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I have a confession: I suffer from serious shopping guilt.

You know the feeling. It grips you after you blow your entire student loan on items like a Yankee Candle because you ‘can’t complete that final assigment without it’.

This constant sense of guilt was starting to get me down but on Tuesday night my faith was restored in buying power as Harvey Nichols threw a Christmas Party for all its loyal customers, rewarding my incurable shopping habits.

Harvey Nichols Christmas Window, 2012

It was a truly spectacular event, though my experience may have been slightly tainted by the endless flow of free champagne, as well as chocolate vodka shots served in milk chocolate shot glasses.

The result was the place being filled with countless tipsy fashionistas signing over their entire bank accounts to Harvey Nics.

Free champagne wasn’t all that was on offer. An origami expert was on hand to make any small mammal you desired, whilst Harvey Nichols signature mince pies floated round on silver platters.

Despite the event being invitation only all three floors were packed, though the Designer Accessories on the first floor were particularly popular.

When purchasing anything at the till, shoppers were given the opportunity to lucky-dip a voucher valued between 15% and 50% off, which made for an unusually noisy Harvey Nichols as the Accessories department filled with cries of joy and bitter disappointment.

The second floor played host to a fundraising tombola, though this wasn’t your average May Fair tombola. The prizes ranged from luxury-scented candles to high-end cosmetics with a promise of a prize every time, even if the consolation was no more than mulled wine spices.

Nobody could be too bitter at missing one of the high-end prizes, with all profits going to the Teenage Cancer Trust.

As well as the usual luxury brands there were some new faces presenting themselves at the event. Dr. Simon Jackson made an appearance to promote his new skin care range which is being sold nationwide by Harvey Nichols.

Shu Uemura’s new Karl Lagerfeld range was also flying off the shelves to the point where the only thing left were eyelash curlers!

It came as no surprise that the arrival of Jamie Laing meant Candy Kitten’s products were attracting lots of female attention in the food hall.

Jamie Laing’s sweet offerings

As if all this wasn’t enough, the night offered one lucky party guest a prize of a luxurious escape to The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort, Miami. Manicured fingers were crossed all over the shop, including mine though the prize unfortunately went elsewhere.

The party ended at 9:30 leaving the tipsy attendees looking surprisingly fresh after a plethora of free makeovers.

Harvey Nics might have to be my number one pre-drink destination from now on. Free booze and a full face of make-up? What more could a student want?