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Viewing Claridge’s Christmas Tree & The Connaught Christmas Tree

Hotfoot it to Mayfair to marvel at two of the most magnificent Christmas trees in London. First, head to The Connaught hotel on Carlos Place, where you’ll see a wonderous Nordmann fir designed by East London artist and sculptor Suzy Murphy. It is decorated with soft white neon dogs based on a series of sketches inspired by Murphy’s childhood pet Toby. At the base of the tree, Toby is surrounded by neon titles of sculptural works that were made for a series called A Girls Progress.

‘My vision was to create a tree that symbolises my childhood experience and is closely related to a series of works I have created over the years,’ Murphy says. ‘Toby travelled with me artistically, in symbolic form, through various landscapes. Sometimes beautiful, sometimes dark…but here she is arriving now, triumphantly, on the Connaught Christmas tree. It is truly magical.’

Then, scoot over to Claridge’s to see The Diamond, a magnificent sculptural creation standing over five metres tall designed by Sandra Choi for Jimmy Choo in partnership with set designer Simon Costin.

Installed in the hotel’s iconic lobby, the dazzling tree is crafted from 69 shining, reflective mirrors, and embellished with 250 individual aluminium panels and 60 meters of sparkling lights which pulse, undulate and reflect off the multifaceted surface. Topping the tree is a giant, glittering bow — a nod to one of the key motifs of Jimmy Choo’s winter collection.

‘I have always said I would love to know what it is like to step inside a diamond, and now I can,’ said Choi. ‘Claridge’s is a London jewel, it’s multifaceted, like the diamond that inspired our tree, like Jimmy Choo.’ What better way to slide into the festive season?

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Dates
23 November 2022 — 05 January 2023

Viewing Christmas at Blenheim Palace

For the ultimate festive experience with kids, hop on a train to Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, where the great rooms have been transformed into a fantastical winter wonderland. Explore the glistening land of Snowflakes before venturing into the sparkling Kingdom of Ice filled with larger-than-life crystals. But is it really happy-ever-after? Or will the Snow Queen seek her revenge?

Afterwards, make tracks for the Orangery to try the Ice Kingdom afternoon tea. Enjoy devil on horseback and mini raisin scones before indulging in a selection of sweet treats including Gateaux opera and mint and chocolate macaroons. Next up the Christmas Market in the Great Court, where you’ll find a wide range of artisan products and gifts.

For those keen to extend the Blenheim experience, book tickets to the celebrated after-dark illuminated trail. As you meander around the picture-perfect grounds, you’ll encounter glittering tunnels, flickering flames and trees drenched in jewel-like colours. Enhance your walk under the stars with a spiced winter warmer or hot chocolate from one of the participating street food vendors.

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Dates
18 November 2022 — 02 January 2023

Viewing Stacey Gillian Abe

Scoot over to Unit London to see the gallery’s first solo exhibition of work by Ugandan artist Stacey Gillian Abe. Abe’s new body of work includes vibrant paintings with delicately hand stitched pattens that explore themes of shared memory, time and emotion. In these works, she lays particular emphasis on the ways in which her memories and family traditions — including embroidery, a craft she is learning from her mother — have been passed down through her family lineage.

You’ll see paintings featuring black figures, floral motifs and shrubs, including the jute plant which here represents the Ayivu clan in Arua in the West Nile Region of the artist’s native Uganda. As captivating as her subjects though are her striking colours, notably her use of indigo.

For Abe, indigo allows the black body to been seen in a different light. ‘Indigo for a skin tone in my work signifies a tribe, a breed of black, a people that are not limited to social, economic, cultural, political or historical constraints.’ This gallery debut is most definitely one for your winter to-do list.

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Dates
22 November 2022 — 27 January 2023
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