Christmas Shopping in London

I'm not mad. I didn't really intend to go to Oxford Street with a 2 year old in a buggy, two weeks before Christmas. But we were over that way, and I needed to pop to one shop. How bad could that be?

Well I walked up Regents Street and we looked at the Hamleys window, which is Lego themed.

Then, in a hope to avoid the masses (although I'm not sure why I thought that it would be quieter) we went through to Carnaby Street, which had really lovely decorations and Christmassy buskers.

We headed onto Oxford Street and had been in the shop I was aiming for. I intended that we would jump on a bus to Victoria and get out of there. Somehow, despite having actually been walking on the road myself at points, having stood in the cross road between Regents and Oxford Street listening to carol singers, it never registered to me that it was that weekend where they close off the roads to traffic. So no bus then!

Weighing up my options I decided that I didn't want to brave the tube carrying a toddler in a buggy (Kit was asleep by this point so not even the chance to collapse it). My other option was to walk out of it. Obviously I was at the midpoint by now so I just started walking towards Marble Arch. I didn't brave any other shops but I did stop to enjoy some of festivities as we went along. When we reached Selfridges, Kit had woken up, I showed him some of the windows. I remember coming up to London with my Mum and Dad when I was younger (although much older than Kit) and really looking forward to seeing the Christmas windows. I can't decide whether I've just lost my awe, or whether they are getting less interesting and more commercial. Here were our favourites at Selfridges...

We survived to the bus stop at the other end and then headed to Victoria, picking up a Gingerbread Latte and a Babychino before jumping on the train home. I'd do it again next year. No shopping, just wandering down the streets taking in the Christmas cheer.

The Lord Mayor's Parade

We spent Saturday in the City of London celebrating at the Lord Mayor's Parade and fireworks. It was the first time that I'd ever been to the parade and I have to say I was a little disappointed. The website suggested that it would be a lot more excting than it actually was, as a large part of it was just people sitting on not very decorated floats. Kit really enjoyed it though, mainly through pointing out every house that went past! It has to be said that he had a much better view than me, and maybe I wanted more from the parade as I was suffering a wriggly toddler sitting on my shoulders!

There were highlights in the parade though, the military vehicles and bands were exciting though, and I was excited to find out that West Sussex County Council had a steam roller!



We cheated a bit and stood on London Bridge to watch the fireworks (which are set off on a barge near Temple), obviously we were a bit further away than the masses, but there were quite a few people also watching from there. Kit was preoccupied eating a sandwich during the fireworks as he'd been asleep until shortly before and woke up starving (as usual!), but he did still enjoy them - although possibly not as much as the boats that were passing down the Thames!

So all in all, on reflection, we should have gone to a stables near a river and Kit would have had a ball! Seriously though, we did have a lovely time, and although I don't think I'd keep the date free for next year if I am at a loose end I think we'll probably go again.