Times are tough. Everyone’s feeling the pinch. Politics is even shitter than usual. Christmas spirit is hard to come by. Even Santa Claus isn’t feeling it this year!
When we arrived at the Truman Brewery in Shoreditch, the new location of Humbug – The Immersive Christmas Dive Bar, we were greeted by a lively waitress named Daphne. With her enthusiastic American accent and slightly chaotic energy, she informed us that it was her dream to be a singer. She also mentioned, rather randomly for a waitress, that her boss wouldn’t let her leave to fulfil said dream because he needed her too much. I was pretty sure that Daphne was cast, and not simply a waitress (I was correct)! She cheerfully sent us off to explore, grab food and drinks, and prepare ourselves to be taken, in a little while, to cheer up a very grumpy Father Christmas.
First stop? Food. And let me tell you, the burger with blue cheese was *chefs kiss*. There were plenty of options for all dietary preferences and they all looked delicious. We settled in with our meals and were entertained with live music by Johnny Whiskey & The Barflies. They were fantastic – funny, energetic, and perfect for setting the mood.
After exploring the venue – highlights included a Mariah Carey shrine complete with a cardboard cutout and some hilariously irreverent games – we were summoned by Daphne for our visit with Santa. And what a Santa he was. This wasn’t your usual cheerful, jolly chap. No, this Santa was grumpy, sweary, and thoroughly over it. He regaled us with tales of wilder Christmases past, including a banging Ibiza trip with Mrs Claus, and let loose about the pressures of his job. “You heard of Rudolph? Well your sitting on him…” he said, pointing at a rug.
When he asked if we had a story to cheer him up, I stepped in with a tale from my childhood. I told him about how my family once went on holiday without me, at Christmas, and I had to fend off burglars with a series of traps. Santa found this story quite familiar, and he wasn’t having any of it. “Oh, so your name’s Kevin, is it?” he deadpanned. Needless to say, he was cheered up despite not believing my obviously true tale.
After our Santa visit, the night continued with more games and festive fun. Howard the Mailman got involved in the action and we got to have fun with his bit of the story… There was more live music, not just from the band, Santa got involved with the games, the dancing, oh it was all so much fun! Even as we left, the party was still in full swing. The Humbug afterparty is open to standard and VIP tickets, so if you’re not quite ready to call it a night, you’re welcome to keep the festive vibes going after the show.
Now, I just want to be clear about one thing – the visit with Santa is part of the VIP package. It’s a little more expensive, but you get the Santa experience, the best tables in the best position in the house, a welcome drink, and table service. In this writer’s humble opinion, it’s totally worth it for these perks, and the chance to make the night extra special.
My wife and I doing our best Kevin (from Home Alone) faces!
Humbug is a brilliantly irreverent, immersive Christmas dive bar experience. It’s not for kids, but if you’re looking for a fun, boozy, and wonderfully chaotic way to get into the holiday spirit, this is it. I’ll definitely be back next year. Catch it before the run ends on 31st December!
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night at Humbug!
Tickets available from https://www.humbugchristmas.co.uk/
Words by Nick Barr
Photos by Grant Walker
