no exception with the square and every viewing point crammed with excited Londoners and tourists.  The 70 foot tree looked fabulous with its 600 bright lights hanging vertically, as is the Norwegian style.  Here are some photos to show you the scenes in the square including the  fine voiced choristers who braved the cold to entertain us!

To top off the evening, we went into the church of St Martin-in-the-Fields for the annual VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas) charity Christmas Carol Concert where we had great fun belting out all the old favourites, listened to a wonderful choir doing it properly and heard some fun and inspiring readings and talks about the work of VSO.  A festive glass of hot  mulled wine was also happily consumed!

Inside St Martin-in- the-Fields

The British Museum has a special open evening for members so we could shop in private and enjoy the Egyptian Galleries by night, which was a bit spooky and put me in mind of the film A Night at the Museum. The famous inner courtyard and Reading Room looked festive with their snowflake design.

The museum by night - watched by a Pharaoh!

South Molton Street, just off Oxford Street has very striking lights and they have done the sensible thing and used last years' again - good to see the recycling and the dramatic blue arches would be hard to beat.
  

Another example of recycling is Oxford Street where they have kept most of the lights used last year but added several sections sponsored by Marmite. The advertising for this quintessentially British spread is 'you'll love it or hate it' and that seems to apply to the lights too!  I think most of them are ok but the section where people's faces appear is rather creepy. Have a look at the good bits:

 Selfridges, one of London's top department stores on Oxford Street, is famous for its Christmas windows and although they are not all as good as usual this year, I particularly like these two. 

I'll be back soon with some more sights of London at Christmas time for you.

Bye for now
Sue
www.itsyourlondon.co.uk
@itsyourlondon
 

The Christmas lights in London are brilliant!

The Christmas lights seem to go up earlier each year but by December we are all getting into the swing of the festive season. Huge numbers of people come to visit to big shopping areas in London like Oxford Street, Regent Street and Covent Garden to buy presents but also to enjoy the wonderful Christmas lights.
This will be a 2 part blog as there are so many to show you. Here's part 1 and I hope you enjoy a trip around London with me!

One of the loveliest and yet very simple Christmas lights are the blue arches in South Molton Street:

I'm not usually a great fan of Oxford Street as it's so busy and has mostly chain stores but their lights are great this year and really lift the mood in the crowds:

St Pancras Station have cornered the market in lego and have this massive tree made completely of lego! I've put a close up so you can see some of the pieces - it must have taken ages to put together!



 Carnaby Street is often the best of the lot and this year they have gone all loved up with their mistletoe and holly branches and Kingly Court looks magical with its fairy lights:



Just one more for today! The tree in Trafalgar Square is very special as it is sent to us each year from the people of Norway to thank us for our help during the Second World War. It's a huge and beautiful tree and each evening you can listen to the carol singers gathered underneath it.

I hope you've enjoyed a short trip round the London Christmas lights. I'll try to squeeze a few more in very soon.

Bye for now,
Sue
www.itsyourlondon.co.uk
@itsyourlondon