Standing at 12 meters tall, this magical Christmas tree features a polished oak winding staircase that wraps around 270 book shelves which hold a majestic array of more than 3,800 hand-painted books. Donated by Penguin Books, among the treasures, merry book lovers can find inscribed Christmas Classics, such as C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
Unveiled on November 8th, festive shoppers and travelers visiting St. Pancras International Station will be treated to this delightful marvel until the New Year.
Lighting up the station and bringing a bounty of joyous cheer to London, the 2023 Christmas Tree showcases the magical power both books and trains to transport people to exciting new places.
8 Cozy Reading Nooks
Now travelers waiting for a train can curl up into a reading nook which looks like something right out of Hogwarts. As shared by Bounce Magazine, “In each booth, there are speakers which allow customers to select a five minute excerpt from an audiobook or reading provided exclusively by Penguin Books, featuring authors including Charles Dickens, Beatrix Potter, Zadie Smith, Robin Stevens, Gabrielle Zevin, Alice Winn, Rick Riordan, Michael Morpurgo, Richard Osman and Tom Fletcher. With each booth having two options, guests will be able to choose from sixteen different audios. These cubby holes are a great free attraction for the whole family or the perfect place to take five and relax while travelling through St. Pancras.”
Come Meet Santa!
Of course one of those treasured nooks is reserved for the Big Guy in red. Tickets for Father Christmas’ Grotto are available until December 23rd at @StPancrasInt. Festive Revelers are invited to meet Santa, share their Christmas wishes, listen to a story being read, and receive a token gift to play games with the mischievous elves.
Well Received
Wendy Spinks, Commercial Director at St. Pancras shared in an interview, ”This year’s St. Pancras International Christmas Tree is an ode to the wealth of literature that transports us to exciting and novel worlds. From real-life travel experiences to the fantastical lands of our imagination, we hope that festive visitors feel the magic and are inspired to pick up or gift their loved ones the most timeless gift of all, Books.”
Sponsored by Hatchards Booksellers, this is the first year the tree has been launched, but based on the rave reviews alone, it will surely become a beloved annual holiday treasure.
An avid book reader and proud library card holder, Angela is new to the world of e-Readers. She has a background in education, emergency response, fitness, loves to be in nature, traveling and exploring. With an honours science degree in anthropology, Angela also studied writing after graduation. She has contributed work to The London Free Press, The Gazette, The Londoner, Best Version Media, Lifeliner, and Citymedia.ca.
