Christmas Carols at St Paul’s
Through 25 Dec 2022
Surely there are few better settings in the world for a spot of Carol singing than St Paul’s Cathedral.
A tourist destination itself, St Paul’s plays host to free and unticketed services throughout the month of December up until Christmas. It culminates in two major events on the 23rd and 24th.
Christmas at the Prince Charles Cinema
Perhaps the only redeeming quality in Leicester Square these days.
To quote the iconic Prince Charles Cinema, ‘’Tis the season for a bucketload of films’, with all the Christmas classics on the slate, as well as some more surprisingly festive numbers. The singalong ‘Muppet Christmas Carol’ screenings will also return. So will pyjama parties and movie marathons.
Christmas at Kew
Kew Gardens, until 8 Jan 2023
West London’s Kew Gardens undergo their yearly festive transformation. The route is 2.7km through the vast botanic garden, lit up by the Christmas lights and projections.
London Christmas Beer Festival
Tobacco Dock, 16 & 17 December 2022
Over two nights on Tobacco Dock, London’s having a beer festival. Hundreds of beers, it’s also got a host of cocktails and wines if you’re not a beer drinker, and boasts an impressive selection of food.
Covent Garden Christmas
Until 8 Jan 2023
Christmas lights, a giant tree, a traditional, picturesque marketplace, cobbled streets, masses of people…what more could you want from a festive destination? Probably for a bit to be a tad cheaper, knowing Covent Garden. Other than that.
Kicking off today, 1 December, a series of events will also run throughout the month, from Royal Opera House Ballerinas to the cast from ELF the Musical. Add to that the usual mix of cold hands and hot drinks, it promises to be a perfect spot of expensive Xmas fun.
Skate at Somerset House
Until 15 Jan 2023
The giant 900-square-metre outdoor ice rink is back, with its massive Christmas tree still sitting in the middle.
I imagine, like Covent Garden above, it’s a pretty fancy affair. When you’ve got Moët & Chandon as your title sponsor, you’re giving off a certain vibe.
Anyway, the ringside DJ sets are back, as is Skate Late, allowing you to whizz – or in my case stumble and fall – around the rink into the early hours.
Queen’s House and Ice Rink
Queen’s House Greenwich, until 8 Jan 2023
On top of the beautiful, lit up house, let’s keep the ice rinks together. Perhaps not as renowned or as massive as Somerset House’s winter instalment, you can still skate around a UNESCO World Heritage site. Queen’s House is South London’s only outdoor ice rink, with great views over the towering Canary Wharf.
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland
Until 2 Jan 2023
Perhaps the most infamous of the Christmas Events. Hyde Park Corner tube station, during rush hour on a Friday while Winter Wonderland is on, is hell on earth, but once you escape the underground and get past the queues, it’s clear why it’s so busy.
Now in its fifteenth year, Winter Wonderland’s combination of rides, Christmas markets and Santa’s Grotto will attract thousands.
Museum of Architecture’s Gingerbread City
3 Dec 2022 – Jan 2023
The Gingerbread City is coming back to London’s Museum of Architecture this December. The sprawling gingerbread metropolis is designed by over 100 leading architects, with five different climates – Polar, Continental, Temperate, Dry and Tropical – ginger worlds.
Winter Festival and Light at the Southbank Centre
Until 8 Jan 2023
The riverside Southbank Centre will light up again this December with its Winter Festival as well as Winter Light – a free, open-air exhibition of light works.
There’s also the return of the New Year’s Eve Spectacular – where people can welcome in 2023 in the picturesque setting.
