Christmas comes ... to Birmingham

It's that time of the year again and almost impossible to miss if you travel around Birmingham city centre - Christmas is here.  Birmingham switched it's lights on Saturday 8 November with a Christmas Parade.  BrumCityCentre.com has some photos of the parade and lights switch on, https://brumcitycentre.wordpress.com/2014/11/10/city-centre-christmas-lights-and-parade-2014/  Five days later on 13 November the annual Birmingham German Christmas Market opened which has already started to draw the crowds and will run until 22 December.

However if the early lights switch on hasn't got you in the festive mood yet then Brindleyplace won't be switching their own lights on until the 24 November.  A life-sized BFG and Sophie from the cast of The Rep theatre will be switching on the Christmas lights between 5.30 - 5.45pm with events beginning at 5pm, http://www.brindleyplace.com/event/christmas-light-switch-on/

With Christmas comes extended shopping hours and the Birmingham Mail has reported on the opening times across the festive season for the Bullring, Mailbox, Fort Shopping Park and the German Market, http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/shopping/birmingham-late-night-shopping-times-8097554

The Bullring shopping centre welcomes a new store ahead of the Christmas shopping period with Versus Versace opening a new store in a new concept conceived by Donatella Versace in collaboration with English architect Carmody & Groarke.

Innovative store materials,  spaces and retail display are cast aside, in favour of a dynamic and immersive installation of 'two-way' mirrors precariously balanced in delicate brass frames.

Down the road at the MAC in Cannon Hill Park there is a festive series of events including Kings Heath housewife Barbara Nice's Christmas Cracker on Friday 12 and Saturday 13 December, Christmas Craft Markets on December 6 - 7 and 13 - 14 and a Christmas Food Market on Sunday 21 December, http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/arts-culture-news/mac-birmingham-christmas-markets-barbara-8121655

The following pictures show some of city beginning to look festive with the wheel and ice rink in Centenary Square, German and Craft Market stretching from Centenary Square to the Bullring and the city lit up with festive lights and Christmas trees.