I’d like to take a moment of your time if I may to discuss one of my new found loves in this glorious city of London…the holidays! I have been absolutely mesmerized in the walking around in London the last few days because the entire city is lit up (literally and figuratively) for the holidays. I had the pleasure recently of going and seeing all of the lights strung up for miles down the main streets and it is dazzling. I highly recommend everybody who has the opportunity to walk down Oxford Street, Regent Street, and Carnaby Street to see some these main displays. One of the best aspects of these lights is how non-denominational they are. London is a fascinatingly multi-cultural city and this reflects in the many holidays that are celebrated in it throughout the year. There are many holidays that are celebrated around this time of the year so it’s clear that the creators of these exhibits do not want to alienate too many of the citizens of the city by being clearly biased towards one religion, and they did a fantastic job at it. The lights down Regent Street reflect a theme involving the Chronicles of Narnia. The third film in this series will be released through the holiday season and these lights reflect that, involving different displays of characters from the films with lights matching a certain tone. The lights are also strung up like a canopy above your head…it almost feels like captured stars above your head that you can reach out and almost touch. It’s quite magical. Down Carnaby Street there is an outer space theme involving planets revolving around each other, stars placed throughout the sky, and even an astronaut towering above it all. I haven’t taken any pictures yet but I’m sure to return to these magical areas and capture them on film eventually.
In a bit of a lesser non-denominational display there will be different Christmas tree lightings going on throughout the city over the next couple of weeks. Every year there’s a large tree donated by the people of Norway that gets placed and lit in Trafalgar Square as well as a particularly unique tree in Covent Garden. The tree in Covent Garden is strung up with lights as most others however it is very interactive combined with a single piece of mistletoe nearby. The tree displays a dazzling light show that lasts approximately one minute every time a couple kiss under the mistletoe. Definitely a unique experience for people around the city to say they did and it would be an amazing sight for people walking through the area to see the tree light up every time knowing that two people are sharing a special holiday moment together.
Besides the decorations there are plenty of other things to enjoy during the holidays. Mulled wine and mincemeat pies are two of my favourite holiday treats (both recently acquired). I highly suggest those of you who haven’t tried either of these to do it at least once. They are both very traditional aspects of the holidays in England and are quite enjoyable separate but more together. There are the many ice rinks that open throughout the city near the end of November. They run through until January and offer a unique skating experience for tourists and city dwellers alike. As a Canadian I am definitely looking forward to this. Skating is almost a patriotic duty and being able to quell that craving will go a long way to dispel any feelings of homesickness I might feel over the holidays. In addition these there are always the countless museums and galleries that tend to put on new exhibits during this time of year and the always amazing West End shows that continue to play. Protocol is also putting on a couple of events throughout the holidays including the Winter Travel Evening this week and a Christmas Meal in the middle of December that I highly look forward to attending.
London truly offers a unique opportunity throughout the holidays and I really anticipate getting out and doing as much as possible when I can. As I’ve said earlier I recommend that everyone who will be sticking around the city for the holidays also take advantage of these opportunities. These events only roll around once a year and with a limited amount of time in this country for some of us it’s worth taking a moment to experience. Oh, and don’t forget to squeeze in New Years on the Thames too!!
Cheers and Love!!
Erik
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