Besides a present from Santa Claus, Christmas-lovers look forward to the decoration game that every mall flexes in December. Central: The Original Store slays the festive season by throwing "Central: The Original Store On Holiday 2023". From replicating Santa's workroom and the North Pole to hosting a Christmas market, Central: The Original Store is leaving no stone unturned to make this year’s celebration memorable.
The event brings the joy of Christmas under the theme of "The Original Santa And His Hobbies", inviting everyone to take a peek at Father Christmas' office and his favourite activities on each floor of the historic retail store on Charoen Krung Road.
Find toys and trinkets on the first floor, where 41 emerging artists, hand-picked by Santa, present their takes on Christmas; think of a festive collection by Mossy Janny, Prasertsak Maneechot and Ekarat Aroonrat. Hot chocolate is the special festive drink at Siwilai Cafe and Siwilai Sound Club introduces the Grinch drink menu.
Explore Santa's bookworm side on the second floor, where he's collaborating with The Kolophon Libraries & Research Services to build a library for everyone. Nattawat "Joji" Ransikriangkai, whose digital paintings capture new inspirations of love and relationships between men, puts his latest "Love Stories By Joji" collection on display here until Feb 19, 2023.
Spend a jolly time at the Christmas market on the third floor where kiosks sell knickknacks and Thai crafts. Not Too Virgin, Oyster and Things, Janfive Studio and more have your Xmas gifts covered; a one-stop shop. Every weekend, Thailand Craft Chocolate Festival (TCCF) will serve chocolate drinks, hot and cold. Dare to play sharpshooter? Win prizes for every doll you knock down, including a festive coaster and key chain.
Christmas enchantments on the fourth floor include Santa's factory, the North Pole Post Office and a stargazing room. A little peek at your office won't hurt, right, Mr Claus? His workspace features a workshop table with his tools scattered around. Next to his workstation is his favourite cosy corner, where he takes a nap on a retro rocking chair by a brick fireplace. A red conveyor belt stretches from one side of the room to the other, carrying presents that are ready to be delivered. Adjacent to his office is an astronomical room covered with black cloth. As soon as you set foot in the chamber, be ready to be amazed by the alluring aurora along with glittering stars.
In front of Santa's factory are a couple of reindeer mannequins, waiting for visitors to take photos with them. If you can’t find the North Pole Post Office, look for a red postbox. The place provides a postcard and stationery to write heartwarming messages to loved ones. The cotton candy cart lets you make flossy treats for free, and you can capture wonderful moments at a photo booth by Sculpture Bangkok, which offers a film with a Christmas theme.
Find out what Santa has been secretly up to at Aksorn, the Michelin-starred restaurant by chef David Thompson, on the fifth floor. Here, things get merrier with two festive cocktails: Praithoon, a mixture of vodka and coconut water with a sweet aroma from jasmine rice syrup, and Busarakhum, a mix of ginger ale, rum, coffee liqueur and tamarind-flavoured syrup.
"Central: The Original Store On Holiday 2023" runs until Jan 8, 2023 from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10am-8pm. Visit fb.com/central.theoriginalstore.
