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Selfridges has launched its 2026 Christmas and the City campaign across its London, Manchester and Birmingham stores and online. The programme includes 12 themed Oxford Street windows, food and performance events, and city-themed taxis and trams.
Selfridges has launched its 2026 Christmas campaign, bringing the “Christmas and the City” theme to stores in London, Manchester and Birmingham and to its digital store. The campaign features 12 city-inspired windows at the Oxford Street flagship, alongside food, performances and transport-themed activations designed to draw shoppers into the stores during the festive season.
At the London flagship, the 12 Oxford Street windows depict places including Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, Lagos, New York, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Copenhagen, Milan, Paris, London and the fictional Vice City. The scenes follow Santa on stops around the world, including a Paris rooftop and a journey through Bangkok in a tuk-tuk, according to the campaign details reported by Cosmetics Business.
The store has also created a New York-inspired Downtown Café, with illuminated-skyscraper imagery and a subway-carriage dining area. Its menu is described as combining afternoon tea, diner dishes and cocktails, with items such as a lox bagel, hot dog, New York cheesecake and Coke Float. At the Cloakroom Bar, a Parisian cabaret is scheduled for selected Thursdays in November and December, with tickets available to book.
Campaign activity extends beyond the London flagship. Selfridges plans yellow taxi activations in London and Birmingham and a yellow tram takeover in Manchester, with stops at the Trafford and Exchange Square stores. The retailer also lists a Broadway-inspired Snow Show at its London, Birmingham and Manchester Exchange Square stores, and a three-course panettone event with live music at San Carlo Bottega in Manchester. Santa and elves are due to appear in stores from December 1.
How the campaign reaches shoppers
The launch turns Selfridges’ festive offer into more than a window-display programme: it combines store visuals, dining and live entertainment with city-specific transport promotions. For shoppers, the listed events provide reasons to visit different branches, while the digital rollout gives the campaign a route to customers who do not attend in person.
The approach also reflects the role seasonal activity plays for large department stores, which compete for attention during a busy retail period. Selfridges has announced a broad set of experiences, but the source material does not provide visitor forecasts, ticket capacity, campaign spending or sales targets. The commercial effect is not yet known.
Christmas city window display decorations
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A campaign across three cities
Selfridges describes “Christmas and the City” as a celebration of real and imagined cities. The campaign is built around the Oxford Street flagship’s 12 international scenes, while adapting activity for Manchester and Birmingham through local store events and transport promotions. The retailer says the campaign is available in its UK stores and on selfridges.com.
Selfridges chief executive André Maeder said the company’s teams had designed the campaign to create shared memories and make visitors feel welcome. He also said the retailer was celebrating cities at the heart of London, Manchester and Birmingham. These are the company’s stated aims; the source does not report customer responses or independent evaluation of the campaign.
““Christmas and the City has been imagined by our teams to create special memories to share and to make everyone feel welcome.””
— André Maeder, Selfridges chief executive
New York diner style home decor subway sign
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Event schedules and campaign results
The campaign announcement does not specify the full operating dates or hours for each activation, the number of taxi or tram services, or capacity and booking details for every event. Cabaret tickets are listed for selected Thursdays in November and December, but the source does not provide a complete performance calendar. The Snow Show is described as open to all, with no further timetable given in the report.
It is also unclear how long the displays and activations will remain in place, whether every campaign element will be available at each branch, and how many shoppers Selfridges expects to attract. No sales figures or results have been reported, so the campaign’s effect on retail performance cannot yet be assessed.
Christmas afternoon tea serving set
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Festive events begin in December
Selfridges says Santa and his elves will begin visiting stores on December 1. The cabaret performances are scheduled for selected Thursdays across November and December, and the Manchester panettone event forms part of the campaign’s store programme. Customers seeking dates, availability or booking details will need to check Selfridges’ event listings and individual store information as they are published.
The retailer has not announced a post-campaign review or sales update. Further details about schedules, attendance and the duration of the installations may emerge during the Christmas season.
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Key Questions
What is Selfridges’ 2026 Christmas campaign called?
It is called “Christmas and the City” and features city-inspired festive displays and events.
Which locations are included?
The campaign has rolled out across Selfridges locations in London, Manchester and Birmingham, as well as on selfridges.com.
What can visitors see at the Oxford Street store?
The London flagship has 12 windows themed around cities around the world, plus a New York-inspired Downtown Café and a Parisian cabaret programme at the Cloakroom Bar.
When do Santa visits begin?
Selfridges says Santa will visit stores with his elves from December 1. The source does not give a full schedule for each branch.
Are the campaign’s events free?
The Snow Show is described as open to all. The report says cabaret tickets can be booked for selected dates, but does not specify ticket prices or provide complete booking details for all events.
Source: rss
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