It’s never easy to know what to do with kids when the weather is bad that doesn’t cost tons of money – especially in the run-up to Christmas. But then I have the brainwave idea and decide to take them on a day trip to Harrods – it’s local and it’s free. We can’t get in to see Santa in the Harrods’ Swarovski Grotto: it’s by invitation only to super-rich customers, who spend an arm and leg there. But I can take them to the kids’ toy department and see all the Christmas lights.
We get out of the vintage gold lifts on the fourth-floor kids department and, quite by chance, stumble into some free Christmas activities among the aisles in children’s fashion. In-between rails of expensive designer clothes, I glimpse face painting, a woman creating balloon animals, and a table where you can make your own Lego Christmas tree.
Before I know it, Lola and Liberty are getting their Polaroid photos taken to put into a frame that they can design themselves, with tons of stickers. I have hit the jackpot on this particular outing and there is hardly anybody else here yet. Inevitably, there are a few posh kids: girls in traditional floral dresses with their hair in ribbons, and little boys wearing tweed jackets. They look like they are ready for employment. Unsurprisingly, we aren’t quite so party-ready, especially as I’m covered in mud, having just taken Muggles for a walk in the rain, and Liberty has dried carrot all over her. I gave her a pouch of puree in the pram.
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