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HAMPTON COURT PALACE IMAGE © HISTORIC ROYAL PALACES; DECORATIONS IMAGE © CARNABY LONDON; GEFFRYE IMAGE © GEFFRYE MUSEUM/ STEVE SPELLER; LAPLAND IMAGE © LAPLAND UK;
ROYAL HORSEGUARDS IMAGE © THE ROYAL HORSEGUARDS HOTEL; SELFRIDGES IMAGE © SELFRIDGES
For families with childen, top
6 London toy store Hamley’s
(p. 68) is a unmissable
stop-off during the festive season.
Every year the shop features themed
Christmas decorations and a Santa’s
Grotto (until 24 Dec) that’s on a par
with the best in London.
Chocolate lovers can get
7 the ultimate in indulgent
decorations with La Maison
Du Chocolat’s 90cm-tall Christmas
tree or a handcrafted north star, both
available from its Piccadilly boutique.
46 Piccadilly, W1. 020 7287
8500. lamaisonduchocolat.com
Families can experience
8 some of the magic of
Lapland just a short ride
from London at an authentic
recreation of Santa Claus’s
magical home. Stroll along the
elves’ enchanted woodland path
to discover the snow-blanketed
wonderland that is Lapland UK
(p. 40), featuring huskies, reindeer,
an elves’ toy factory, Mrs Christmas’
kitchen and Santa’s grotto.
Follow in the footsteps of an
9 18th-century literary great
on Dr Johnson’s Christmas
Ramble — a lamp-lit romp through
London’s cobbled past. Beginning
with a mince pie in the parlour of Dr
Johnson’s House (p. 58), the guided
tour includes actors, musicians, more
than a few anecdotes, and ends with
a fireside pint in Ye Olde Cheshire
Cheese Pub — rumoured to be one of
Dr Johnson’s favourite haunts.
Warm up a frosty winter’s day with a festive afternoon tea
10 at the Royal Horseguards hotel. The selection of seasonal
treats served in the cosy lounge area include tradiitional mini
mince pies, mulled wine, Christmas pudding and shortbreads alongside
seasonal inventions such as praline and valrhona caramel baubles and
Felschin Edelweiss white chocolate snowballs.
2 Whitehall Court, SW1. 020 7839 3400. guoman.com
Historic Ham House is the
11 setting for fabulous weekend
Christmas fairs this month
(p. 26). Housed in a heated marquee,
the fair’s offerings include arts, crafts,
and festive cakes. For kids, there’s
also a Santa’s grotto trail on selected
dates and fun family activities.
With its winning blend of
12 music, dance, well-known
stories and slapstick
comedy, pantomime has become
synonymous with the festive season
in the UK. Sadler’s Wells (p. 80)
is the top venue for family shows,
but for a debauched, adults-only
night out and a rip-roaring twist
on tradition, check out Alice In
Poundland at the Battersea Barge
on 2-5 & 9-12 Dec.
Tideway Walk, Nine Elms Lane,
SW8. 08444 771 000.
ticketweb.co.uk Ë Vauxhall.
Off map.
For a serious spot of
13 Christmas shopping,
Selfridges (p. 64) on
London’s Oxford Street is an essential
port of call. Its enchanting window
displays are worth the trip alone, but
it also features a dedicated Christmas
Shop choc-full of decorations, cards,
crackers and Christmas trees. The
shop is even shrouded in a bespoke
seasonal scent – marzipan and ginger
cake – which mixes with the smell of
Nordic pines to make browsing even
more festive and pleasurable. With so
many departments, the store is perfect
for some high-end gift hunting.
Step back in time to
14 Victorian London with a
trip to Dickens World
(p. 40) in Kent. It comes alive at
Dickens’ favourite time of year with
shows of A Christmas Carol in the
square and plenty of fake snow.
Watch a classic Christmas
15 film in a private cinema
on the roof terrace of The
Berkeley hotel, while sipping hot
cocoa and nibbling on mince pies.
Wilton Place, SW1. 020 7235
6000. the-berkeley.co.uk
Kids can ride through
16 pines and firs on a huskydrawn
sleigh, visit Father
Christmas in his magical log cabin,
try some vintage sweets, and take
home a gift at the WWT London
Wetland Centre (p. 28) nature
reserve’s Winter Wonderland
Weekend (8-9 Dec).
London 2012 Issue August/September|LONDON PLANNER|visitlondon.com |
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