Christmas is fast approaching. And whether we are in the camp of having wrapped and labelled or our gifts, or frankly, in a mild state of panic and anguish, the Spirit of Christmas Fair is on hand to delight and prepare us for the festive period.
I have made a conscious decision to have a more mindful and meaningful Christmas. Carefully chosen gifts with a real message. With more than a nod to sustainability and eco-conscious. And what better place to focus this energy than the iconic Spirit of Christmas Fair. Celebrating a momentous 25th anniversary this November (2–8), as the UK’s longest running Christmas Fair. On offer is an unparalleled collection of over 600 small, vetted independent businesses. For a quarter of a century, the Fair has firmly prided itself on offering shoppers’ true originality, featuring curated products and present ideas unseen anywhere else.
This milestone anniversary coincides with an exciting new chapter for Olympia London which has just completed its landmark £1.3 billion transformation. The historic 140-year-old destination has evolved into one of the capital's most vibrant hubs, making it the ultimate backdrop for visitors to discover and celebrate the season after visiting the Fair.
The Fair echoes my more recently found ethos of celebrating individual craftsmanship and authenticity. Many hours can be spent getting stuck down multiple rabbit holes with online shopping, getting nowhere fast, whereas Spirit gives visitors the ability to be inspired, reigniting the joy of in-person browsing. The Fair offers the rare chance to give a present with a very real and rewarding backstory, where you can meet the actual maker or seller and find something that is simply unavailable on the high street.
With fashion, gifts, health, wellbeing, pets, home and baby and incorporating artisan food and drinks, what better opportunity to browse these stalls at your leisure. However tricky, there is no one that the Fair cannot provide a Christmas present for, and our previous visits are an absolute testament to this. Parents who have everything, husbands, wives, siblings, nieces and nephews. There is something for everyone. Even the not so little one at my feet, delighting in all things Spirit.
The success of the Fair over the years is partly down to the carefully chosen exhibitor line up which last year saw over 700 new applicants and just 112 accepted. Showing the quality of the vetting process and the successful participants. This year, nearly one third of all stalls will be displaying new brands. As well as the undeniable buzz of buying in a festive atmosphere, there are also three Louis Roederer Champagne Bars, and a previously sold-out restaurant run by Chef Kate Austen, returning for the second year, serving all day dining and cream teas. Other chances to press pause momentarily on shopping are offered by the popular workshops and live music which are included in the ticket price.
Spirit of Christmas Fair is the only major Christmas Fair to host sustainability awards which launched last year. The aim is to celebrate independent brands leading the way in eco-conscious design, ethical production, and sustainable gifting. And this is perfectly inline with how I feel about Christmas this year - music to my ears - literally. Not just thoughtless throwaway presents, but presents with a purpose and ticking the sustainability box in a real way.
So however you choose to celebrate Christmas this year, give a thought to how the gifts will arrive under the tree. With so many wonderful things to see and do on offer, I hope to see you at Spirit to get into the true feeling of the season! The Spirit of Christmas indeed.
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