What better way to conjor festive spirit and get your present list sorted, than to spend a crisp afternoon or evening combing London’s Christmas fairs?
Winter is well and truly here. No more getting by without tights. Your thermals are on stand-by and so is your wallet. Yes, the joys of the pre-Christmas season not only include being able to don woolly everything and getting away with the occasional unwaxed limb but also some superb 99% guilt-free shopping. By guilt-free we mean, shopping for others and fuelling charity coffers at the same time – the best kind of spending! So warm your cockles this cold season with festive treats-to-self and explore a myriad of altruistic spending possibilities across London!
Avid supporters of cancer charities will be pleased to know there are two must-visit fundraising fairs coming up: Macmillan Cancer Support's annual Christmas Fair in Westminster will be full of yule-tide goodies and boasts a special Gala Evening, with Princess Alexandra launching the event in style. A week later at Battersea Arts Centre, the Wandsworth Friends of Cancer Research Christmas Fair will be teeming with exciting stalls and festive fare.
Supporters of Trinity Hospice will be pleased to know the Bigwigs girls are planning a two-day Christmas Shopping Extravaganza on Monday 27 and Wednesday 29, with all fundraised proceeds going to the hospice. And for the 25th year running the Junior League of London is presenting yet another superbly elegant array of stalls with its acclaimed Boutique de Noel.
If you are based eastwards, or fancy a trip to the City of London, the annual WellBeing of Women City Christmas Fair is the perfect 'one-stop' Christmas shopping experience. Other fairs worth a visit are the Frost Fair at Shakespeare’s Globe and the annual Finnish Christmas Fair at the Finnish Church. And if you're itching to get out there quick smart, although not strictly a charity event, Spirit of Christmas is on until 5 November. Followed swiftly by the Country Living Fair in Islington next week. So pull on your matching hat and gloves and step out in Christmas style!
