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London at Christmas Time

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You asked for tips on what to do in London at Christmas time, so I did a bit of hunting around to see what I could find. This year is going to be different, so I’ve tried to find out what’s open, what’s closed in London for this Christmas 2023. I’ve spent 8 Christmases in London as a resident and when we lived in Wales I’d come to London most years to see the lights, do some shopping, maybe take in a show. I’m sure we can help you plan on a wonderful few days, a special outing, or a weekend in London over Christmas.

London at Christmas Festivities London
Use our post to help plan your London Christmas trip! Festivities and what to expect in London over the Christmas period.

London is always fun at any time of year but at Christmas, she has extra magic.

The darkness of the late afternoons helps make the lights and decorations all the more spectacular as you munch on your roasted chestnuts and sip a mulled wine.

London at Christmas lights treee
London is extra magical over the Christmas period. The capital sparkles with lights and multiple Christmas trees, shop windows light up, and there ae plenty of festive events and tours to choose from.

So if you’re thinking of visiting London this Christmas, we have some up-to-date tips and recommendations for you.

Some dates are not yet out and many events were cancelled last year, we’re adding confirmed dates as fast as we can.

London Christmas
London’s Covent Market decked out for Christmas.

A lot of London’s Christmas events, including the ice rinks, are hugely popular so pre-booking may be the best idea, particularly in 2023. It’s busy in London at Christmas time, particularly in the last weeks before Christmas as the shopping crowds come to buy their holiday gifts. You must be ready for crowds.

Everything is subject to change of course, but the UK and London have been open quite a while now and fingers crossed everything will stay stable.

But double-check everything we mention here! We give you links where we can.

London at Christmas

London at Christmas Time

We update this post every year to give you dates, timings, train closures, and special events. We’re adding 2023 information as soon as we can find it.

But obviously, The Holiday Season is in swing for this year already.

If a Christmas event is not in the post yet it’s most likely that dates have not yet been released or our information from last year is still displaying to give you an idea.

Our favourite Christmas Market and Food Fair is held on the South Bank, this year it’s running from the 3rd of November to Boxing Day, the 26th November. This is part of the Winter Festival events in London, but you will find more Christmas Markets around the city. Covent Garden is particularly good for Christmas.

London Attractions You Can Book This Christmas

The attractions below could be perfect for your Christmas outing or special treat. London Zoo is normally open over Christmas but booking are required, see here for details.

Some museums, for instance, the Natural History Museum, were accepting bookings for their special exhibitions. Titanosaur, Life of The Biggest Dinosaur, is their current special exhibition, non-members have to pay, and that runs into January 2024. Book here.

London ice rinks at Christmas
The ice rink and carousel outside The London Natural History Museum at Christmas.

If you are visiting the Natural History Museum during the Christmas holidays, book a time slot. It’s the only way, now, to guarantee you will get in. Regular museum bookings (free) can be made here. The museum website states that they will be closed from the 24th to the 26th of December this year. Opening time is 10 am, last admission, 5.30 pm.

Christmas at Kew is running this year at Kew Botanic Gardens near Richmond to January 7th 2024, book here. There’s quite a lot of walking at Kew, but the festive light show is great.

London Harry Potter at Christmas
The Warner Bros Harry Potter Studios have special displays over the Christmas period.

Hogwarts is the Snow is the special event at the Harry Potter Warner Bros Studio Tours. You always have to book a time slot to go here, it’s the best Harry Potter experience in the world, and its very much worth going. The Christmas event is open until the 14 th of January 2024, search here for admission.

The Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park is on again this year, but this one is closing on January 1st 2024. so be quick! Check for tickets here.

Christmas lights tours are always very popular in London at Christmas (rightly so), book a vintage open top bus tour here, or the kids’ tour, Tootbus, here.

London at Christmas Theatre
London’s Theatres at Christmas.

What’s on at the theatres this year in London? The Nutcracker (London National Ballet) is on at the London Coliseum to the 7th of January 2024 and Elf the Musical is at the Dominion Theatre to January 6th 2024.

If you want to see a traditional British pantomime, The London Palladium has a panto of huge stars. Peter Pan is on for Christmas 2023 featuring Julian Clary and Jennifer Saunders – amongst others! You can catch this until the second week in January 2024.

That’s just a quick overview of some of the most popular things to do over Christmas and into the New Year, Let’s look into things in more detail!

Christmas Lights and Decorations in London

London Christmas Lights Covent Garden
The beautiful Christmas decorations at Covent Garden, there is usually a Christmas food fair here too.

London is all lit up like the proverbial Christmas tree early, you’ll see lights on almost every street in the city.

The lights are normally switched on in the first week of November.

See dates for Londons Christmas Light Switch On Events here. In 2023 the Oxford St. Christmas Lights started Christmas on the 2nd November.

Our favourite spots for amazing festive lights and decorations are:

  • Covent Garden (pictured above)
  • Oxford St
  • Regent St
  • Bond St
  • Carnaby St

Probably the best way to see the lights this year, and avoid the crowds, would be to book this open-top Christmas lights bus tour. If I were there that would be top of my wish list for next Christmas.

If you’re visiting London with small kids at Xmas, Tootbus have a Christmas lights tour by bus aimed at younger passengers.

London at Christmas Time uk
You can pin this! Just hover.

London’s Christmas Shop Windows

Stores in London really pull out the big guns at Christmas, you’re in for a treat of window dressing art:

  • John Lewis on Oxford St.
  • Fortnum and Mason in Picadilly
  • Harrods in Knightsbridge
  • Harvey Nichols Knightsbridge
  • Selfridges on Oxford St.
  • Dolce and Gabbana on Bond St
  • Tiffany Old Bond St.
  • Hamleys on Regent St.
  • Liberty Regent St.

London Christmas Trees

 Christmas tree London

The most famous tree in the world, the Trafalgar Square tree will be lit on (unconfirmed as yet) December.

The tree is an annual gift from Norway to the UK in gratitude for its assistance in WW2.

Covent Garden usually boasts a large and impressive Christmas tree too (pictured above)

London Outdoor Ice Rinks at Christmas

 Christmas ice rink London

Sadly, most of London’s ice rinks were not open for Christmas 2020 but they should be back this year.

Hampton Court Palace and The Queen’s House ice rink in Greenwich were reportedly open. Please check, things are changing constantly.

London Christmas Markets and Fairs

 Christmas Market London
This chap at Covent Garden was new for Christmas 2014 and he’s spectacular.

There are usually one day Christmas Markets and events all over the city, but the biggest and longest-running attractions are below.

Borough Market will most likely be open, along with Selfridges Christmas Market, Pexmas in Peckham, and Festive Flea at Vinegar Yard.

  • Leicester Square has had a small market, a carousel and a scary-looking ride. 
  • Outside the Tate Modern there was a large market, lots of food, alcoholic winter drinks and crafts.
 Christmas food fair London
Hot salmon at the food fair outside the Tate Modern on the South Bank

Special Christmas Events in London

  • Christmas at Kew, an after-dark experience of magical lights at the famous Kew Botanical Gardens.  There is something happening at Kew this Christmas but you’ll need to check their website for details.
  • Winter Wonderland Hyde Park, has it all, ice rink, big wheel, food stalls and a circus. This event runs for weeks and is absolutely huge.
Craft fair London
Christmas wreaths at a craft fair smell amazing!

More Christmas Activities in London

If you’d like to book a tour of the most Christmasy sites in London, you can do that. Walking tours and guided tours by taxi, open top bus, and more, are available. There are also special Christmas cruises and dining. Use the button below.

Of course, most of London’s attractions and places of interest will be open around Christmas time. As Christmas is very busy for Londoners, British visitors, and international tourists, we strongly recommend you book and reserve your spot at your must-see London attractions. For instance, you can book the following.

Christmas Day in London

Christmas Day is the quietest day of the year in London, take the opportunity to walk in the parks and see the Christmas windows and lights.

There’s something special about being in London at Christmas time but Christmas day itself in the city is a unique experience.

Very few places will be open in London on Christmas Day.

The annual Christmas day Serpentine swim in Hyde Park is worth a watch if you’re out and about at 9am.

Will The Museums Be Open on Christmas Day?

No, most, if not all museums in London will be closed on Christmas Day this year.

According to their websites the Natural History Museum will not be open on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day.

The British Museum has no tickets available over the Christmas period, 24th, 25th and 26th of December. (confirm here). London’s Science Museum, check if they’re open at Christmas here.

London has dozens of museums, some may be open on Christmas Day, but the main museums close for the holidays.

Where Can You Eat in London on Christmas Day?

Some hotels and pubs will be serving food on Christmas Day.

The Lamb and Flag in Covent Garden, The Sanctuary House Hotel in Westminster, The Ship in Southwark, The Swan in Hyde Park and The Star Tavern in Belgravia are currently listed as open for Christmas.

But obviously, please check.

Most British pubs will be open and very busy on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day.

Hopefully, you can find a cosy family-friendly pub to enjoy some good British pub food over the Christmas period.

London Public Transport at Christmas

Getting around London is tricky over Christmas, London’s public transport system is excellent, cheap and efficient, but Christmas is the worst time to experience it.

The huge crowds of shoppers make life very difficult for most of the Christmas school holiday period and every weekend.

On top of the crowds, there are also closures.

Remember there is usually no tube, overground or bus service on Christmas Day in central London and reduced service over the holiday period.

Check with Transport for London for latest details.

How Do British People Celebrate Christmas?

Well, obviously, it varies between families, but if you’re visiting London from abroad you might be interested, so I’ll tell you.

In my family, it was traditional to open our Christmas presents from under the tree and Christmas stockings stuffed by Santa (Who we usually called Father Christmas) very early on Christmas morning.

The rest of Christmas Day was either spent at home, cooking and eating a huge Christmas lunch, yes, we eat our turkey at lunchtime, not dinner time, or at a relative’s home.

British people tend to call lunch dinner if it’s a large roast.

We never watched the Queen’s speech, some do, we didn’t, although I’m very fond of our monarch.

Christmas lunch would be roast turkey, stuffing, pigs in blankets (sausages wrapped in bacon) roast potatoes, mashed potatoes, gravy, bread sauce, lots of vegetables.

The vegetables served should always include roast parsnips and sprouts.

A flaming Christmas pudding with cream (I don’t like brandy butter) would follow.

In the evening we’d normally eat turkey sandwiches, cheese (stilton), trifle and snack foods. Wine, port, and sherry would flow freely.

Relatives would come to our house for lunch or we would go to their homes.

It was a family time and we didn’t venture out much other than for a crisp afternoon walk maybe.

So as the British population tucks into their lunch and enjoys their presents, expect the streets of London to be the quietest they will ever be on Christmas Day. But Christmas Eve is another story, we’ll normally be out in force drinking and merrymaking, expect huge numbers.

What Time is The Queen’s Speech?

The Queen’s Speech or Christmas Message is normally aired at 3pm on Christmas Day.

Booking a Transfer from Heathrow into London on Christmas Day or Over the Christmas Period.

Several people have asked me about this now. The best I can do is send you here (opens in new tab).There are cars to pre-book your airport transfer and also bookings available for the Heathrow Express, but check dates and availability (see below).

Taxis can be very expensive in the UK so be cautious and look out for extra charges at Christmas time.

The Heathrow Express website here (opens in new tab), states that there will be maintenance work this Christmas and closures, check this for your dates.

We’ll add more Christmas information for London just as soon as it becomes available. For more on visiting London head to our main London Travel home page. We hope you enjoy visiting London, our favourite city, this Christmas

If you'd like to hire a car during your stay, use this car rental comparison tool to find the best deal!

We also suggest you take a look at this company to get a quote for all kinds of the more tricky adventure or extended travel insurance.

Try Stayz / VRBO for an alternative way to find rentals on homes/apartments/condos in any country!

Kai Parker

Tuesday 5th of December 2023

Absolutely loved your blog on Christmas in London! 🎄 Such helpful tips for making the most of the festive season. I recently stayed at Holiday Rental Apartments near Earls Court tube station (https://www.booking.com/hotel/gb/presidential-kensington). The central location made exploring a breeze, and the services were spot-on. Highly recommend for anyone planning a London getaway!

cb

Monday 25th of September 2023

BTW, the queen died...

Alyson Long

Monday 25th of September 2023

Did she? Oh no.

The Jetset Boyz

Monday 28th of November 2022

Wonderful windows, marvellous markets & twinkling trimmings. We totally love how London goes to town for the festive season! With so many options for things to do at Christmas in London, it can be hard to choose. Still, variety is the spice of life and with so much choice, there’s something for everyone.

Lindsay

Sunday 30th of October 2022

Thank you for this helpful content. We are visiting London for a few days in advance of Christmas and have looked into booking a bus tour to see the lights. The one that we are most interested in only has spaces available at 15:00. This may seem like a silly question, but will it be dark enough then to appreciate the lights? (We are coming from a lower latitude :))

Alyson for World Travel Family

Sunday 30th of October 2022

It won't be completely dark but it's likely to be getting there. By 4pm I'd say yes. Sunset in London at Christmas is 3.56 pm. And boy do I miss it! It doesn't feel like Christmas without dark and sparkling lights. Enjoy!

Martina

Friday 2nd of September 2022

Hey I planned a trip to london from 11.11-14.11.2022 wanted to see a christmas decoration etc but it officialy starts from 18th? Or is it chance to see it at that time? Thanks a lot M.

Alyson for World Travel Family

Saturday 3rd of September 2022

I've read that the Oxford St. lights are being switched on on the 22nd Nov this year, and they're usually the first. There will be Christmas stuff in the shops (it's starting to appear already) then the Winter Wonderland at Hyde Park is starting on 18th Nov this year, I believe. The dates are just starting to be confirmed for Christmas 2022, this post will be updated once they're available.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please check and double-check all the information we give you locally as times, places, dates, and services do, as we found, change often. Restrictions and closures may apply.