Grotto Video is Best

The Grotto is Open! But here’s why it’s still better to book your video call with Santa

As we get closer to Christmas 2021, there’s a bit of a 2020 feel about it – the shops are open, and we can see our family and friends, but Covid hasn’t gone anywhere, and now there’s a new variant to worry about too. Even if Omicron turns out to be as mild as early signs (hopefully) suggest, infection control means that you and your family would be obliged to isolate for 10 days – and that could really take the shine off Christmas, not to mention whoever is the main Christmas prepper having major stress about last minute presents and food shopping.

Although we could catch Covid – or any other nasty winter bug going around – anywhere, standing in the kind of queue you’re likely to find waiting to see Santa Claus in a Grotto* would be a prime place for infection; lots of young and school-age children, all excited about telling Santa their Christmas wishes.

We know it’s disappointing not to be able to talk to Santa Claus, but we’re still very much here and building on our success over the lockdown Christmas of 2020. Santa’s even better with Zoom than he was before, and he, Mrs Claus and the Elves are waiting to talk to children and their families via a live video call with Santa Claus from the North Pole in the run up to the big day.

Santa has set up his grotto over Zoom again this year (by the power of Santa-magic, he can be in several places at once!), and it’s as Christmassy as any shop grotto he’s ever been in. He first set up in a grotto in a department store 140 years ago, in Liverpool – and the Christmas Fairyland is still going strong today! Read its story here, and make a firm date for visiting next year.

In 1877, a man called David Lewis was on a Parisian trip to visit the world’s first department store, the famous Bon Marche. Translating as ‘good buy’, the shop had been first opened at the beginning of the 19^th century, and by 1865 was proudly known as the world’s first department store. The interior courts, complete with skylights, were designed by Alexander-Gustavo Eiffel – who was to have a rather more famous tower to his name in due course. Lewis took the idea back to Liverpool, especially taking inspiration from the store’s exhibition area, and its 1879 Christmas-themed exhibition.

Christmas Fairyland was an instant hit. It covered a massive 10,000 square feet, and people travelled from all over the country. The popularity of the grotto led to other shops attempting to copy the idea. Inevitably, Santa Claus got even busier as the idea gradually spread across the world towards the end of the 19^th century. Blackler’s of Liverpool competed with a giant Father Christmas, now in the Museum of Liverpool.

The Lewis Grotto still delivers Christmas magic today, and has had a variety of themes over the years, including Santa on the Moon, Alice in Wonderland in Liverpool, and famous children’s stories. A couple of additions from the now-defunct Blacker’s display (which ran from 1957 to 1988) have also crept in – a couple of polar bears that guard the entrance!