In my world, anyone erecting Christmas trees before December has even started should be forced to co-habitate with Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen for a month. In a cave.
Unsurprisingly, big business thinks rather differently, and London is already firmly in the grip of the big festive cash-in, while Oxford Street basks in the glow of Marmite-themed Christmas lights.
Somerset House, off The Strand in central London, has got its holiday season baubles jangling early this year, with a huge Christmas tree in the courtyard looming over the temporary ice skating rink, which was erected as early as November 6th.
It used to be that the sheer novelty of ice skating in the central of London in November was enough, but now the experience is ramped up further with thumping dance music and disco lighting accompanying the skaters/handrail grippers.
I had a go skating here a few years ago, but my limited skills meant I wobbled between short bursts of relatively fluid movement across the ice followed by periods gripping on to the handrail for grim life.
If you fancy skating with aplomb falling flat on your face too, you need to book online here, with session tickets starting from £7.50 to £15. The ice rink will be open until 6th January 2013.
Related posts:
Somerset House: London’s Largest Living Room
A trip to the Dead House underneath Somerset House
AOI World Illustration Awards Exhibition at Somerset House, London
Hannah Perry: Gush – subwoofers and shimmering copper, Somerset House, London
A trip to Somerset House and the Return of the Rudeboy Exhibition, Strand, London
An early Christmas London walk – baubles, gas lamps, ice rink, South Bank and ICA art launch
‘Free Time’ @ Somerset House, London last Saturday
Brixton Skating Rink
