Are you stressed about the hectic pre-Christmas shopping and ruthless sales hunters on London´s high streets? First of all, shopping doesn´t need to be hectic (provided you plan ahead) and believe it or not, it can be fun even if you head for Central London. Crowds can be avoided by getting up a little earlier than usual and the dreaded shopping with pushy costumers can be out of way before lunch time. But if you do stay longer you will be rewarded by the magnificent decoration and Christmas lights lit after dark on all major high streets.  

Switching-on the lights in the shopping heart of London has in fact become a tradition marked by a celebrity-led ceremony special to each particular street lights opening in November and December. This year Oxford Street saw performances of some of the X-factor finalists, Mamma Mia cast and the lights were switched on 12th November by the Sugababes.

This weekend there was another good reason to come to Central London. Christmas shoppers on Oxford Street did not need to worry about traffic too much as the street had been pedestrianised to allow for stress-free shopping and so that those of us in favour of retail therapy could indulge in real pre-Christmas spending spree.

Christmas lights on Oxford Street, 2008

Christmas lights on Regent Street, 2008

Who longs for an escape from all the hustle and bustle of Oxford Street, Trafalgar Square should be the right stop as it plays a host to carol-signing groups from across the country (until 19th December) and you can also admire one of the most famous Christmas trees in the world (until Twelfth Night, 6th January 2009). The tree has been donated from Norway since 1947 and this year is no exception. It is a gift to the people of London from the people of Norway for Britain´s support in the World War II.  So there you are, Central London has much more to offer than just seemingly hectic shopping.

If you, however, prefer to stay indoors with everything in one place, you can check out the glamorous Westfield London, the new slick shopping mall in Shepherd's Bush with a mixture of designer and high street stores opened at the end of October. It is the third biggest shopping mall in the UK, after Metrocentre in Gateshead and Bluewater in Kent. Imagine how massive the village is, the mall size compares to 30 football pitches which, at least for us girls, translates to hours and days cruising in this shopping paradise. What makes Westfield special though is that such large shopping area has been built in inner-city as opposed to out-of-town centres. For us ordinary shoppers, this means we don't need to drive a car or take a train outside London which takes a great deal of stress away.

Westfield Shopping Centre, Shepherds Bush, London

To conclude on a more general note, I think there is something for everyone during Christmas, even for moaners as most of us have a few days off work which is positive. There is also a reward for all the pre-Christmas hassle at the end the festive period, the New Year celebration. It's officially tolerated to have a drink (not as much before or while you drive of course), it is the time of new resolutions (usually valid until February :) and it's a good excuse to run away from your relatives (should you feel the need). It can not get any better so Happy New Year 2009!