Major department stores in London give their shop windows a makeover in December to celebrate the festive Christmas season and become retail theatre.  The unveilings are highly anticipated and people often queue for hours waiting for the moment that stores like Harrods, Selfridges and Fortnum & Mason unveil their Christmas masterpieces.

This year a favorite is Selfridges, which has a modern zodiac theme for 12 of their Oxford Street windows which they have titled:  Journey to the Stars.  “Set against an illuminated backdrop of outer space, the windows depict the star signs’ most recognisable characteristics.”   Below we feature the 12 zodiac inspired Christmas windows from Selfridges which is the second largest department store in the UK (after Harrods) and opened 15 March 1909.    They include two tonnes of glitter, 450 metres of neon lighting and 10,000 laser-cut leaves all created by 500 staff who worked on the windows for 32,000 hours.
 
ARIES – WILD AT HEART

Selfridges Christmas Window 2015.   Photo: © Ursula Petula Barzey. 
 
TAURUS – SHE WILL MOVE MOUNTAINS 

Selfridges Christmas Window 2015.   Photo: © Ursula Petula Barzey. 
 
GEMINI – POWER OF TWO 

Selfridges Christmas Window 2015.   Photo: © Ursula Petula Barzey. 
 
CANCER  – CHILDREN OF THE MOON  

Selfridges Christmas Window 2015.   Photo: © Ursula Petula Barzey. 
 
LEO – LIONHEARTED PRIDE  

Selfridges Christmas Window 2015.   Photo: © Ursula Petula Barzey. 
 
VIRGO – THE COSMIC PURIST

Selfridges Christmas Window 2015.   Photo: © Ursula Petula Barzey. 
 
LIBRA  – QUEEN OF PEACE  

Selfridges Christmas Window 2015.   Photo: © Ursula Petula Barzey. 
 
SCORPIO – LOVERS IN THE LAIR  

Selfridges Christmas Window 2015.   Photo: © Ursula Petula Barzey. 
 
SAGITTARIUS  – FREE AS A BIRD 

Selfridges Christmas Window 2015.   Photo: © Ursula Petula Barzey. 
 
CAPRICORN  – SALT OF THE EARTH 

Selfridges Christmas Window 2015.   Photo: © Ursula Petula Barzey. 
 
AQUARIUS – MARCH TO THE BEAT OF THEIR OWN DRUM  

Selfridges Christmas Window 2015.   Photo: © Ursula Petula Barzey. 
 
PISCES  – LADIES OF THE LAKE 

Selfridges Christmas Window 2015.   Photo: © Ursula Petula Barzey. 
 
In additions to these extravagant windows, there is also another with a 2.8 metre high working orrery.   Launched back in October, the zodiac inspired windows at Selfridges department store on busy Oxford Street in London will be on display until the New Year!