"Christmas gets earlier and earlier every year" is an oft repeated refrain, and it's true that many of the big stores start displaying seasonal stock while British Summer Time is still in full swing. The Christmas lights and windows usually make an appearance as soon as the last pumpkin has been ushered out, so in the early days of December, I was beginning to wonder if Christmas was coming to the Palace at all. Windows were looking decidedly unseasonal, and I was beginning to doubt my plan to blog about festive fenestration! But then, all of a sudden the Christmas fairy swooped and scattered glitter all around. And actually that's just how it should be, rather than being jaded by months of commercial bombardment, a fortnight or so of baubles and glitter is just enough to get you in the mood. So one evening last week, I went window shopping around the Triangle. Here is what I saw, starting on Church Road, heading clockwise…
The Crystal Palace Market
D Solo's
Christmas trees for sale next to Bambino
Finlay's Bureau of Investigation
Vien
The Alma
The White Hart
Vintage Hart
Around the corner into Westow Street
Urban Orient
Simon Carter
Blackbird Bakery
Love Bridal
Backstage
Papagaio
Crystal Palace Vintage
South of the River
Bookseller Crow, with dinosaur illustrations by David Vallade
Merlin Shoes, with Subway illustration, also by David Vallade.
Smash Bang Wallop
Domali
Hollybush Stores
Mind, Enterprise Shop
in a space gallery
Josephine's
Do South, window art by Sarah Campbell
And turning the corner into Westow Hill
The Sparrowhawk
Crystal Eye Centre
Good Taste
Upper Norwood Public Library
Royal Albert
Palace Hardware
Joanna's
Plumbase, it's a Christmas institution
Ponte Nuovo
Pizza at the Palace
Cocktail Embassy
Lorenzo
Nipping round the corner to Crystal Palace Parade…
Doris Florist
Before finally settling down for a cosy evening at,
Westow House
