Hamleys brings the magic of Christmas alive with Shilpa Shetty and hundreds of children at its High Street Phoenix store

Bollywood Actor wrote her son Viaan’s wish letter to Santa and celebrated Christmas in a unique way along with hundreds of children releasing wish balloons from the make believe North pole station

16^th December, 2017: Hamleys, ‘The Finest Toy Shop in the World’ in collaboration with Mumbai’s premier shopping mall, High Street Phoenix kick started the biggest Christmas celebration of 2017. ‘Letters to Santa’ is Hamleys’ most awaited annual Christmas campaign and this year was grand as they invited the charismatic and charming actress mom, Shilpa Shetty to begin the celebrations with a unique wish balloon activity accompanied by hundreds of children. As a part of the festivities, the actress was seen writing a personal letter to Santa on behalf of her son, Viaan and releasing wish balloons into the sky with hundreds of children gathered at the Phoenix courtyard, making it a truly magical evening for everyone.

There was excitement in the air as the people at Phoenix were euphoric with what they had witnessed. Shilpa was also joined by characters from the Hamleys family who broke into an enthralling live performance, dancing their way through the crowd and engaging with kids. Everyone surrounding the characters were seen cheering on Shilpa as she twirled with Hamleys’ most beloved mascot – The Hamley Bear. The other artists that added to the merriment included, The Ring Master, Toy Soldier, Pirates, Elves, Clowns, Jugglers and contemporary dancers.

The celebrations received great enthusiasm from the little ones as they tapped their feet to dance with their favorite characters and took pictures with Shilpa. The highlight of the event was the ‘Letters to Santa’ activity, where kids indulged in letter writing to stand a chance to win a personal visit from Santa himself at their home during Christmas. Parents relished their time with the children as it brought back the nostalgia of letter writing. For kids it was pure joy as they wrote to Santa about all the good deeds they had done throughout the year and the toys they wish for.

Adding a special touch and spreading the Christmas cheer this December, Hamleys transformed High Street Phoenix into a winter wonderland for kids to come and explore various activities curated just for them to enjoy the festive season. The Hamleys store turned into a North Pole station with Santa and his helpers, as kids dropped off their letters at the post box situated inside the store. To add to the Christmas theme, Hamleys created an exquisite North Pole Station installation at the courtyard, which included a Santa Claus, snowman, reindeers, elves, Christmas trees, gifts, a toy train and lots of snow, making it a memorable event.

About Hamleys

For 257 years, Hamleys of London has been The Finest Toy Shop in the World bringing magical experiences and joy to children of all ages. Hamleys’ rich history began with William Hamley, a Cornishman from Bodmin, England. William Hamley dreamed of the best toy shop in the world when opening his toy shop at Holborn, London in 1760. In 2017, Hamleys, as a global brand, extends significantly further than the famous London toy shop. With over 118 toy shops worldwide.