As of today, John Lewis & Partners have opened their Christmas departments in stores across the country. While it may only be September, now is the time to get a shift on if you have specific Christmas ideas in mind. Because, like it or not, the hero products sell out long before December rolls around.
The department store reported that searches for ‘Christmas gifts’ doubled this August compared to the same time last year, while searches for ‘tree decorations’ had risen by 33% and 'Christmas wrapping paper' was up a whopping 466% year on year. If there's one thing we can take from this, it's that people are raring to go and will have their eyes on the prize...
If you live near one of the stores, it's well worth popping in. Our Assistant Editor Thea Babington-Stitt went to the launch of the Christmas shop in their Oxford Street flagship and was bowled over by the festive feels.
'John Lewis has really gone to town this year, ' she said. 'Ceilings draped in garlands of purple baubles layer over the gorgeous Christmas themes below, and there truly is something for everyone.'
'If you've got a minimalist vibe, then Polar Planet's Nordic aesthetic is for you, while Royal Fairytale is perfect for gilt and opulence. It's practically impossible for me to pick a favourite, but Rainbow Time Capsule is packed full of nostalgia, from pink flip phone baubles to retro fairy light parcel trim.'
It's not just decs on offer either. There will be a mix of pop-ups appearing at stores across the country, showing Hendrick's Gin, Fever Tree and Kocktail. And, of course, the Quality Street pick'n'mix returns at 18 locations. This year, they're brought back Coffee Creme after two decades of retiremnt – it was the most requested discontonued chocolate, don'tcha know.
John Lewis Christmas shop 2023
There's a lot to take in from this department, whether you're in stores or exploring the John Lewis & Partners Christmas Shop online. To help make things a little easier for you, we've selected the decs from each of the six trends that we suspect will be sellouts.
The felt dragon is expected to be standout of the offering as even the department store's Christmas buyer dubs it her favourite. It is part of the Royal Fairytale collection which is all about regal motifs and fairytale mythical creatures like the Frog Prince or the Crowned Goose.
How cute is this cluster of orange mushrooms? They're even sitting on a teeny tiny patch of moss for for goodness' sake! These would look gorgeous tucked into bushy parts of your tree to add a new dimension, or as mantlepiece decor. Plus, as they're not overly festive, you can keep them on display from right now!
The Rainbow Time Capsule collection is every millennial's dream and we're here for it. This probably comes as little surprise to anyone who knows our obsession with this nifty appliance, but nothing spoke to us quote like this amazing Air Fryer bauble.
If seeing The Nutcracker is one of your festive traditions, then head right in over to Winter Fairytale. Everything's elegant and perfectly pretty. This cloud figure has to be the coolest, though, adding a delicate touch of iridescance.
With kitchen discos here to stay, mirror balls are having a serious revival. But how many of us actually have one set up in our ceilings? Exactly. These large decs are perfect to cluster together to add sparkle to a corner, or maybe you could even integrate it into a party-ready festive centrepiece!
To add some Scandi chic vibes without totally giving up on the whimsy of Christmas, we'd look to this simple wooden narwhal. After all, who doesn't love the unicorn of the sea? Exactly. The other Polar Planet piece we have our eyes on is the Blue Whale. Look, there are limits to how much we can cut back our list of faves.
Lisa Cherry, Christmas buyer at John Lewis, also endearingly known as Mrs Christmas, revealed her own Christmas bauble and theme top picks (not that she’s playing favourites). ‘My favourite bauble is from the Royal Fairytale trend, It’s a felt dragon that originates from a wrapping paper design and it looks great in 3D form,' she confesses.
'Royal Fairytale is a fantastical theme that is rooted in escapism and grounded in childhood nostalgia. The original dragon design derived from the imagination of one of our talented designers, Wendy, who was inspired by mythical creatures and fairytale lands.’
It's easy to get carried away when exploring the John Lewis Christmas shop, so it's worth checking out John Lewis discount codes to see if you can save some money on your buy. Now, go on, get that Mariah on and indulge in the festive spirit.
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