In December, the Margaret Howell Jinnan store is decorated with trees and ornaments, creating a perfect Christmas atmosphere. Next to the floor is the Margaret Howell Cafe, which has a large terrace surrounded by trees, where you can escape the hustle and bustle of the city and relax.



This cafe, which serves tea brewed with carefully selected tea leaves and meals made with seasonal ingredients, was visited by food essayist Sakiko Hirano. She says Christmas is her favorite season, and while she savored Margaret Howell's special Christmas menu, she shared her own Christmas dinner memories.



First, in the cafe, bathed in gentle sunlight, we tried a pie, a local dish from Margaret's hometown of England. "I feel so happy to be able to enjoy this with a cup of hot tea on such a cold day," says Hirano, happily munching on a tarragon-scented pie (1,300 yen including tax). "The flavor of the vegetables is locked in, giving it a rich taste, and the crispy edges are irresistible. Crumbling the pie and eating it is part of the fun of it all."



After the pie, we had the ginger cake (750 yen including tax), which is only available every Christmas. This traditional British cake is baked using an original recipe made with domestic organic wheat, mixed with ginger, brown sugar, and molasses. "It's not too sweet, and it's delicious!" she says with a sparkle in her eyes. We're curious to know what kind of Christmas dinner she had, considering she's such a big food lover.



"When I was a child, my family would make a homemade trifle cake, a layered cake of sponge cake and fruit, at Christmas. My mother would also bake chicken, and one year she stuffed it with wild rice, a type of long-grain rice. Apparently she learned how to make it in cooking class, but it was a bit strong for a child (laughs). It tasted like rush grass. But even those moments were fun. Even now as an adult, I still feel happy to be able to gather with loved ones at Christmas."



The pie and ginger cake selected by Hirano are available at all Margaret Howell Cafe locations for a limited time only in December. Pre-orders for the whole ginger cake (¥2,200 including tax) are also available until December 11th, so check the official website for details!

Next time, join Hirano in searching for a gift for a special someone at Margaret Howell Jinnan.



Margaret Howell is hosting a ton of Christmas events! 】
■Women's
From December 7th to 20th, we will be selling knitwear exclusive to Isetan Shinjuku at West Park on the 4th floor of the main building of Isetan Shinjuku, as well as a selection of items perfect for gifts, to introduce Margaret Howell's Christmas.

■Men's
From December 7th to 25th, we will be hosting a pop-up shop in the promotional space on the 2nd floor of Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi. During this period, we will be offering free gifts with purchases of 32,400 yen or more (tax included). *Gifts are limited in quantity and will end when they run out.



【Announcement from Margaret Howell】
■Christmas Gift Campaign
From November 16th to December 25th, Margaret Howell stores nationwide are running a campaign in which 120 people will be entered into a lottery to win a wonderful gift from those who make a purchase.
For more information, click here → Visit the official Margaret Howell campaign site

■View the Christmas catalogue

【Inquiries】
Margareth Howell
TEL: 03-5467-7864
www.margarethowell.jp