It's that time of year again when Fenwick in Newcastle brightens up the city with the Christmas window...
Image Source: Own Photo
Fenwick Christmas window on Northumberland Street in Newcastle City centre is something that I look forward to each year. It is always something that brings excitement to the city centre with people queuing all day every day to catch a close-up glimpse! 1971 was the store's first-ever festive window display which had the theme of Camberwick Green. It has been a tradition since and I hope that it continues long into the future.
The window is one of Fenwick's most prominent kept secrets and keeps everyone guessing each year as the festive season approaches. While the window is in the process of being created the store covers everything up with big boards. When they are up I always walk past and think about all of the magic that's happening and what the staff are in the process of putting together! This year the big reveal was on the 6th of November. The window transforms the whole of Northumberland Street, it feels so magical! This year the launch was a virtual one. In the past two years, when the pandemic saw a move away from the usual public unveiling, which attracted masses of people. Northumberland street was closed off and all views of the window were blocked. The likes of charities, schools and hospitals were invited to attend and then the following day everyone else was able to take a look for themselves.
You can watch the YouTube reveal in the video below and learn more about the story behind the window, it also gives you a little look into how it was brought to life!
Video Source: Fenwick Official YouTube
This year's theme is based on the Clarice Bean books by Lauren Child. I remember reading these books when I was little so this window is a bit of a throwback for me and I love it! This wasn’t the theme I was expecting at all and I think that’s a good thing because it makes it a bit different. I admire the illustrations and this gives the window a storybook feel. Lauren Child is also the creator of the children’s TV show and characters Charlie and Lola which was my absolute favourite (I always remember how much Lola loved that pink milk! "Filled with warmth and irresistible humour Think Like An Elf is a tale of the unwavering Christmas spirit of the extraordinary, effervescent and beloved Clarice Bean as she navigates her way to a fun-filled, circus-inspired Christmas" (Fenwick, 2022).
Image Source: Fenwick
The Clarice Bean series is a series of children's books written and illustrated by English author Lauren Child from 1999. The stories follow middle schooler Clarice Bean and her challenges navigating the complex ethical, social and philosophical questions children deal with at school and at home. A spin-off series titled Ruby Redfort, which the US publisher called a "six-book middlegrade fiction series" in advance, was inaugurated in 2011 (Wikipedia).
My favourite element is the TV, I love how this is an interactive element. You can actually see yourself on the TV which is a pretty cool concept. I think it’s quite exciting when you walk past and look and your reaction is like ‘oh wow I’m on TV’! Children will love this part and I love it too, very clever and creative. Keeping customers engaged is so important!
I see it most days on my walk up to campus and it just makes me smile and incredibly happy! I look forward to it every year and love the excitement of finding out the theme. I also think to myself about all of the wonderful things I would do if I were in charge of creating it. 100% it would be a dream to work on projects such as this so close to home once my time studying is finished, hopefully, my fashion skills and marketing skills could help me pursue a career that lets me do this.
According to Paul Baptiste, Head of Creative at Fenwick, when asked about the window explained “The opportunity to work with Lauren Child is a great privilege for us and we are super excited to see the windows revealed this Christmas. It's a new festive story we are sharing this year but one that holds true to our vision that sees Christmas as the time of year when we look to spend quality time with family and friends and look out for those who might be on their own”.
Source: Own Images, a gallery of pictures showing Fenwick Window 2022
You may also be wondering what all of the other themes have been over the years so according to Newcastle's The Chronicle, here is a list:
971 Camberwick Green – based on a popular children’s TV series
1972 Chigley
1973 Rupert Meets Santa
1974 Sooty’s Circus
1975 Aladdin
1976 Fairytale Christmas with Cinderella
1977 Treasure Island
1978 Storybook Christmas
1979 Wonderful world of Pantomime
1980 A Christmas Carol
1981 Alice in Wonderland
1982 Arabian Nights
1983 Fly to Fenwick’s for Christmas (based on a space theme)
1984 Gulliver – featuring a massive Gulliver, whose body filled the whole shop frontage
1985 Fairytale Christmas with Pinocchio
1986 Christmas Circus
1987 Magical Winter Wonderland (creatures skating and skiing)
1988 Purrfect for Christmas (all the figures were cats and dogs)
1989 Jungle Fantasy
1990 Good Old Santa (Santa and elves preparing for Christmas)
1991 It’s A White Christmas (Jack Frost, a Snowman, a talking Tree and Santa)
1992 Santa’s Christmas Party (with panto and nursery rhyme characters)
1993 Alice in Wonderland
1994 Christmas Village
1995 Santa’s New Store
1996 Fairytale Christmas (with Snow White, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty)
1997 Santa’s Christmas Pantomime
1998 A Christmas Carol
1999 Peter Pan
2000 Christmas in Poodletown
2001 Santa’s Journey (Santa and helper Englebert the Polar Bear)
2002 Christmas in Another World
2003 Santa’s Workshop
2004 The Christmas Story (Nativity)
2005 The Snowman (famous Raymond Briggs story)
2006 Gulliver (a return journey for Gulliver)
2007 Winter Wonderland
2008 Oliver Twist (with soundtrack featuring all songs from the musical)
2009 The Christmas Story (Nativity)
2010 The Night Before Christmas (Toymaker Express!)
2011 40 Years Of The Fenwick Christmas Window
2012 The Reindeer Express
2013 The Fairy Tale Forest
2014 Alice in Wonderland
2015 Once Upon A Christmas
2016 The Magic of Beatrix Potter
2017 Love from Paddington
2018 We’re Walking in the Air
2019 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
2020 The Wind in the Willows Story
2021 Shaun the Sheep
It is nice to read that actually and reflect on all of the ones that I do remember because it is so easy to forget. But what I also love is getting myself on google and checking out other ones too from years and years ago.
If you are in Newcastle or anywhere else in the North East I highly recommend you check this out. I hope it fills you with the same kind of happiness that I get when I see it. I feel so lucky to be able to see it every week. Thank you for reading my post and I hope that you shall be paying a visit to my site again very soon!
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