Ever wondered if London has always looked as it does now at Christmas time? The extravagant lights, pavements bustling with people, shops dressed to the nines in festive decorations… If anything confirms that yes, London has always been this extra it’s this video we’ve hunted down on Youtube shared by @footageforprocom, which offers a little peephole into the past.
The footage, which as been shot in 8mm, features West End traffic, a wonderfully festive Peter Pan display atop Selfridges’ entrance, some gorgeous Christmas lights hanging in the streets, and crowds of Christmas shoppers. There’s even a brief sighting of the original HMV store, which just reopened at 363 Oxford Street after a four year closure.
The roads are filled with now-vintage Routemasters, cabs and cars in muted tones. The aesthetics are, quite frankly, on point. You’ll recognise many of the same buildings and storefronts, and it’s clear that London has always gone all out on the Christmas lights and window displays. You will even spot Regent Street’s lights, rolling with the same angel theme we see today. Regent Street’s Christmas lights display actually debuted 8 years prior to when this footage was taken, and kicked off the entire tradition of public Christmas lights in the capital.