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THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED
If you’re anything like us, it only really feels like Christmas when you can walk down the high street past Christmas-themed shop windows, hear the bustle of festive shopping and enjoy the Christmas lights above. Wherever you are in the country, the switching on of the local lights is always guaranteed to draw a big crowd and feel like a major event
On London’s Oxford Street, where this quintessentially English tradition has been taking place for 51 years, M&S is hosting the big event this year and it is sure to be one of the UK’s most spectacular and iconic festive shows.
This year’s switch-on takes place on 1 November – 55 days before Christmas Day – with the show kicking off from 5pm at our Marble Arch store. We’re expecting tens of thousands of people to gather for the official unveiling of the Christmas lights in the West End, but we’re giving one lucky M&S Stories reader and a guest the chance to be front and centre in our VIP area of this most ‘Christmassy’, star-studded event! It doesn’t end there – if you win and attend you’ll also get:
• Access to the VIP M&S after-party at our Marble Arch store
• £500 M&S vouchers
This competition is now closed, but feel free to comment and tell us what – apart from the Christmas lights – makes it feel like the beginning Christmas for you …
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Comments567
On: 25 October 2011 Permalink
Starting to think about what to bake for Christmas makes it feel Christmassy for me – mince pies, yule logs, mmm
On: 25 October 2011 Permalink
Eating mince pies while listening to Jona Lewie’s stop the cavalry.
On: 25 October 2011 Permalink
when the kids start putting circles round things in gift catalogues and when Mariah Carey all i want for christmas comes on the radio!!
On: 25 October 2011 Permalink
crisp cold mornings and of course the Marks and Spencer christmas food catalogue arriving!
On: 25 October 2011 Permalink
our christmas countdown has started as it does every year with the beginning of strictly come dancing, my son knows that as the contestants get less we are getting closer and every year we have put up the tree whilst watching it on a saturday evening.
On: 25 October 2011 Permalink
It has to be the smell of spiced apple and cinnamon..Parties and little black dresses..Sneaking a kiss under the mistletoe..And helping my little girl leave her mince pie and milk for Santa
)
On: 25 October 2011 Permalink
The children coming home learning christmas play lines and singing carols at strange times
On: 25 October 2011 Permalink
Hearing Christmas songs on the radio and in the shops!
On: 25 October 2011 Permalink
That snuffly feeling of the first head cold of the winter!
On: 25 October 2011 Permalink
I’m lucky enough to work in a gorgeous location, and it has to be when the lake freezes over at work…a great picture opportunity.
On: 25 October 2011 Permalink
Stirring the Christmas pudding!
On: 25 October 2011 Permalink
Once my birthday is over with (oct 22nd) it always feels like christmas is coming from then! It becomes really cold, the clocks go back and we have those lovely cosey evenings in by the fire
)
On: 25 October 2011 Permalink
Seeing my daughter open day one of her Advent Calendar
On: 25 October 2011 Permalink
The start of Christmas for me, is when I see the Christmas Coke advert on television…….. “The holidays are coming……….!”
On: 25 October 2011 Permalink
Being with family & loved ones. Giving out presents, and seeing smiles on peoples faces
On: 25 October 2011 Permalink
Shopping for that special something for loved ones. Then sitting with a glass of mulled wine in front of a fire, carols in the background with my sellotape, wrapping paper and bows trying to make a fab christmas for us all = thinking of my families faces when they open there gifts.
On: 25 October 2011 Permalink
I love it when all the Christmas cookery programmes come on tv. Even if I never get round it attempting it all myself
On: 25 October 2011 Permalink
when all the Xmas promotions begin…:-)
On: 25 October 2011 Permalink
For me its when my 2 boys aged 6 and 8 start giving me hints for their lists to Santa, and then we have an annual trip to Winter Wonderland at HydePark, that REALLY gets Christmas in full flow……
On: 25 October 2011 Permalink
seeing all the twinkley christmas lights in the towns and peoples gardens and homes lovely.
On: 25 October 2011 Permalink
Seeing the M&S christmas television advert, it has everything from small children to big children. Warms the heart.
On: 25 October 2011 Permalink
mold wine
On: 25 October 2011 Permalink
Cold nights in front of the fire remind me of Christmaas
On: 25 October 2011 Permalink
It starts to feel lie Christmas when the supermarkets start playing cheesy covers of Christmas songs from years gone by…..and I LOVE IT
On: 26 October 2011 Permalink
when we put the christmas decorations up and when we start the advent calander
On: 26 October 2011 Permalink
Making home-made mince pies and getting the Christmas decorations down from the loft.
On: 26 October 2011 Permalink
soaking dried fruit ready to bake my Christmas cake, the smell just says Christmas to me!
On: 26 October 2011 Permalink
When I see the Christmas cake being prepared.
On: 26 October 2011 Permalink
Christmas starts when I first hear a christmas song played…’when the weather outside is frightful…’
On: 26 October 2011 Permalink
the start of Christmas for me is seeing advent calanders in the shop
On: 26 October 2011 Permalink
When I have my first sipple of Port of the year, which incidentally was just last week from samples they were giving out in my local M&S store, it was delish! I only ever drink it at Xmas time, with some cranberry wensleydale and an M&S mince pie or two! Yes it’s all about the M&S food at Xmas!
On: 26 October 2011 Permalink
Christmas songs on the Radio!
On: 26 October 2011 Permalink
Christmas music in the shops !! Raises my spirits…
On: 26 October 2011 Permalink
whenever i see the coca cola christmas advert with the holidays are coming song. then i know christmas is on its way!!!! oh and it wil mean my birthday is coming to lol
On: 26 October 2011 Permalink
Simply FOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!! Christmas is the one time of year when you can truly EAT, DRINK and be MERRY without having a care for the waistband
Here is the scenario every year: The whole family is round, we’ve just eaten a huge Christmas dinner, yet we are all in the living room still tucking into nuts, sweets, cakes, chocolates, etc, etc, all washed down with port, whiskey and sherry. SHERRY, this is the only time of thew year I touch it, but somehow at Chistmas it becomes delicious 
So for me seeing all the treats lined up in the shops gets me excited knowing that this event will happen soon…Oooh, can’t wait!!!