An Easy Guide to London At Christmas
Christmas tends to start early in the UK (well, at least, early to me, an American who still celebrates Thanksgiving!) I could see Christmas lights going up since Halloween, but once the festive season finally comes around, it’s pretty delightful. I love wandering around London and admiring all the Christmas decorations! There’s so much to do as well, so if you’re in London at Christmas, I’ve got a few things to add to your bucket list!
Christmas Shops
This is the time of year that all the big department stores set up their Christmas shops, and boy are they delightful (and dangerous for your wallet!) It’s nice to see all the fun decorations which do tend to change every year, so it’s not a one and done type thing! Take a stroll through John Lewis, Liberty, Forntum and Mason, Selfridges and Harrods!
Ice Skating
Christmas and ice skating are basically synonymous, aren’t they? There’s something so festive about strapping on some skates and gliding around on the ice, and London certainly has it’s share of offerings. Perhaps my favorite (and the most iconic) is Somerset House, which offers ice skating from mid-November straight through to the New Year. I’ve even been to have a little fondue before taking a turn on the rink. Festive vibes are positively through the roof! Skate in the shadows of the Natural History Museum, Hampton Court Palace, or the London Eye. The city is your ice skating oyster!
A Christmas Carol
My husband and I go to see A Christmas Carol at the Old Vic every single year, and it never fails to disappoint. There’s something about seeing Dickens’s classic Christmas tale come to life that really gets me excited about the festive period. Plus it’s a new actor playing Scrooge every year! There’s plenty of other Christmas related shows happening in London at the same time, so doing a little google search is always a good idea!
Christmas Markets
Perhaps the very epitome of Christmas Cheer. There are several Markets all over London, some that will last throughout the season, and some that are one off events. My personal favorite: The Southbank! Every Christmas, the Southbank Centre gets decked out in lights galore and more stalls than you can imagine. Sweets, decorations, crafts, the offerings are aplenty. Further up the way, another market brings its treats to London Bridge, with the London Bridge City Christmas Market, and the Tate Modern Christmas Market. If these are a little out of your way, Time Out London has a great list of Christmas Markets all over the city!
You know what’s funny, I never would have dreamed of going to see the tree at Rockefeller Center or walking around New York looking at decorations. I guess growing up there took some of the excitement out of it… but what’s that old saying? When one is tired of London, one is tired of life? I think that’s especially true of London at Christmas… it’s just so magical that I haven’t gotten tired of it yet!
What’s your favorite festive thing to do around London? Share in the comments!
