IN 1979, aged 20, I took my nephew to see the Christmas lights in Oxford Street. Not because he wanted to see them (he was a tiny baby), but because I did. The fact is that nothing enhances the pleasure of a Christmas treat in London more than the addition of a child or two. The more the merrier, in fact, because they bring a level of excitement, innocence, energy and joy that no adult companions ever could.
Not that they haven’t been mildly troublesome on occasion over the decades. One year, a small child, who shall remain nameless in order to spare his blushes (Jack), disappeared from the Harrods Toy Department (also known as the Seven Circles of Hell), causing the whole shop to be locked down and searched (he was discovered trying on cravats in Menswear).
Another year, an even smaller child (Bert) insisted on inspecting every single item for sale in Hamleys (Hades), which took him three hours on account of his size, before deciding that he didn’t really want a present at all (as I told him, children who receive no presents only have them elves to blame). Then there was the year that my godchildren (Jane, Tom and Cosimo) were delivered to me in such a cake-and- Coke-induced state of hyperactivity that we had to abandon £400 worth of theatre seats. In short, the little angels do require a certain amount of careful husbandry.
Anyway, to mark the 40th anniversary of our Christmas expeditions, I have produced a short guide to the best that London has to offer they h very young and, in my case, the not-so-young.
Eleven ways to keep them busy
Denne historien er fra December 04, 2019-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Denne historien er fra December 04, 2019-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
