It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

Birmingham, its beginning to look at lot like Christmas! This time last for me I experienced the glamour of New York City's festive charms but this year I have been loving Birmingham's festive Christmas delights to the fullest! From the Centenary Square wheel, to the formidable Frankfurt Christmas Market I have been spoiled for choice! Who needs the 'Rockefeller Center' when Birmingham's got it all?!

It's been just over a month since the Frankfurt Christmas Market came to Birmingham to bring the joys of festive cheer to England's second city. I always say that when the market comes to town the festive season can truly begin in Birmingham. I'm planning to visit Berlin in 2014 so I wanted to get the best of the market this year to be acquainted with a slice of German culture. Upon my visit this year I indulged by enjoying a Bratwurst hot dog and I bought a Birmingham themed cookie, which took me about a week to eat fully. Ironically, the market opened on the 14th of November this year, which happened to be my 23rd birthday. To get the best of the market I chose to visit in the week for the weekend have been crazy busy, but it's definitely worth the crowd for the atmosphere is great! Aside from the mayhem and madness I love the Frankfurt German Market in Birmingham.  

So, last Saturday afternoon I decided to breakaway from my studying to take a walk around Birmingham's city center to begin the festive season as the last semester has been bedlam, plagued with deadlines and presentations. I would like to say that with the dark nights drawing in before 5 pm I saw it as a benefit to be proactive by taking some Xmas snaps. The Frankfurt Christmas Market was buzzing with all types of people enjoying their Glühwein and German Beer during that ice cold December night. It's interesting to see that most city's now in England are embracing the German Market during the festive season, but Birmingham reigns supreme! I must admit that I love to people watch so it was a great opportunity to see people enjoying themselves, might I add that some of the market-goers were speaking Russian, Spanish, Turkish and French, so Birmingham has definitely been attracting people from across the continent to enjoy the Frankfurt Christmas Market in Birmingham. I for one love the market, I also have a fancy for the craft market in Centenary Square for the pork scratchings taste fantastic! 

Somewhere closer to my student home has to be the Mailbox, Birmingham's upscale shopping and dining experience, which is looking positively charming. As of recent the adjoining Cube complex has flourished with the opening of new restaurants and existing eateries that have relocated from the Mailbox to make way for its 2015 redevelopment. As I walked along Wharfside Street I could hear several languages, for Birmingham is a very multi-cultural city but the Turkish speakers that I heard took me back to sunny Turkey so I loved that! Captured to the right is Christmas at the Malibox, the largest Christmas tree made an appearance in November in-preparation for the festive season to commence. Bearing in mind that it was a Saturday night whilst I was out experiencing my Birmingham Christmas evening I did notice more of a hubbub of people enjoying themselves, its a time like that when I wished I wasn't a student for having limited funds is never fun! Never-the-less, I will always champion the Mailbox during this part of the year for it's lovely!

Dressed in all of his finery is the Bull who guards the Bullring shopping complex. It's great to see this part of Birmingham's flagship shopping center all dolled up for the big day. Birmingham has become one of England's fashion capital's for this time of year brings incomprehensible amounts of shoppers to buy their fill of Christmas presents. Going from Macy's on 34th Street in NYC to Birmingham's Bullring has been a contrasting experience for sure, but there's nothing that beats Birmingham's retail delights. My Christmas shopping this year has been non-existent but I did treat myself in November for my birthday for it would be inhumane to not treat oneself. But I would say that Birmingham's New Street was suitably busy with the big day looming. I love the Bull for it always makes an effort during the seasons and always makes the perfect holiday snap for Birmingham's growing number of international visitors. 

Whatever the budget Birmingham has something for everyone, let's be honest the smile on someone's face on Chrismas morning as they open their ultimate present is priceless! I always make a point of having a browse through Selfridges as I'm a sucker for their high-end products, I really need to get a job! If I could write my dream Christmas list from Selfridges I would choose a range of items from Paperchase for I just adore the stationary and cute pens that are sold just by the food court. Taking the escalator up to the Men's wear I would ask St. Nick for some BOY clothes and a few high-end t-shirts by Vivienne Westwood for they always seem to catch my eye. Lastly, I would love to have some beauty products from the cosmetic section as I always like to look good. As I made my way around the luxury of Selfridges I enjoyed my Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino with the feeling of Christmas all round me, with the busy bodies passing by whilst they made their frantic pre-Christmas purchases I could finally feel Christmassy! We all want to be Material Girls in our world so a little luxury every now and then doesn't hurt? Birmingham's got a whole lot offer at Christmas if shopping is set in your sights, it's a fashion paradise for sure! It is truly beginning to look at lot like Christmas in Birmingham! 

Like I've mentioned before I missed the festive season last year for I spent Christmas in New York and New Jersey, so I have really appreciated seeing the Christmas magic that Birmingham has offered so far this year. This festive season in Birmingham has surpassed my previous Christmas experiences for the Wheel has come to town, overlooking the Library of Birmingham that recently opened in September of this year. Birmingham's got talent for the view from the raised gardens at the Library always gives the best night-time view over Birmingham. I'm no Torvil & Dean so I only watch the ice skaters as I pass by the International Convention Centre (ICC) to and from university. But the ice rink is a great addition to Centenary Square for it was quite a bore to put up with the partitions and workings of the developing library and the REP Theatre, but for now I can't be negative because everything looks fantastic under the December moonlight! So, after all this festive cheer and the merriment of the many Christmas attractions I'm more than excited for the big day on the 25th! 

Birmingham . . . It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas! Joseph Harrison