Like Slade, I too wish it could be Christmas everyday. But for those of you who don’t, here’s a list of cheap and cheerful ways to help stretch out that smile for the month of December - until it hurts so bad you’ll be sorry…
Christmas Fair at the Waterpoet
Like that tempting bottle of Baileys on top of the cupboard, the Waterpoet just keeps you coming back for more. This time it’s the seasonal Christmas Fair that’s doing the beckoning. It’s on Saturday 10th so for those of you with plans; cancel. A food hall will fill the outside barn area, arts and crafts indoors will be the place to find handmade gifts along with vintage tat that someone will come to love this Christmas. Plus in a coup de grace to any lingering thoughts of being elsewhere on Saturday, there will be hog roast for all.
Bad Santa’s Grotto
Graffik Gallery on Portobello Road welcomes all to a twisted Christmas treat for all the family. The blurb says this is for the naughty - ‘Come all ye hateful…’ etc - but actually it’s a fairly pleasant one. Beat boxing, rapping and Schnapps occur within the gallery’s walls that have been sprayed with some mind-altering Christmas images for the season. Santa will be heading to his favourite grotto on Saturday 10th to take present requests and join in the general alternative merriment.
Christmas Caroling
Let’s not get into believers and non-believers, we get it by now, some of us believe and some us don’t. But, for all the people that don’t believe in Father Christmas, there are loads of songs to be sung about reindeer, snow men and rockin’ around Christmas trees. So, find a street corner with some buds and sing your hearts out!
Prince Charles Cinema for Xmas Movies
Double Bill Season at the Prince Charles has a feast of Christmas classics to help you through ‘the holidays’ as they say in the US of A. Our favourite child star will be impressing with his sumptuous performance at the heart of Home Alone, Jim Henson’s Muppet Christmas Carol will take you as close to caroling as some of you are happy to go and for that minute, untarnished piece of sentimentality that lies within us all there’s It’s a Wonderful Life. This is it. Don’t get scared now…
Christmas Tree Tour
Search the city for its most impressive spruces with a little help from this little guide I’ve knocked up for y’all. Perhaps even do it in a day with the help of a Barclays bike for the full London experience – just remember to wear a helmet, we don’t like to see bumps and bruises on Christmas morning! We’ll start with Trafalgar Square’s excellent tree and the heart of Christmas, donated by the people of Norway every year since 1947 – tusen takk Norway. Next it’s the installation-cum-Christmas Tree at the V&A Museum – a celebration of festive design. The extravagant offering from Claridge’s is bound to match it for style though; after all Lanvin creative director and longtime guest, Alber Elbaz, designed it. Finally, pootle along to St. Pancras and witness London’s tallest Lego Christmas Tree. Honestly, what next?
