In the centre of Newcastle we have Fenwicks Department store. Every year, for as long…
Fenwick Christmas Windows 2014
Halloween and Bonfire night are over and I am now allowed to mention the C word, Christmas. I know Christmas is coming because Fenwick have put up their Christmas window displays. It is a big event, every year the theme of the windows is shrouded in secrecy and there is much speculation about the theme. Finally the Christmas windows are unveiled in a big event and people come from all over to see them. The reason they are so popular is the entire front windows of the store are transformed into a magical display, which moves and plays music. The queue to see them is always really long but it is worth the wait.
Last year the theme was Forest Fairy Tales and the year before it was Santa’s workshop. The windows were officially unveiled on Friday night so we popped into town on Saturday to see what the theme for this year would be. This year it is Alice in Wonderland and it is well worth a visit. Here are my photos which show each of the different windows.
If you are familiar with the story of Alice in Wonderland you will recognise many of the scenes in the windows. Starting with Alice falling down the rabbit hole and being tempted with a cake that says eat me, to the scenes with the caterpillar on the mushroom, the mad hatters tea party and playing croquet with the Queen. The story has been captured perfectly and makes a magical window display. When you realise that the windows are moving as well you understand why people come to see them. Some of my favourite bits were the caterpillar and the dormouse popping out of the teapot at the mad hatters tea party.
An interesting bit of history is that Fenwick was started in Newcastle in 1890. The store has been on the same site every since, expanding three houses to make one large department store. At the time the department store was an unheard of concept and helped to make Fenwick as big success.
Do you have any window displays like this near you?
Why not have a look at Fenwick’s Christmas windows past and present?
I always love to see the Fenwicks Christmas windows! I think if you live in the North east, it becomes a family tradition to visit them annually! I usually take the kids then we buy a coupe of boxes of fenwick Snowballs from the foodhall! They are gorgeous too! Lovely photos thank you x
I think it is a big tradition with lots of families, I have been taking my son since he was small. Will have to try the snowballs
We’ll be going soon to see it….It’s such a tradition for us.
It looks so pretty x
Us too, it is really great how the theme is so different every year
I’ve only had a glimpse of it when I left work on Friday night (and people were still queuing at 7pm!) but it looks fantastic 🙂 Its definitely feeling a lot more Christmassy in town
It really does start to feel like Christmas when the windows are put up. It gets a lot busier as well