When you describe London, cheery is not often a word that comes to mind. However, for a fleeting few days of summer and during the lead-up to Christmas, this all changes. Each borough and high street put on their own decoration display, varying in excitement and interest. However, it was Regent Street that really brought in the merry masses. If I’m honest, the floating angels weren’t particularly awe-inspiring, but being part of the throng of thousands, seemingly genuinely engrossed in enjoying the moment, was pretty special.
The same could be said for Covent Garden on our last night. If you held your breath in the crush of the square, and looked up, you could delight in the fake falling flakes around the spectacular Christmas tree. Just not one for any claustrophobes!
We found ourselves in the main shopping district a few times. The John Lewis on Oxford Street was central location to meet up with Stephen’s cousin and gave us a chance for an unusual view, and to chat in the café whilst the kids terrorised the Lego section.
Hanover Square, accessed from Bond Street tube station (and the new Elizabeth line that Connie thought may have been named after her middle name), had a charming outdoor ice-skating rink set up for the winter.
With hot chocolates in the middle of the rink, quaint bridges adorned with fairy lights crossing the ice, and most importantly, availability (every other rink we tried to book was completely sold out), I took Connie and Thomas for a twirl one night, while Stephen took John for a more extreme experience at Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park.
The thrill-seekers returned with stories about how great the München Looping rollercoaster was. We came back having discovered that the gorgeous ice reflections occurred because the surface was a melting mess. Cue a memorable Tube journey home in soggy clothes!
You might recognise Leadenhall Market from the Harry Potter movies.
The cheery paintwork and decorations of this 14th century marketplace in the City of London stand out amongst the brutalist buildings of the surrounding financial district (highlighted splendidly in Stephen’s walking tour of post-modern architecture).
Nevertheless, there were plenty of spectacular other decorations to balance out the glass, steel, and decomposing litter of London – notably the Platform 9 3/4 tree at Kings Cross and the tree of books at St Pancras, two of my favourites gems.
It is somewhat a shame that the decorations will be packed away for another year by now, for London’s charm is apparent a little more with each festive twinkle.
Knights' Adventures 
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