London boasts a huge range of music festivals, from blockbusting, arena-filling events such as Hard Rock Calling to boutique events for those in the know. Whatever your preference, there are some basic points that will help you make the most of your experience.

First of all, there’s your attire. As most festivals are held in grassy parks, you’ll need sensible shoes such as wellington boots (Hunters for the fashion conscious!). Flat shoes are essential, even if you’re in an arena, as you’ll be doing a lot of dancing. As for clothing, festival wear tends toward bohemian chic; think casual shorts, t-shirts, jeans, and floaty summer dresses. If you’re stuck, why not browse some of London’s excellent vintage shops for inspiration?

Equally important are your accessories, as you’ll need to prepare for London’s changeable weather by taking sunglasses, a hat and something waterproof. You can pick up a rain poncho for a few pounds in many London tourist shops – not only will they keep you dry, but they mean you don’t have to worry about carrying an umbrella when you’re dancing to your favourite songs. Sunscreen is also essential, particularly if you are going to be outside in the midday sun.

Before packing your bag, remember to check the festival’s policy on bringing food and alcohol into the venue: some events will let you bring a full blown picnic with drinks, whilst others prefer you to purchase your snacks at the many stalls on site. Some festivals allow you bring bottled water with you and there are places to refill it for free throughout the festival grounds.

Although there’s a temptation to take a huge variety of stuff to cover all contingencies, you should remember that festivals are always crowded, busy places and that it’s best to only take the essentials in case you get separated from your belongings. Things that you should never be without at a London music festival are:

• Cash (festivals often have ATMs on site but there will be queues)
• Tissues/toilet paper (this often runs out in festival toilets, so it’s best to be prepared!)
• Antibacterial hand gel
• An Oyster card so you can get to and from the venue easily
• A pre-arranged meeting point for you and your friends, so you don’t have to worry about finding them in the crowd if you run out of phone charge or signal
• Your ticket
• A jumper, jacket or wrap for when the sun goes down
• A compact camera (or camera phone) so you can capture those amazing memories!

You should also remember that, as most London music festivals are one-day affairs, you won’t need to worry about bringing lots of clothes, sleeping bags, tents and all the other weekend festival paraphanalia. There are plenty of hotels, hostels, and homestays in London, so you can find somewhere to stay nearby.

Have we missed anything? What are your festival essentials?

Christmas is the perfect time for indulgence, and there are few better ways to treat yourself than a decadent afternoon tea. Many London venues have put together special festive teas to celebrate the season, and we’ve picked out 10 of the best below. Don’t forget to book in advance and, if you’re looking for something really special, remember that you can supplement any of them with a glass (or two!) of champagne.

Afternoon Festivi-Tea at the Corinthia Hotel 
Sit under the spectacular chandelier in the Corinthia Hotel’s Lobby Lounge and enjoy a sumptuous variety of festive treats. Their Christmas confections include cranberry macaroons filled with fresh fruit crème and a snow egg of chocolate mousse, which is covered with vanilla marshmallows and coconut. £39, until 5 Jan

Christmas Shopping and Afternoon Tea at St James’s Hotel & Club
Find the perfect excuse to indulge at the St James’s Hotel & Club, where Afternoon Tea comes with a 10% discount card for stylish department store Liberty and the nearby Burlington Arcade shops. Better still, the delicious afternoon tea is made by the hotel’s Michelin-starred chef, William Drabble. £19, until 30 Dec

Festive Afternoon Tea at The Athenaeum
As the winners of the Tea Guild’s 2012 Best Afternoon Tea award, The Athenaeum are guaranteed to provide a great festive treat. Highlightsof their Festive Afternoon Tea include turkey and cranberry sandwiches, mulled wine jellies and chocolate yule logs. £29.50, until 30 Dec

Christmas Afternoon Tea River Cruise
Combine dining with sightseeing on this fun river cruise, which allows you to see London’s landmarks from the Thames whilst you enjoy mulled wine and a full afternoon tea. Board the festively decorated boat from Tower Pier at 3.30pm for a 90 minute cruise, professional commentary and lots of scrumptious treats. £25, until 29 Dec

12 Days of Christmas Afternoon Tea at the InterContinental Park Lane
Featuring confections themed around the 12 days of Christmas song, the InterContinental’s pretty tea is sure to get you in the festive spirit. Delights include a golden treacle tart with chantilly and gold leaf, a walnut powder crusted chocolate torte made to look like a drum, and a partridge, mushroom and foie gras pie. £28, until 6 Jan

Traditonal Afternoon Tea at The Petersham
Head to leafy Richmond for a festive afternoon tea with spectacular views at the Petersham Hotel. You can enjoy seasonal pastries such as Christmas spiced financiers, star-shaped linzer biscuits and warming gingerbread macaroons whilst overlooking the Thames. £25, until 6 Jan

Free-flowing Champagne with Festive Afternoon Tea at the Mandeville Hotel
Featuring brandy mince pies, mulled plum fancies and Dundee Christmas cake, the Mandeville’s Festive Afternoon Tea is already a winner. Between Friday-Sunday, however, you can make it even better thanks to a special offer from afternoontea.co.uk, which allows you to add a mulled wine cocktail and unlimited champagne to the package. £32.50, until 23 Jan 

Sugar & Spice Afternoon Tea at One Aldwych 
The hotel’s Sugar & Spice Afternoon Tea gets a special mention for including bacon-wrapped sausages, which are surely an essential part of any Christmas-themed meal! If you’re not a fan of pork, however, there are plenty of other tempting morsels including chestnut delice, eggnog mousse  and mandarin trifle. £26.50, until 31 Dec

Chocolate Afternoon Tea at the Hilton Park Lane
Ever heard the expression “it’s so good, I could lick the plate”? At the Hilton Park Lane you actually can, because their Festive Afternoon Tea is served on one made of solid chocolate. Atop this unique treat is a host of other cocoa-based goodies such as gift-shaped chocolate fancies, which are accompanied by traditional favourites including freshly-baked scones and open sandwiches. £32.50, until 4 Jan

Christmas Afternoon Tea at the Wyndham Grand 
This chic Chelsea Harbour hotel is offering a seasonal afternoon tea that features turkey and stuffing sandwiches, Christmas pudding and a quirky selection of mince pies. The hotel is close to the King’s Road, so it’s a great place for a post Christmas shopping treat! £35, until 31 Dec

Have a craving for Christmas confections but no time to stop for tea? You can pick up seasonal cupcakes from the Hummingbird Bakery, acclaimed mince pies from Konditor and Cook, or lebkuchen from Bea’s of Bloomsbury.

Today, Claridge’s revealed its 2010 designer Christmas tree by John Galliano for Dior. The spectacular tree, located in the hotel’s Art Deco lobby, has an “under the sea” theme and features swirly silver leaves, sea horses and jellyfish.

This is John Galliano’s second Christmas tree in a row for the iconic London hotel.

Commenting on the design, John Galliano said,

I wanted to create an underwater fantasy and have mixed pink corals, seahorses, anemones and jellyfish, all glinting like gem stones, swimming amidst the silver leaves. I hope we create something as sumptuous as its setting and this inspires a truly luxurious escape and a very festive season at Claridge’s.

The John Galliano for Dior tree will be on display in Claridge’s lobby from now until 5 January 2011.

Enjoy the full experience by booking a hotel room at Claridge’s here Or get a taste of decadence by reserving your Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s restaurant table here

What do you think? Does this underwater theme inspire you to try something different for your Christmas tree this year?

When the hotel reopens on 10 October (10.10.10) it will boast two luxurious new River Suites, a completely revamped River Restaurant, a glamorous new Art Deco bar and a rooftop swimming pool.

Afternoon tea will be served in a stunning winter garden under an ornate glass dome, and the Savoy Grill will re-launch under the operation of Gordon Ramsay Holdings.

For more information see www.the-savoy.com