You might be an impulse buyer, but would you class yourself as an impulse flyer; the kind of daredevil who packs up and heads off overseas on a whim? I’d like to be, but am not. However, I’m sitting here (in the heat) thinking how very nice it would be to spend Christmas in the UK. I’m dreaming of cute-as-cute robins, holly, ivy and snow-laden branches. I’m dreaming of the lights of Regent Street, the Norwegian Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square, a mug of steaming hot chocolate in Covent Garden, and gift-hunting at Liberty (pictured below). If you’re not familiar with this simply gorgeous shop, have a look here.
Photo by Daquella manera
Yes, London is a special place at Christmas. The streets are bustling, but mostly with Londoners; the theatre season is in full swing, there are markets, pantomimes and carol-singers, and the shops look magical by late afternoon, with every window glowing like a treasure-trove as darkness draws in. I just love it. Oh, and there's outdoor ice-skating (pictured below) at places like the Natural History Museum, Somerset House, Hampton Court, Hyde Park - fab, fab, even if you're hopeless (like me).
Then there are the Christmas fairs: check out the market scene here; and if you're still hunting for presents (or, like me, haven't yet started), take a longing look at Time Out's Christmas-in-London shopping guide.
Photo by supermoving
On Christmas Eve, a midnight service (these usually start at 11 or 11.30) at one of the historic churches is a beautiful experience: in the West End there's a good choice, including the incomparable Westminster Abbey, plus St Martin in the Fields (Trafalgar Square) and St James (Piccadilly). In the City, there’s St Paul’s Cathedral, or if you prefer somewhere smaller, try All Hallows by the Tower (Tower Hill tube); it’s the oldest church in the area. Another good one is St Brides in Fleet Street, (Blackfriars tube), associated with Samuel Pepys and Milton.
If you’re up early on Christmas Day, you could watch a bunch of mad fools contesting the Peter Pan Cup on the Serpentine. Later, take a Charles Dickens Walk and work off all that plum pudding. Or a Samuel Pepys walk through Whitehall. Check them out here. For a breath of really fresh air and a hike in the woods, get yourself to Hampstead Heath (800 acres) or Wimbledon Common (1000-plus acres). You might even see a robin; there are plenty around.
And one last thing: before you head back to Oz, why not grab a London rental car and visit that legendary English countryside? Think country pubs, roaring log fires...
Send me a robin redbreast Christmas card, or postcard from Liberty or Hampstead, won’t you? I’ll be thinking of you...with great envy.
Photo by Tony Austin