Year after year, St Pancras railway station in London never fails to impress with its spectacular Christmas trees, and this year is up to the usual very high standard. Katharine took this shot of the 2023 tree when on her way to visit Lucy and her family last month.
The TimeOut website describes it as follows: "In partnership with Hatchards, the UK’s oldest bookshop, St Pancras station has created the 12-metre-tall tree that features a winding staircase, wrapping around 270 book shelves. The almost 4,000 books in the tree have all been hand-painted and inscribed with Christmassy titles including Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’ and C.S. Lewis’ ‘The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe’. The tree is inspired by the magical ability of both books and train travel to transport people to exciting new places.
At the base of the tree are also eight cosy-looking cubby holes, each having a spot where bibliophiles can stop, sit and read. In each booth, visitors can listen to a five-minute excerpt of an audiobook provided by Penguin Books from authors including Charles Dickens, Beatrix Potter, Zadie Smith, Robin Stevens, Gabrielle Zevin, Alice Winn, Rick Riordan, Michael Morpurgo, Richard Osman and Tom Fletcher. Each booth has two options and guests will be able to choose from sixteen different audios.
With all the hubbub of the festive season, having a Christmas tree where people can find a quiet spot to enjoy a good book sounds wonderful to us." Sounds great to Katharine and I as well!
Thank you all for your lovely comments and favs, they are very much appreciated.
I love this Christmas tree design, it would be wonderful to visit and see it. But then, I think the whole refurbishment of the station is impressive, and makes a very grand departure and arrival point. I love the sculptures now to be seen, and the grand arch of the station roof. It is my favourite London station.
Thank you all for your lovely comments and favs, they are very much appreciated.
I love this Christmas tree design, it would be wonderful to visit and see it. But then, I think the whole refurbishment of the station is impressive, and makes a very grand departure and arrival point. I love the sculptures now to be seen, and the grand arch of the station roof. It is my favourite London station.
Ian
Thank you Corrine - they produce a new masterpiece of a tree every year!
Ian
Thank you - whoever designs the trees for St Pancras has some wonderful ideas.
Ian