The St Pancras Christmas tree is always a magical sight. Every year, from November to January, it brings joy to thousands of phone-wielding passengers who jostle to take a picture for their Instagram stories. Perhaps the most mesmerising part about it is the fact it is never just your traditional tree, weighed down by baubles and glitter. Instead, the St Pancras Christmas tree, positioned at the heart of the bustling station, is always designed around a different iconic theme, which has previously included Disney, Fortnum & Mason, Tiffany, and London Zoo. Earlier this month, the 2023 tree was unveiled and it is, in our opinion, the best one yet!
Sponsored by bookseller Hatchards and Penguin Books, the spectacular 12-metre-tall tree has been made to resemble an enchanting library. It features a winding staircase that raps around 270 bookshelves. There are also more than 3,800 novels, each hand-painted and inscribed with festive titles such as Charles Dickens ‘A Christmas Carol’ and C.S. Lewis ‘The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe’.
If that wasn’t cool enough, visitors can sit within eight listening booths around the skirt of the tree. They can then press a button and lose themselves in a 5-minute audio excerpt from authors such as Charles Dickens, Beatrix Potter, Michael Morpurgo, Rick Riordan, Tom Fletcher, and Richard Osman. A wonderful way for bookworms to enjoy the festivities, whether that be for a solo visit or a family outing! It’s just a shame there isn’t a quiet little cubby hole like this all year
round to listen to a book and escape the station hubbub. The St Pancras Christmas tree is inspired by the magical ability of both novels and train travel to transport people to exciting new places. You can find it at St Pancras International, Euston
Road, London, N1C 4QP.
