He may face stiff competition from religious tradition, enormous roast dinners and Doctor Who, but if there's one real symbol of Christmas for your children it's probably Santa Claus. From early November, Santas spring up all over London – but make sure you only tell your little treasures about the one you're taking them to, or they might catch on...
Some Santas, having embraced seasonal commercialism, land their sleighs in the Capital's best-known shops.
Harrods and
Selfridges both run acclaimed grottoes: this year, the latter's features animatronic polar bears for that wintry feeling. Harrods tickets can be booked on 020 7893 8877, while Selfridge's have
online booking. The parents, of course, gain the advantage of distracting their little ones from the fact that they're being dragged round a shop while Mummy and Daddy buy boring grown-up things like hampers and brandy.
There's no such advantage at
Hamley's, which is enough like Santa's factory in July, but the magic of the experience makes up for it: children can have breakfast or tea with Santa, complete with gingerbread-decorating, stories about Lapland and, of course, a chat with Santa and a goody bag. Places, however, are strictly limited and cost £45 each (book in advance on 0844 855 2424).
Less blatantly commercial Santas can be found across the capital, from the beautiful surroundings of
Kew Gardens (with the visit coming free). The Grotto at Canary Wharf features free kids' activities, with visits to Santa priced at £1 (all proceeds to Richard House Children's Hospice). Meanwhile,
Santa's Secret Village on the South Bank, near the Cologne Christmas market, offers everything from photos with the big man to a Q&A session for £15. And if all this seems a little bit too carelessly extravagent, the
Ethical Christmas Emporium's special Green Santa offers jollity with a conscience.
