Christmas szn is back, baby! Well, nearly. With the days getting alarmingly colder and shorter, the festive holiday is right around the corner and this year we are pledging to celebrate Christmas bigger and better than ever before because we could really do with some of that Christmas cheer. And where better to do it than in the capital?
London comes alive in the run-up to Christmas. Each winter, the capital is alight with magical light displays, sparkling bauble-adorned shop-fronts, tons of festive attractions and enough mulled wine to fill the Thames.
And because we're so excited about it, we've compiled a handy selection of all the festivities London has to offer; from afternoon tea to ice-skating and every festive happening in between.
Despite the cost of living crisis rumbling on, there are plenty of ways to ring in the festive period on a shoestring budget (with lots of free festive activities thrown in too), so you can celebrate Christmas in all its glory – whether you're flying solo, looking for group activities or need something fun to do with the kids, whatever your budget this year.
Here are the best Christmas things to do in London this year:
What to eat in London
Festive Afternoon Tea at Claridge's
Available until 2 January, 2024, Claridge's Festive Afternoon Tea includes delights such as salmon, lemon and dill finger sandwiches, black forest Christmas tree pudding, a gingerbread tart and Claridge's Christmas pudding with brandy sauce.
Feeling the festive cheer already for 2023, Browns Covent Garden is the place to dine this December. From its £45 three-course festive menu, including maple and cinnamon glazed pork belly and salted caramel profiteroles, to its festive afternoon tea and gluten-free menus, there's something for everyone. It's also open for dining on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Eve to prolong the Christmas spirit.
Christmas Afternoon Tea at Royal Lancaster London
Relax and enjoy an irresistible assortment of delicately crafted sandwiches, warm baked scones and deliciously Christmassy sweet treats that will be served in the hotel’s beautiful Hyde Café, accompanied by a selection of the finest Camellia’s Tea House teas and fizz.
Hotel Café Royal is the magical place to experience Christmas and New Year right in the heart of London by Regent Street, Piccadilly Circus and the brilliant light displays. The Grade II-listed Oscar Wilde Lounge will also be serving up a decadent and musical Festive Afternoon Tea, complete with award-winning patisseries and a live pianist. Throughout the festive holiday the hotel will also be hosting an array of family-friendly activities in its Children’s Club to keep the little ones entertained, from cookie decorating to bauble making.
Christmas Afternoon Tea at The Ritz
The Ritz's iconic Christmas Afternoon Tea is making a return for 2023 from the 18 November until the 1 January. Seatings will take place every two hours from 11.30am to 7.30pm each day, with every adult receiving a glass of Ritz champagne on arrival and every child receiving a Ritz teddy bear. If you book on Christmas Day, you'll be lucky enough to get a visit from Father Christmas himself.
39 best luxury beauty gifts for Christmas 2023Gallery39 PhotosWhat to drink in London
Rooftop drinks at The Madison
The Madison's rooftop bar is one of the coolest venues in London. With views across the St Paul's Cathedral and the London skyline beyond, each Christmas it turns its rooftop into a festive haven complete with wreaths and baubles - no admission fee required.
Wagtail has partnered with Grey Goose to offer its Nordic Nights igloos for 2023. Available for intimate dinner with a partner or friends, dine, drink and be merry on the bar's rooftop with London skyline views. Open from 20 October, you can book your slot now.
What to do in London
Each year, thousands of shoppers flock to Carnaby Street in central London to snap photos of the dazzling display of Christmas lights, in partnership with charity partner Choose Love. On 8th November, presenter and Choose Love ambassador Vick Hope switched on the lights which create a vibrant display of neon colour and light waves. There are over 100 retailers, restaurants and bars to choose from in Carnaby, and thanks to the diverse range of stores, it's the ideal place to get all your Christmas shopping done in one fell swoop. For fashionistas, look to Annie's Ibiza, Ganni and Rixo, and for beauty-lovers, there's Benefit, MAC and Too Faced. After all that hard work shopping, head to the likes of Paradiso, Kaleido Rolls, INO and Dehesa for some well-earned sustenance.
Better Bankside's Frost Fair
Better Bankside has announced the launch of its modern day ‘Frost Fair’, a tribute to historically cold winters in the Southwark Borough, where the river Thames would freeze over. Throughout December and January, Bankside will host a multi-media art trail that reimagines these scenes, including a special appearance from an alleged elephant. Visitors can also expect Frost Fair inspired menus and food & drink experiences, themed club and music nights, workshops and guided tours throughout the two-month event, which will also be raising money to support local homeless charity The Manna Society.
Skate @ Somerset House X Whispering Angel
Chateau d’Esclans, the home of GLAMOUR's go-to Whispering Angel rosé, is partnering with Skate at Somerset House this winter to offer rosé-fuelled skating and we can't think of anything better. Whispering Angel is adding a touch of pink to the Skate Lounge, offering hot and cold rosé-based festive cocktails. Rock Angel, its high-energy rosé counterpart, is also leading Skate Lates with DJ line-ups for a vibrant winter experience including Pxssy Palace and Cousins. See you there.
Take a ride on the Festive Steam Express
A unique festive experience coming this winter, the Steam Dreams Rail Co. has announced three dates for its highly anticipated Christmas Steam Express trips, taking passengers to Christmas markets in Edinburgh, York and Bath. Departing from London King's Cross, tickets range from opulent Premier Dining, which include a delectable four-course seasonal menu and Bucks Fizz on arrival, to First Class with a festive snack box and Bucks Fizz or Standard Class where passengers are welcome to bring their own picnic or order food and drinks on-board…
Family-friendly things to do in (and near!) London
Buckle up for possibly the chicest Christmas experience yet as The Ritz London and Hamleys get set to open the doors to the Hamleys x The Ritz London Christmas Grotto from 8am to 8pm at The Ritz London from Wednesday 6th to Sunday 10th December 2023, inclusive. This year’s theme of ‘A New Journey Through Christmas’ will take place over two thematic rooms to mesmerise everyone, where children will have the chance to talk all things Christmas with their House Elf, and take part in jolly Elf fun and games, ahead of their meeting with Father Christmas himself. In collaboration with Great Ormond Street Hospital, The Ritz London and Hamleys are offering exclusive Santa sessions, each day, for children who have been under the care of GOSH. Tickets are priced at £250 for three people, inclusive of at least one adult. Additional adults or children, up to a maximum of six people per ticket, are priced at £75 per person. Reservations open at 10am on Thursday 9th November and are available online.
If you're looking for a dose of Christmas cheer for all the family, few places serve up those festive feels more than Elf The Musical. Having returned to London's Dominion Theatre just off Tottenham Court Road for the second consecutive year due to popular demand, this strictly limited season only runs for seven weeks from 15th November 2023 to 6th January 2024 - so you'd be wise not to drag your heels. Telling the well-known story of Buddy, who mistakenly crawled into Santa’s bag as a baby and was raised as an elf, this is a high-vibe take on the much-loved movie with catchy songs that you'll find yourselves humming for days. With a finale (no spoilers here) sure to give you chills, this is a real Christmas cracker of a show that injects the spirit of the season into everyone lucky enough to snag a ticket.
It's a classic for a reason. This year's Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park will run from 17 November to 1 January and will include all of the beloved rides and food stalls that it's become known for such as the apres-ski party funhouse, the adrenaline-filled blizzard ride, the ice bar and the street food village.
Immensely popular and for good reason, LaplandUK is a 4-hour immersive experience in Father Christmas's world that people go wild for year after year. It all began with parents to four young boys, Mike and Alison Battle, who dreamt of revelling in the joy of their children’s innocent belief in Father Christmas. They saw Christmas as the greatest celebration of childhood yet could find nowhere that reflected how important this moment was to them.
Set in Swinley Forest on the Crown Estate in a Hollywood-style set, this year's offering is conceived from six best-selling books, written by the Battle family, and depicts a magical world in which 31 (!) characters come together, every year from November 11 until December 24. In its very first year of opening, LaplandUK sold 37,000 (!!!) tickets without any conventional advertising, a feat almost unheard of. Over the years, word has spread of the “secret in the forest”, with notable attendees including the Prince and Princess of Wales, Tom Hardy, Elton John and The Beckhams. In 2023, LaplandUK sold out of its 160,000 tickets in less than a day. So is it worth the hype? We flew (read: drove the short hour-long journey from South West London) on opening weekend to find out and can confirm it is a bucket list experience.
From the moment you arrive in the twinkly forest, children (and parents tbh) are captivated. It is such a slick operation that you literally show up and are escorted on your journey through Christmas by a variety of brilliantly festive elves who make children feel so special. The journey begins in a magically immersive theatre and ‘Human Folk’ are invited on a 4 hour journey along the magical pathways of the Elven World via Mrs Christmas's kitchen (where children are invited to ice gingerbread men and listen to a festive story) and the toy factory where kids construct a bunny toy (which parents are sneakily given at the end of the experience to save for Christmas Day). A real wow moment was Germany’s historic Oberammagau Houses, in an ode to Bavarian design, which are perfect Instagram fodder. An ice skating rink, festive boutiques, post office for writing letters to Father Christmas and delicious eateries also await in the forest. The magical experience culminates in reaching the snow-covered, cosy log cabin home of Father Christmas who spends time chatting to children about their Christmas wishes; it was a truly unforgettable experience. Children will talk about their trip to LaplandUK for years to come.
It's so popular that it's already sold out for 2023, but you can sign up the the mailing list to be the first to know about 2024 tickets.
Disney On Ice is back with a bang for 2023, and will be skating back into London’s O2 Arena in time for Christmas from the 21st – 31st December. This year this show is called Disney On Ice presents Dream Big, and is an action-packed voyage and an adventure for the whole family, featuring Moana, Frozen and other timeless favourites. We'd also highly recommend a pit stop at Oxford Street's iconic Disney Store this December. We are feeling festive after seeing the Disney Store and shopDisney's exclusive VIP event where they unveiled their perfect holiday gifts for the whole family, featuring a new collection for Disney's forthcoming blockbuster “Wish” and exclusive “Frozen” items, celebrating the franchise's 10th anniversary. Follow the VIP's lead and take your little ones along to choose the perfect tree decoration or peruse the epic Frozen section to suss out what they might want to open on Christmas Day (we can guarantee it will be this Disney Store Frozen Gift Set For Kids).
Glide at Battersea Power Station
Set against the backdrop of the newly renovated Battersea Power Station, ice skating fans can take a spin around the trio of interconnected rinks and get a 360-degree view of the 30ft Christmas tree, decorated with an array of the brand's classic cream boxes upon its boughs.
Pop in to a Biscuiteers Icing cafe
Celebrate Christmas with Biscuiteers at one of their Icing Cafés. From DIY icing to learning a brand new skill at the School of Icing classes, these festive events will certainly get you in the Christmas spirit with all the family.
The Christmas Experience at Kew
Kew comes alive with festive splendour in the run-up to Christmas, designing a magical light installation now in its eleventh year.
Explore Borough Market
Borough Market is wonderfully festive at Christmas time. There's also late night shopping on Thursdays and Fridays as well as live music.
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