Selfridges has opened its Christmas shop, becoming the first department store in the world to launch its 2017 festive offering.

The luxury department store threw open its doors yesterday, 147 days before Christmas Day, to take full advantage of the “ever-growing” demand from tourist customers for London-inspired Christmas decorations and stocking fillers.

Yesterday’s launch was the first phase of the Christmas Shop, with the full range to be unveiled on September 4.

When the shop launches in full it will showcase 130,000 products, 10% more than last year, including more than 51,000 baubles and 80 different cracker designs.

Selfs

Selfridges is the first department store in the world to open its Christmas shop

Selfridges is launching its Christmas food collection early for the first time ever this year, with some products available from August 4 instead of from the usual late October launch.

Selfridges Christmas and home buyer Eleanor Gregory said: “We have so many customers visiting from all over the world, eager to snap up festive decorations and souvenirs on their London summer holidays which they can’t buy at home.

“This new extension to our usual offer is simply addressing this growing demand for convenience Christmas shopping outside the traditional Christmas season from many of our customers.”