With a little over 13 weeks to go, the festive season has officially begun at John Lewis today as its much-loved Christmas shop opens its doors across the country, serving as the ultimate one-stop destination for everything needed to make the season feel magical from festive trees, lights, and tableware to nostalgic decorations, thoughtful gifts, and wrapping.
Shoppers are already getting wrapped up and preparing ahead of the festive rush. Demand is surging across key categories, with searches for Christmas gift tags up by 50%, tableware up 25%, and stockings up 50%. Wrapping paper is topping shoppers’ lists, with the Gruffalo emerging as a sought-after design.
Cydney Ball, Head of Christmas at John Lewis says: “After months of planning, creating and bringing our vision to life, it’s incredibly exciting to finally open the doors to our Christmas shop and share it with our customers. Christmas at John Lewis is about so much more than finding the perfect gift or ornament for the tree. It’s about the anticipation, the nostalgia and those little moments that make the season feel magical. We can’t wait for our customers to step inside and start their Christmas story with us.”
With many Millennial and Gen Z shoppers increasingly stepping away from digital screens in favour of a more analogue lifestyle1. John Lewis is embracing nostalgia as shoppers seek out retro classics. Vinyl record sales jumped 98%, prompting the launch of 17 new vinyl lines ahead of Christmas. Nostalgic tech is also thriving: sales of the retro Native Union Pop Phone spiked 186% last week alone. Sentimental shoppers can choose from a wide selection of retro decorations, including a 70s disco mouse, a miniature arcade game, a cassette tape, and a classic sketch toy. For families planning screen-free time over Christmas there is the exclusive Traitors game.
Embracing the ‘kidulting’ trend, classic characters such as Miffy and Snoopy feature within the Christmas shop, proving that nostalgia and family favourites appeal to all ages. Embracing the joy of cuddly toys, John Lewis has introduced a charming collection of loveable yetis, each with a unique personality with a distinctly British spin. Handbag charms have emerged as a popular trend this year, and these enchanting yeti characters are leading the charge. Available as exclusive furry baubles that double up as collectable bag charms, they seamlessly transition from festive tree decorations into stylish year round accessories.
| Popstar Mouse Decoration, £8 | Retro Sketch Decoration, £8 | Cassette Tape Decoration, £8 |
The ever popular Santa’s tea party has returned to selected John Lewis stores for the festive season. Following the demand last Christmas, John Lewis is offering 28% more tickets, giving even more children the opportunity to enjoy the experience. This year, the tea parties will be more immersive and enchanting than ever before, with a special storytime hosted by Santa and his elves accompanied by hot chocolate, festive treats and a special gift from Danish toy construction brand PLUS-PLUS. 65% of tickets have already been sold to My John Lewis customers before going onto general sale on the 28th September.
In selected stores, customers can enjoy a range of festive experiences from much-loved brands, including Hotel Chocolat (where they can discover their perfect chocolate Love Match) and Biscuiteers (an exclusive pick and mix biscuit pop-up with a keepsake tin). New for 2026, selected stores will be offering on-the-spot personalisation for customers who purchase any cashmere item creating the perfect gift… or the ideal gift to yourself.
After the success of last year, the seasonal masterclasses are back, offering My John Lewis members the opportunity to sharpen their creative skills from the John Lewis experts. Selected stores will offer festive themed workshops such as candle making, prosecco bottle paint and sip gatherings, wreath making and the opportunity to create your own bag charm.
All stores will be holding talks covering a range of themes, such as how to build the perfect winter capsule wardrobe, a ‘treetorial’ on how to style and decorate your tree, and top tips on how to set the perfect table for Christmas. Customers simply sign up to become a My John Lewis member for the opportunity to attend the exclusive events.
