While extravagant Christmas decorations are often linked to the United States, the United Kingdom is increasingly embracing its own brand of festive grandeur each year. The season's arrival is heralded by elaborate light installations in cities and towns across the nation, but not all displays have been met with universal cheer.
Design Expert's Verdict on Festive Displays
Jordana Ashkenazi, Founder and Design Director of Element One House, has shared her candid assessment with the Daily Mail on which UK Christmas lights succeeded in spreading Yuletide joy and which missed the mark. Her reviews highlight a stark contrast between spectacular successes and bewildering failures.
In Blackpool, designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen has divided public opinion with his eclectic designs for the town's iconic illuminations. His three artworks, titled 'Lusch Puppy', are a tribute to his beloved dogs. Ashkenazi criticised the display, stating, "I support creativity, but I genuinely don’t understand the thinking behind using public money to illuminate someone’s own dogs in regal costumes." She noted the lack of a festive theme, suggesting reindeer would have made more seasonal sense, and branded the effort "ridiculous".
From Grandeur to Grievance: A Nation's Mixed Results
The UK's festive efforts range from the magnificent to the meagre. London's Carnaby Street and Regent Street displays were praised as "grand, beautiful and full of atmosphere," transforming the area into a major tourist attraction. Similarly, historic York won approval for its "cosy" and "timeless" traditional style, which complemented the city's ancient streets.
However, several locations faced criticism. Scarborough's scattered lights were deemed "incredibly underwhelming," with Ashkenazi suggesting the job felt half-finished. Antrim's solitary Christmas tree on a roundabout was described as "bare" and more of a "placeholder than a celebration."
In Devon, Tiverton's decade-old Christmas pudding lights were once again ridiculed, with Ashkenazi noting they "unfortunately resemble underwear hanging across the street." Newport's modern tree was seen as "under-adventurous," while Seaham's confusing seafront 'tree' was labelled "sparse and underwhelming."
Creative Energy and Traditional Charm
Other displays received more nuanced reviews. Liverpool's bold, contemporary projections on its cathedral were applauded for their confidence and ambition, blending modern spectacle with traditional elements. Meanwhile, the charming but chaotic lights in Mousehole, Cornwall, were seen as attractive but lacking a coherent theme.
The village of Angarrack in West Cornwall was credited for its "charmingly traditional" effort, though its spread-out layout reduced the overall impact. The analysis confirms that while the UK's appetite for festive spectacle is growing, the execution and public reception vary dramatically from one high street to the next.
