Christmas starts at home, and there will be so much happening on your doorstep in the next few weeks – from fairs to seasonal markets, featuring everything you can imagine and some things you cannot. Gingerbread sculptures or Santa in an ice cave, anyone?
Ealing Artisan, the weekly Sunday food and craft market in Ealing Broadway will be getting festive throughout December, with special events on 3, 10 and 17 December between 11am-3pm.
Located in the new Dickens Yard development, on Uxbridge Road between Ealing Town Hall and Christ the Saviour Church, Ealing Artisan shows off an impressive array of crafts, produce and street-food stalls. But in December there will be even more stalls than usual; mulled wine; and activities to keep you entertained – including a children’s area with Christmas crafts and other fun.
It will be great for Christmas gift shopping, your weekly shop or just a fun trip out.
The three December dates will all have a different theme or entertainment: 3 December features Christmas talks and demos, including creating the perfect cheese board and choosing wines for every festive occasion; 10 December sees Father Christmas head over to Ealing Artisan Christmas grotto; and on 17 December expect carol singers and general merriment.
Ice, gingerbread and wooden cabins
Ealing Broadway Shopping Centre will have an ice cave installation adorned with a different, and amazing, replica of Ealing landmarks made of gingerbread every day from 18 November. Santa will be visiting the centre every weekend from 18 November to 23 December, from 12noon to 6pm, and will be found in the ice cave. There will also be many choirs and carol singers popping up at different times to add some extra Christmas sparkle.
The popular festive market returns to the shopping centre for a month from Thursday, 23 November, featuring pop-up gift boutiques alongside more traditional Christmas market fare.
Each trader will have their own festive wood cabins surrounded by traditional decorations and twinkling lights, creating an especially seasonal feel. A highlight of the market will once again be The Wonderland Collective, which will host a beautifully decorated cabin featuring luxury and hand designed gifts, many of which you will not find anywhere else in west London.
The weekly pop-up boutiques will include the likes of Wassail & Balter, Siyana, Mala & Bunga and Erskine Rose. Bespoke lighting installations from Chiswick’s Light Fixation will adorn the cabins and also be available to buy.
Donkey, Santa and lots more
Father Christmas will come to the heart of West Ealing on Saturday, 9 December when the Christmas Fair takes place in Melbourne Avenue, between the library and Sainsbury’s. Among its highlights will be a nativity play.
Charlie the donkey will be touring the streets, meeting children before leading actors in for the play. There will be face painting, arts activities and, of course, Father Christmas will be ready in his grotto to hand out gifts.
Local musicians and choirs will be performing, including Ealing Rock Choir and a choir from St John’s and St James’s churches.
The Christmas Fair, which will run between 12noon-4pm, will also offer everyone the chance to buy a wide variety of locally made Christmas gifts including food, jewellery, skincare, and cards.
Events elsewhere
North Hanwell Traders’ Association have organised a two-hour Christmas Party on Saturday, 2 December. Between 1-3pm outside the White Hart pub there will be Christmas carols, a Santa’s grotto, live music, children’s entertainment, mulled wine and stalls.
Also in Hanwell, on Sunday, 10 December at Katherine Buchan Meadow in Green Lane, people are encouraged to go along and join in singing carols and enjoying a winter wonderland complete with mince pies and mulled wine, from 5.30pm. Festive clothing is welcomed and any money raised will go to charity.
Acton Street Market is run by Action West London, local charity and social enterprise. There are 30 stalls set up every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Acton market sells a wide variety of goods including food, arts, crafts, jewellery, homemade cards, clothes, shoes, bags, and stalls selling fresh groceries such as fruit and veg.
Take a look at www.ealing.gov.uk/events to see if anything else is on – or, if you are putting on an event, submit a listing there free of charge.
Don’t miss out
Council leader Julian Bell said: “When it comes to getting in the festive spirit and buying Christmas gifts, there is more happening on your doorstep than you might think. With fairs, markets and independent traders in abundance during December, none of us who live in the area should miss out on great present ideas, mouth-watering food or family-friendly fun.
“As if that wasn’t enough to entice you, there is another imperative that might do. The weeks before Christmas are always a critical time for local traders and, therefore, every pound spent locally contributes to the health of our town centres, our local economy and job market. So there is every incentive for us to support our neighbourhoods by shopping locally. I certainly will be.
“That is the essence of Small Business Saturday on 2 December, which is a national event which seems to get bigger each year. Look out for what is happening in our local shops that day.”
Small Business Saturday
Small Business Saturday UK is a national, grassroots campaign which encourages people to ‘shop local’ and support small businesses in their communities. The day itself takes place on the first Saturday in December each year – this year it is 2 December. Many small businesses take part in the day by hosting events and offering discounts, so keep an eye on your local shops. Find your closest small business.
If you’re a small business and would like to become part of the campaign, there’s still time to register.
