Love Actually. Home Alone. The Night Before Christmas. All these are just a few examples of holiday movies which not only embody the spirit, but also set the standards for the month of December. However, people often become disappointed by the lack of holiday spirit within the real world.
Despite such holiday blues, there are places which not only embody the spirit, but also set the tone for the rest of the world: for example, London. Since the very beginning of the “Christmas” season, England’s capital becomes a holiday fantasy. From the Christmas lights on most buildings and Christmas trees in every square, to the construction of a huge Winter Wonderland solely for the month of December, London’s decorations definitely set a high standard. People from around the world travel to London just to see the store window decorations on Oxford and Regent street, the Harrods building wrapped in lights, and to experience the romanticized version of these celebrations.
Some might argue that England is not the best embodiment of the Hollywood representation of Christmas. Some might argue that England is not the best embodiment of the movie’s representation of Christmas: what about Germany’s Christmas markets? Or the United States’ “neighborhood lights” competitions? Or even tropical interpretations of the holiday? However, England does not limit itself by external appearances, and constitutes a mixture of cultures and flavors. Examples of this include the Christmas market on Trafalgar Square with mulled wine, Belgian hot chocolate, Christmas carols and ornaments. Additionally, due to its diverse environment throughout the rest of the year, London is able to provide a fusion of cultures of Christmas. Typical restaurants (Indian, Asian, fast food, etc) provide an entirely new drinks menu inspired by Christmas, according to where the restaurant is from, or even change the menu entirely, just for the month of December.
England is the place to be during the holidays, or even just the month of December. Songs and movies are inspired by the kind of Christmas represented in London; the desire to sit by the fireplace all day and drink hot chocolate in fuzzy socks is also inspired by the British way of celebrating the holidays. This familial time of year not only becomes romanticized, but also adored by many.
London, the holiday capital…