Who Took THe Mary Out of Christmas?
A Story About Vision, Courage, and the Future We're Capable of Creating
November 25th, 2025, 17:30 - 19:30 | Swiss Church in London | 79 Endell St, London
What if the Christmas story wasn't really about a birth?
What if it was about a young woman's vision powerful enough to change history?
This November, Garden of Even™ brings Who Took the Mary Out of Christmas? to London for the first time for an intimate evening of storytelling, historical reframing, and art that has become an annual tradition in Canada.
Meet the Mary history almost forgot.
For centuries, she has been remembered as a quiet symbol of devotion. But when placed back into her historical context, a different woman emerges: one living through political upheaval and uncertainty who dared to imagine that a new kind of world could be born through her.
History changed because of her vision.
Speakers
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Kadie Philp
Founder, Garden of Even
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chloe Richardson
Event Emcee & Host
A Story for Our Time
We live in an age of uncertainty.
Political instability, technological disruption, shifting economies are leading to new questions about what kind of future we want to build.
In moments like these, it's easy to believe that change belongs to governments, institutions, or someone else entirely.
Mary's story offers a different possibility.
Through immersive storytelling, historical research, and original art, Garden of Even™ Founder Kadie Philp explores Mary not simply as a religious figure, but as a visionary whose ideas continue to challenge how we think about power, possibility, and our capacity to shape the future.
This is not a theological lecture.
Nor is it a traditional Christmas event.
It is an exploration of one of Western culture's most influential stories and what changes when we hear it differently.
A Question Worth Carrying Into Christmas
As the year draws to a close, step away from the noise long enough to consider a different question:
What kind of future becomes possible when one person refuses to accept the world exactly as it is?
And perhaps more importantly:
What might become possible if that person were you?
Two thousand years later, we're still telling the Christmas story.
But somewhere along the way, we lost sight of Mary, of the significance of her historical role, and the enduring message she offers us:
That history changes when someone has the courage to imagine a different future.
Because there is always the possibility for something new to be born.
Presented by
Reserve Your seat
This special London presentation has intentionally limited capacity to create an intimate experience for conversation and reflection.
If you're curious about the stories that shape our culture, and the visions that shape history, we invite you to reserve your seat now.
Bring someone who believes the future is not simply inherited, but imagined and co-created.
Leave with more than a new understanding of Christmas.
Leave with a fresh perspective on one of history's most influential women, a renewed sense of possibility, and a question worth carrying into the year ahead.
The evening
17:30 – 18:30
Arrival Reception
Begin the evening with a glass of wine and the opportunity to explore a curated selection of Garden of Even™ original artworks while connecting with fellow guests.
18:30 – 19:30
Programme
A signature Garden of Even™ keynote by founder Kadie Philp, offering a thought-provoking re-telling of the Christmas story through Mary's historical lens.
A live conversation with Chloe Robertsion exploring the enduring relevance of Mary's vision and what it can teach us about leadership, courage, and imagining a different future.
The exclusive unveiling of the newest addition to the Garden of Even™ collection: (Mother) Mary.
19:30 onwards
Christmas Reception
Continue the conversation over premium wine and seasonal canapés in an intimate setting surrounded by select original Garden of Even™ artwork and fellow leaders from across business, culture, and the professions.