• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
    • First Time Here?
    • Archive
    • London Blogs
  • Blog
  • Travel
    • London Theater Tickets
    • Shopping
    • Tips
    • Tours
    • Transport
    • Maps
    • Parks
    • Resources
    • Restaurants
    • Top 10 London
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Buildings
    • Food
    • London Books
    • Movies
    • Museums
    • Music
    • Pubs
  • Londonism
    • Reviews
    • Fun London
    • Iconic London
    • Life in London
    • London Realities
    • Moving to London
    • Politics
  • The Tube
  • London History
    • Great London Buildings
    • Great Londoners
  • Contact
  • Guidebooks
    • 101 London Travel Tips – Guidebook
    • 101 Free Things to do in London

Londontopia

The Website for People Who Love London

You are here: Home / Christmas / The London Fiver – Five Things to Do in London this Christmas

The London Fiver – Five Things to Do in London this Christmas

Dec 16, 2021 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

d3Mn / Pixabay

London is a wonderful place to celebrate Christmas.  There are lights, trees, food, drink, carols, and more that bring the City’s holiday spirit to its fullest strength.  You’ve probably watched how London celebrates in films like Love Actually or Last Christmas, but there are plenty of things to experience beyond what’s been on your screens.  If you find yourself in London around the holidays, we’ve identified five things you definitely need to see and do for yourself.  If you think there’s something great that we left out, you can share that with us in the comments.

Christmas Lights

London’s streets go all out with the lights around the holiday season.  From major high street commercial areas to major landmarks, you’ll find some of the best displays of anywhere in the world.  Crystal Park Palace presents Lightopia, Oxford Street, Kenwood House, and more are just some of the festive light exhibits in London.  To see the most, however, you can opt for buying a ticket to Christmas Lights London by Night bus tour, which takes you to Regent Street, Piccadilly Circus, the Marble Arch, Tower Bridge, and the Houses of Parliament to see them light up bright.

Shopping

And speaking of lights, inevitably your guided or solo tours of the Christmas Lights will bring you to major shopping districts such as Oxford Street, Regent Street, or Carnaby Street.  Big department stores like Harrod’s and Selfridge’s not only get in on the Christmas lights but also fantastic window displays.  There’s nothing so festive as hitting the stores when they’re all decked out for the holidays and finding some great gifts to bring back to your family and friends.  While you’re out and about, you can also find yourself some scrumptious Christmas treats or a holiday afternoon tea.

Winter Wonderland

It may drain your bank account to do it, but Winter Wonderland is one of the most exciting events in London each year.  Set up in Hyde Park, you can find over 100 rides, market stalls, cafes, restaurants, and shows to put you in the holiday mood.  This year, Bar Ice is back and everything is made out of ice from the bar itself right down to the glasses for your cocktails.  For those not quite ready to give up Halloween, there’s a Christmas-themed haunted house where you’ll meet the spirits of holiday ghost stories.  The Bavarian Village also brings a bit of the German Christmas tradition to London.  Ultimately, there’s no shortage of things to do at Winter Wonderland, and we can’t possibly list them all in this article.

Ice Skating

One other thing to mention about Winter Wonderland is the chance to do some ice skating—though it’s not the only place in the City that offers it during the holidays.  Two of London’s most gorgeous manor homes set up outdoor skating rinks that are open to the public.  Somerset House features a rink in its courtyard that is decorated with a 40-foot Christmas tree and has plenty of mulled wine and other Christmas beverages to help you stay warm.  Hampton Court Palace is another historic location that welcomes skaters every year and other places with their own rinks include Canary Wharf, Alexandra Palace, and the Natural History Museum.

Plays, Pantos, Films, and Concerts

London is a well-known theater and film town, so it should be no surprise that the City welcomes many arts performances around the holidays.  The Royal Ballet will have its performance of The Nutcracker at the Royal Albert Hall, Alexandra Palace hosts a performance of A Christmas Carol starring Nicholas Farrell as Scrooge and Mark Gatiss as Jacob Marley, and these are just the tip of the iceberg.  Pantos are a special kind of wacky theater tradition with dozens of fairytales and Christmas stories brought to life by any number of famous actors in hilarious ways.  Additionally, Backyard Cinema, Secret Cinema, and other theaters offer unforgettable holiday screenings that you won’t want to miss.

John Rabon
Author: John Rabon

John is a regular writer for Anglotopia and its sister websites. He is currently engaged in finding a way to move books slightly to the left without the embarrassment of being walked in on by Eddie Izzard. For any comments, questions, or complaints, please contact the Lord Mayor of London, Boris Johnson's haircut.

close

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Share this:

  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit
  • Pocket

Filed Under: Christmas, Featured, Guides

Subscribe to Our Free London Updates

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

About John Rabon

John is a regular writer for Anglotopia and its sister websites. He is currently engaged in finding a way to move books slightly to the left without the embarrassment of being walked in on by Eddie Izzard. For any comments, questions, or complaints, please contact the Lord Mayor of London, Boris Johnson's haircut.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to Our Free London Updates

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Get the Anglotopia/Londontopia App

Our Advertisers

If you are a mobile gamer, you may want to take a look at UK’s new mobile casinos and slots reviewed by NewCasinoUK.

Join the London Forum

  • Mudlarking
  • MY FAVOURITE PLACE IN LONDON
  • What's Your Favorite Place in London?
  • Paddington Station

London Guide

  • Ten Cheap Things You Can Do in London on a Budget
  • Ten London Exhibitions to Look Forward to in 2023
  • London’s Non-Free Museums: Your Guide to London’s Museums That Charge Admission
  • Trip Planning: Top 10 Exhibitions To Plan Your 2018 Trips to London Around
  • London Guide: Our Favorite Restaurants in London – London Restaurant Recommendations for Americans – What’s Your Favorite?

Connect With Us

  • Facebook
  • RSS Feed
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Support Londontopia

Search our Extensive Archive

Top 10 London

  • Ten Unusual Exhibits to See in London
  • London Pubs: Ten Thameside Pubs for a Pint and a View
  • Top 10 London: Ten More Things to Do Along the River Thames
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Shopping Centers in London
  • Museums of London: Ten Overlooked London Museums
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Haggerston
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Haringey
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Redbridge
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Hillingdon
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to Do in Canonbury

Recent Posts

  • What’s On in London Events for February 2023
  • Only Fools And Horses musical to close in West End after four years
  • Artist Ai Weiwei to launch first design-focused exhibition at London’s Design Museum
  • London Travel Alert: Staff at British Museum to walk out during half-term break
  • Poet Lemn Sissay ‘over the moon’ to receive Freedom of the City of London
  • English Heritage has unveiled six new blue plaques for London
  • National Portrait Gallery to reopen in June with two special exhibitions
  • Exploring The Cosmic House in London
  • Ten Social Media Accounts to Follow for Londonphiles
  • New Royal Academy Exhibition: Treasures from Spain and the Hispanic World

Best Posts on Londontopia

  • 101 London Travel Tips
  • Top 100 London Attractions
  • How to Find the Cheapest Airfares to London
  • 10 Things NOT to do in London
  • Best London Guidebooks
  • 101 Free Things to do in London
  • London Lingo – A London Word Dictionary
  • Top 7 Tips for Doing London on the Cheap
  • Top 11 Myths American Believe about London
  • Guide to Eating in London
  • Best Times of Year to Travel to London
  • London Packing Tips
  • Top 11 Movies Set in London
  • Top Attractions off the Tourist Track
  • Top 5 Most Amazing London Hotels
  • Top 10 Hostels in London
  • Best Views in London Restuarants
  • London Taxi Ettiquette
  • Top 12 London Views
  • Great Fire of London
  • A Guide to Five of London’s Bridges
  • 10 Random Facts and Figures about Trafalgar Square
  • Top 100 British Slang Words

London Places to Explore

Bloomsbury Buckingham Palace Canary Wharf City of London Covent Garden Cutty Sark Greenwich Hampstead Hampton Court Palace Heathrow Houses of Parliament Hyde Park Imperial War Museum Islington Kensington Kensington Palace Leicester Square London London Eye London Transport Museum Museum of London National Gallery Notting Hill Piccadilly Circus Putney Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Regent's Street Royal Academy Selfridges Somerset House Southbank Southwark St Pancras St Paul's Cathedral Tate Britain Tate Modern The City Tower Bridge Tower of London Trafalgar Square V&A Wandsworth West End Westminster Westminster Abbey

SIGN-UP FOR FREE LONDON WEEKLY UPDATES!

Please enter a valid email address
That address is already in use
The security code entered was incorrect
Thanks for signing up

Recent Videos

Walk Around London Virtually Right Now – Watched Walker is the YouTube Channel We All Need Right Now

Jason Hawkes Shares a Beautiful Video of London From Above That We All Need Right now

London Tube: You’ve Got to Watch This Amazing Mesmerizing Animation That Shows the Real Geography of the London Underground

Video: The Basics of Crossrail – London’s New Underground Line

London History: The Place Where Old London Double Decker Buses Went to Die

London Video: A Look at the Great Smog of London

Tube and London bus fares to rise by nearly 6% from March

What is Crossrail 2 and What is Its Current Status?

London Alert: Strike by London Underground workers to go ahead after last-minute talks fail

London Mayor hails Elizabeth line as direct routes and Sunday services begin

Elizabeth line fully opens and offers more direct journeys

Tube poet encourages writers to ‘bring who they are to the field’

Footer

About Londontopia

Londontopia is simply the website for people who love London. It was founded by Jonathan & Jackie Thomas from Anglotopia.net as a place to post articles solely focused on London and its environs. Keep up with all the latest London news at Londontopia! This site is geared towards people who love to visit London and our primary audience is North American but everyone is welcome!

When We’re in London Next

We don’t currently have any travel plans to London but hope to visit at some point in 2021.

  • SEO Backlinks
  • Travel Blog

SIGN-UP FOR FREE LONDON WEEKLY UPDATES!

Please enter a valid email address
That address is already in use
The security code entered was incorrect
Thanks for signing up

Copyright © 2023 Anglotopia, LLC · Website Developed by Anglotopia, LLC · Log in