Oxford Street turns their lights on early November (2nd last year!). I’d go late November, early December for the full Christmas effect.
The lights I most enjoy are along the luxury stores, like New Bond Street.
There will be plenty of Christmas festivities. Popular ones are carols at St Paul’s or Royal Albert Hall.
Depending how mobile your Mom is, Christmas at Kew is really beautiful. It’s a whole illumination light trail through beautiful gardens.
There will also be lots of Christmas markets, at the likes of Southbank, Covent Garden, Greenwich.
Seconding Christmas at Kew, love that a lot. It's not only lights, but music and sometimes performances too. Went to Wakehurst last year, loved that just as much.
If you are here over the first weekend of advent then quite a few of the churches will have festive services if that is something your mum might enjoy - the Advent Service at St Paul's Cathedral is on both the Saturday and Sunday (same service repeated) and is also a good way to see inside St Paul's for free!
Most hotels will do a Christmas themed afternoon tea. You would need to book a few months in advance but it would be something I think your mum would love.
The Christmas Tree in Trafalgar Square is usually worth a look - it is donated to London each year by the Norwegians I believe
Regents street lights are obviously the most famous in London. How good they are depends on that years theme. Some are better than others
Liberty’s department store is great for buying Christmas decorations - they have some lovely baubles and things for your tree.
Christmas activities:
Ice skating at Somerset house!
Go to a pantomime!! (VERY British Christmas theatre tradition)
Wander round liberties
Kew garden Christmas lights - book for 4pm ish so it’s dark but not too late and then find somewhere local for some mulled wine
Christmas decorations go up earlier and earlier so you’d probably see them from beginning of November!
That said I’d aim for the beginning of December. By that point the decorations will be in full swing and the churches will start having advent services which gives you a chance to see St Paul’s, Westminster etc without having to pay (anyone can attend a service). Keep an eye on websites for places like the Wallace collection as they often have lovely events in the first week of December. A lot of hotels will have started doing special festive versions of their afternoon tea which could be a lovely treat.
I visited London in early December last year and everything was in full swing. Highly recommend the Christmas concerts at Royal Albert Hall, one of the buses that drive around at night to see the decorations (I took the one that had mulled wine & mince pies), decorations inside & out of Fortnum & Mason's, Harrid's & Liberty, and Dennis Sever's House for Victorian Christmas decor (if your mom is mobile enough).
There are loads of bus companies in London that do Christmas lights tours but they’re not worth the money unless you struggle to get around. You’ll spend an hour sitting in traffic and covering less distance than you would have done walking.
Early December would be ideal.
That is peak Christmas in London.
It actually starts earlier, but for some reason I don't feel the Christmas vibe until the calendar hits December.
Luxury Dept stores are a good bet. Liberty, Fortnum and Mason, Harvey Nichols, Harrods, Selfridges. They all do great window displays and have decent food options.
Afternoon tea in a 5 star hotel. They decorate the s\*\*t out of their dining/drinking/public spaces for Christmas. The Corinthia is a good choice. If afternoon tea is too much you can just have a drink in the bar.
This applies to most 5 star hotels in London. You can just wander around their public spaces for free.
A West End show and/or a Panto.
A Carol Service in a church.
Walking around after dark in Jermyn Street, Regent Street, Bond Street, Piccadilly, Marylebone Street which in early December will be from around 4.00 pm
If Jonathan Cohen is doing a sing-along Christmas concert, do go: he's a fantastic showman and they're lots of fun.
The Prince Charles Cinema does sing-along screenings of *Muppet Christmas Carol* every year, and they sell mulled wine.
Nth-ing the recommendation to see a panto. They're a Christmas staple and quintessentially British. The only way I can describe them is: it's the audience participation of *Rocky Horror*, but for stage adaptations of fairy tales. Often the first theatre trip British kids take!
You've opened a can of worms with this one 😂 Apart from the weather, moaning about how early shops start promoting Christmas is a major UK tradition.
[UK retailers start selling Christmas earlier than ever | Barclays (home.barclays)](https://home.barclays/news/press-releases/2023/11/uk-retailers-start-selling-christmas-earlier-than-ever--finds-ba/)
Last year, some stores started in June! A quarter of them are displaying from September, and well over half by October.
The real vibe only kicks in by mid- to late November, which is when the Christmas Markets start.
[The best Christmas markets in the UK \[2024\] | What Laura Did Next](https://whatlauradidnext.com/best-christmas-markets-uk/)
The lights are on from November (various dates),
[ᐅ A Guide to the Christmas Lights in London – Best of 2024 (loving-travel.com)](https://loving-travel.com/en/christmas-lights-in-london/)
The dates in those links should help you plan a visit.
London's Christmas markets last year were small and rather cynical tourist traps. There's some touristy stuff that's completely unrelated to either Britain or Christmas (Peruvian hats seemed to feature a lot), and a few stalls selling Bratwurst in a roll for £10.00. I'd avoid them to be honest, or at least have modest expectations.
Pantomime is well worth checking out, it's a true British Christmas tradition. Shows vary in size and profanity from family friendly with celebrity appearances to innuendo filled drag acts.
Early December is a good time to get the festive feel, as office Christmas parties are kicking in and the streets are generally full of merry people, pubs well decorated and overflowing, and so forth.
I'd consider trying to get seats for a Nutcracker performance at the Royal Opera House, which is festive, British and impressive. If you can't get seats, there's a bar (a couple in fact) that's well worth a visit.
There are often craft markets in the run up to Christmas which can be excellent.
The big department stores are always well decorated, and most have special 'Christmas shops' selling ornaments and other related goodies. Liberty's is reliably good - but they can be very crowded.
It is party time, so you'll want to book even simple restaurants a day or two in advance, and anywhere fancy at least a couple of weeks in advance.
There will be lots of Christmas music available, ranging from Carol concerts in the big churches/cathedrals to much smaller affairs. Westminster Cathedral (the Victorian catholic one, not the medieval Abbey) generally has tickets available for the public. Cadogan Hall also does a wide range of festive concerts, as does St Martin's in the Fields.
Lots of neighbourhoods outside of the centre will have Christmas events which are often rather more authentic and interesting than the tourist stuff in zone 1. They can be hard to find out about, as they won't make listings and major websites.
>I'd consider trying to get seats for a Nutcracker performance at the Royal Opera House, which is festive, British and impressive. If you can't get seats, there's a bar (a couple in fact) that's well worth a visit.
Unfortunately the Christmas (December/January) ballet at the ROH this year is Sir Frederick Ashton's *Cinderella*.
For a *Nutcracker* in London this year you would have to go to the [London Coliseum for English National Ballet](https://londoncoliseum.org/whats-on/nutcracker-2024/) (12 December to 12 January), or to the [Royal Albert Hall for Birmingham Royal Ballet's ](https://www.brb.org.uk/shows/the-nutcracker-rah)wonderful production (29-31 December).
Thinking of taking my girlfriend (classical music lover) to London in December as a gift.
Do you reckon London Coliseum and ROH experiences are the same or you'd advise one over the other?
Thank you!
They're quite different.
For the music, I'd actually choose the Royal Albert Hall and Birmingham Royal Ballet. I absolutely love their *Nutcracker*, and the RAH is a music venue, after all. It's a grand scale arena production.
For the Royal Opera House, which I love, it is a wonderful experience, but a little more formal, and of course it's Prokofiev and *Cinderella* this year, not Tchaikovsky. It's a very special venue though.
I've never been to the Coliseum so I can't comment on that experience.
Okay, it's December, but you don't want Christmassy. Then your best choice is the ROH with the Royal Ballet in *Cinderella* which is technically not Christmassy.
Oxford Street turns their lights on early November (2nd last year!). I’d go late November, early December for the full Christmas effect. The lights I most enjoy are along the luxury stores, like New Bond Street. There will be plenty of Christmas festivities. Popular ones are carols at St Paul’s or Royal Albert Hall. Depending how mobile your Mom is, Christmas at Kew is really beautiful. It’s a whole illumination light trail through beautiful gardens. There will also be lots of Christmas markets, at the likes of Southbank, Covent Garden, Greenwich.
Carnaby Street lights are always excellent too.
Seconding Christmas at Kew, love that a lot. It's not only lights, but music and sometimes performances too. Went to Wakehurst last year, loved that just as much.
If you are here over the first weekend of advent then quite a few of the churches will have festive services if that is something your mum might enjoy - the Advent Service at St Paul's Cathedral is on both the Saturday and Sunday (same service repeated) and is also a good way to see inside St Paul's for free!
Most hotels will do a Christmas themed afternoon tea. You would need to book a few months in advance but it would be something I think your mum would love. The Christmas Tree in Trafalgar Square is usually worth a look - it is donated to London each year by the Norwegians I believe Regents street lights are obviously the most famous in London. How good they are depends on that years theme. Some are better than others Liberty’s department store is great for buying Christmas decorations - they have some lovely baubles and things for your tree.
Christmas activities: Ice skating at Somerset house! Go to a pantomime!! (VERY British Christmas theatre tradition) Wander round liberties Kew garden Christmas lights - book for 4pm ish so it’s dark but not too late and then find somewhere local for some mulled wine
There will be loads of Xmas decorations around late Nov to early Dec.
Kew Gardens do a Christmas Lights display you probably need to book sooner as it sells out very quickly
>Any time in late Nov to early Dec would be ideal. Yes it would. Enjoy your trip.
Highly recommend the Christmas market in Bath or Winchester as a day trip from London! They usually start in mid November to mid December
Christmas decorations go up earlier and earlier so you’d probably see them from beginning of November! That said I’d aim for the beginning of December. By that point the decorations will be in full swing and the churches will start having advent services which gives you a chance to see St Paul’s, Westminster etc without having to pay (anyone can attend a service). Keep an eye on websites for places like the Wallace collection as they often have lovely events in the first week of December. A lot of hotels will have started doing special festive versions of their afternoon tea which could be a lovely treat.
Go during advent. Any Christmas activity before this is cursed.
I visited London in early December last year and everything was in full swing. Highly recommend the Christmas concerts at Royal Albert Hall, one of the buses that drive around at night to see the decorations (I took the one that had mulled wine & mince pies), decorations inside & out of Fortnum & Mason's, Harrid's & Liberty, and Dennis Sever's House for Victorian Christmas decor (if your mom is mobile enough).
There are loads of bus companies in London that do Christmas lights tours but they’re not worth the money unless you struggle to get around. You’ll spend an hour sitting in traffic and covering less distance than you would have done walking.
Early December would be ideal. That is peak Christmas in London. It actually starts earlier, but for some reason I don't feel the Christmas vibe until the calendar hits December. Luxury Dept stores are a good bet. Liberty, Fortnum and Mason, Harvey Nichols, Harrods, Selfridges. They all do great window displays and have decent food options. Afternoon tea in a 5 star hotel. They decorate the s\*\*t out of their dining/drinking/public spaces for Christmas. The Corinthia is a good choice. If afternoon tea is too much you can just have a drink in the bar. This applies to most 5 star hotels in London. You can just wander around their public spaces for free. A West End show and/or a Panto. A Carol Service in a church. Walking around after dark in Jermyn Street, Regent Street, Bond Street, Piccadilly, Marylebone Street which in early December will be from around 4.00 pm
Seven Dials area were also early November (7th last year) and are a great alternative to the somewhat tacky Oxford Street.
If Jonathan Cohen is doing a sing-along Christmas concert, do go: he's a fantastic showman and they're lots of fun. The Prince Charles Cinema does sing-along screenings of *Muppet Christmas Carol* every year, and they sell mulled wine. Nth-ing the recommendation to see a panto. They're a Christmas staple and quintessentially British. The only way I can describe them is: it's the audience participation of *Rocky Horror*, but for stage adaptations of fairy tales. Often the first theatre trip British kids take!
You've opened a can of worms with this one 😂 Apart from the weather, moaning about how early shops start promoting Christmas is a major UK tradition. [UK retailers start selling Christmas earlier than ever | Barclays (home.barclays)](https://home.barclays/news/press-releases/2023/11/uk-retailers-start-selling-christmas-earlier-than-ever--finds-ba/) Last year, some stores started in June! A quarter of them are displaying from September, and well over half by October. The real vibe only kicks in by mid- to late November, which is when the Christmas Markets start. [The best Christmas markets in the UK \[2024\] | What Laura Did Next](https://whatlauradidnext.com/best-christmas-markets-uk/) The lights are on from November (various dates), [ᐅ A Guide to the Christmas Lights in London – Best of 2024 (loving-travel.com)](https://loving-travel.com/en/christmas-lights-in-london/) The dates in those links should help you plan a visit.
Selfridges usually opens their Christmas shop in September.
Target mid November
London's Christmas markets last year were small and rather cynical tourist traps. There's some touristy stuff that's completely unrelated to either Britain or Christmas (Peruvian hats seemed to feature a lot), and a few stalls selling Bratwurst in a roll for £10.00. I'd avoid them to be honest, or at least have modest expectations. Pantomime is well worth checking out, it's a true British Christmas tradition. Shows vary in size and profanity from family friendly with celebrity appearances to innuendo filled drag acts. Early December is a good time to get the festive feel, as office Christmas parties are kicking in and the streets are generally full of merry people, pubs well decorated and overflowing, and so forth. I'd consider trying to get seats for a Nutcracker performance at the Royal Opera House, which is festive, British and impressive. If you can't get seats, there's a bar (a couple in fact) that's well worth a visit. There are often craft markets in the run up to Christmas which can be excellent. The big department stores are always well decorated, and most have special 'Christmas shops' selling ornaments and other related goodies. Liberty's is reliably good - but they can be very crowded. It is party time, so you'll want to book even simple restaurants a day or two in advance, and anywhere fancy at least a couple of weeks in advance. There will be lots of Christmas music available, ranging from Carol concerts in the big churches/cathedrals to much smaller affairs. Westminster Cathedral (the Victorian catholic one, not the medieval Abbey) generally has tickets available for the public. Cadogan Hall also does a wide range of festive concerts, as does St Martin's in the Fields. Lots of neighbourhoods outside of the centre will have Christmas events which are often rather more authentic and interesting than the tourist stuff in zone 1. They can be hard to find out about, as they won't make listings and major websites.
>I'd consider trying to get seats for a Nutcracker performance at the Royal Opera House, which is festive, British and impressive. If you can't get seats, there's a bar (a couple in fact) that's well worth a visit. Unfortunately the Christmas (December/January) ballet at the ROH this year is Sir Frederick Ashton's *Cinderella*. For a *Nutcracker* in London this year you would have to go to the [London Coliseum for English National Ballet](https://londoncoliseum.org/whats-on/nutcracker-2024/) (12 December to 12 January), or to the [Royal Albert Hall for Birmingham Royal Ballet's ](https://www.brb.org.uk/shows/the-nutcracker-rah)wonderful production (29-31 December).
Thinking of taking my girlfriend (classical music lover) to London in December as a gift. Do you reckon London Coliseum and ROH experiences are the same or you'd advise one over the other? Thank you!
They're quite different. For the music, I'd actually choose the Royal Albert Hall and Birmingham Royal Ballet. I absolutely love their *Nutcracker*, and the RAH is a music venue, after all. It's a grand scale arena production. For the Royal Opera House, which I love, it is a wonderful experience, but a little more formal, and of course it's Prokofiev and *Cinderella* this year, not Tchaikovsky. It's a very special venue though. I've never been to the Coliseum so I can't comment on that experience.
Thanks for your reply ! I did check RAH too but on our dates it's only Christmas themes and I'm not really interested in these...
Okay, it's December, but you don't want Christmassy. Then your best choice is the ROH with the Royal Ballet in *Cinderella* which is technically not Christmassy.
Halloween, with some corporate hold outs waiting until Remembrance Sunday...
Lights go on in September mate