Deck the Halls…!
‘Christmas comes but once a year’… Whilst this remains true of course, ‘once’ has become longer and longer over the years! It does seem that following the lead of the United States, London now has the first touch of Christmas-fever whilst the last of the summer wine is flowing and warm sun is still shining!
A glorious, golden autumn in the UK produced perhaps the best display ever of colour across the capital’s many parks and green spaces. No serious wind storms tore leaves from the trees, leaving them to ripen into magnificent panoramas of red, gold, orange and yellow. Then, of course, winter descended like a hammer last month, the squirrels scurried for their winter stores and the Christmas advertisements suddenly seemed more relevant.
In many ways, London is, of course, the Christmas capital of the world. Nothing to do with the real story of the birth of Jesus Christ and a lot more to do with the fact that a certain Charles Dickens lived in the city for much of his life, creating an enduring image of the festive season. A Christmas Carol, first published in 1843, gave birth to Ebenezer Scrooge and all the other unforgettable characters. Not only was it set in London, but it was also, of course, written there too.
The first edition was published on December 19, 1843, and had sold out by Christmas Eve! A little known fact is that Dickens wrote four other Christmas stories – which have not done so well!
London, though, re-invents itself every year for the festive season, and of course, 2025 is no different, despite a pervading world of worries for so many people.
The Christmas lights are really special this year. Oxford Street and Regent Street, the most famous shopping thoroughfares in the capital, are spectacular, but everywhere there are lights and decorations on display. Covent Garden is resplendent, with the old flower halls glowing in festive spirit.
One of the best ways to enjoy the lights is on a specially arranged open-top bus tour. These take around an hour and a half and include the very best of London’s festive displays. The tours also provide the ultimate window-shopping opportunity, and for once, getting held up in the London traffic seems a joy rather than the nightmare that driving through the capital usually entails.
Another unique Christmas opportunity awaits people with deep pockets! On Christmas day itself, it is possible to have a luxury coach tour followed by a lunch on the Thames, passing by some of the most famous buildings on the planet and enjoying some of the best food and wine the world has to offer. Prices start at around £300 (€343) per person, so National Lottery winners to the front of the queue!
Christmas jumpers have become another Yuletide phenomena in London, with a special day set aside for wearing garish, festive knitwear to the office (December 11 in 2025) – but what about our furry friends? An inspired lady, May Wong, has organised a walk in support of animal charities where participants dress their rescue dogs (from all over the world) in Christmas jumpers and head for Buckingham Palace. Others have organised a Christmas jumper parade of corgis in St James’s Park and in Hyde Park, a sausage dog Christmas walk. This is London…!
Sweet life in the city
Already up and running and continuing until the early days of January 2026 is a truly tasty, fascinating, festive event for the sweet-toothed explorer in Coal Drops Yard, King’s Cross, North London.
The Museum of Architecture has brought an amazing world of sweet treats that “re-imagines the cities of the future”. It features a city made entirely of gingerbread created by architects, engineers and designers. The challenge is to encourage innovation and future city planning with particular emphasis this year to adopt a ‘Playful City’ theme.
Visitors can also take part in gingerbread workshops where they will be able to construct an edible building of their own to take home and enjoy with a nice cup of tea (or something stronger!) Maybe have lunch before the visit to be on the safe side!
Christmas with the Bard
On London’s creative and quirky Southbank is a painstakingly full-scale replica of William Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. Just 230 metres from where the original stage was located is this striking reconstruction of its Elizabethan ancestor. Some rather lovely – and now listed – Georgian houses occupy the original site, but every care was taken to ensure that the building is as faithful a reconstruction as possible.
It was completed in 1997 and constructed entirely of English oak. Interestingly, it is the only building in the entire city of London to have a thatched roof. These have been forbidden since that pesky fire of 1666 which destroyed much of the capital! Whilst it has a maximum capacity of around 1,500 (including 700 standing in the yard), this is around half the capacity from centuries ago when there was less need, or at least worry about provision of safety features, toilets, visitor centres, changing rooms and all that malarkey!
There is something very atmospheric about the Thames in winter, with memories of Christmas cards showing skaters on the river during those ‘Frost Fairs’ of earlier, bitterly cold winters. So where better to go for a Christmas treat than to this great theatre right on the edge of the mighty river?
This year, the theatre is offering a Festive Family Tour right up to January 5, 2026. Expert guides will show and tell how Christmas was celebrated in Shakespeare’s time. “From Wassailing to the winter solstice, ‘kissing boughs’ to proper mince pyes, this family-friendly guided tour will enchant, fascinate and warm even in the frostiest weather”, according to the organisers. They do remind people to wrap warmly, as of course, in accordance with the original building, there is no roof on the place!
The main show on offer is the premiere of a magical, unmissable new musical for the whole family, Pinocchio, written by Charlie Josephine and Jim Fortune. A great way to re-live the story of Gepetto and his wooden puppet as they build friendships and a community of their own. Also, over the festive period, Tim Key (famous as ‘Sidekick Simon’ in Alan Partridge) has his hilarious one-man show at Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, located in the same complex on December 21. Hurry though, his shows always sell out fast!
Merry Christmas and a happy New Year, wonderful readers!
Read Richard Lamberth’s last month’s article: London Calling – November 2025
