What: Selfridges has themed its Christmas around festive cities from around the world, with 12 city-themed windows on Oxford Street and in-store activations across London, Manchester, Birmingham and selfridges.com.

Why it is important: Selfridges is turning Christmas into a destination experience, using theatre, hospitality and a returning Disney partnership to give shoppers reasons to visit beyond the product itself.

Selfridges' "Christmas and the City" theme spans its London, Manchester and Birmingham stores and selfridges.com. The 12 Oxford Street windows depict Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, Lagos, New York City, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Copenhagen, Milan, Paris, London and the imaginary Vice City, with Santa stopping for an aperitivo in Milan and riding a tuk-tuk in Bangkok.

Inside, bellhops and showgirls in bespoke costumes by artist and theatrical designer Max Allen entertain visitors, alongside a Broadway-style "Snow Show". The New York-inspired Downtown Café offers dining in a subway carriage against a backdrop of illuminated skyscrapers, serving afternoon tea and diner classics. In the evening, the Cloakroom Bar hosts a Parisian cabaret, and a Ralph's Coffee pop-up runs on Duke Street.

Disney returns with a "Home Alone"-inspired experience combining exclusive products, themed food and Disney+ activations. At the Art Block, Gary Card's commission "The Parakeets Have Landed" gives London's wild parakeets a new home, and set designer Saskia Martindale has created three Christmas trees from city materials for the Orchard Street windows.

Outside the stores, New York-style yellow taxis run in London and Birmingham, and a yellow tram takeover stops at both Manchester stores.

IADS Notes: Disney's return builds on Selfridges' 2025 season, when the partnership brought an 11-metre Disney Castle, themed windows, Disney-inspired food and live performances to the London store, while Fortnum & Mason drew crowds with artist-designed windows (GDR, December 2025). Hospitality and live events are also central to John Lewis's festive offer this year: Santa's tea party returns with 28% more tickets than last year, 65% of which had sold to My John Lewis members before general sale, and selected stores host Hotel Chocolat and Biscuiteers experiences (Drapers, September 2026). Selfridges' Art Block commission and designer-built Orchard Street windows follow the approach of Le Bon Marché and Galeries Lafayette, which have put contemporary art programming and artist collaborations at the heart of their positioning as cultural destinations (Korea Bizwire, March 2026).

Selfridges travels the world for Christmas with city-themed windows and activations