Christmas in London: 20 family activities

If you are coming to London with your family for the Christmas holidays, here are all our tips, which I hope will help you plan your stay and sightseeing programme. Every year, we enjoy seeing the illuminations in the British capital and soaking up the festive atmosphere in London’s different neighbourhoods.

We have now been living in England for eight years, on the south coast, an hour and a half from London. We regularly visit this capital city, which we love. I wanted to share ideas for things to do with children and advice for the Christmas period, based on everything we have discovered during the festive season over the years. Perhaps you too will fall under the spell of Christmas in London!

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Here are our 20 ideas for enjoying London as a family during the Christmas season:

1 – London’s Christmas lights

London’s Christmas lights are undoubtedly what we loved most! The children walked a long way to see them, but never complained because they too were enchanted by the lights and decorations. They are installed from early or mid-November, depending on the street, and generally remain until the first weekend in January.

Regent Street: a story of angels

Every year, suspended angels decorate and illuminate Regent Street. They are impressive, elegant and enormous! Our children loved them from their very first visit, when they were little—especially our Titpuce!

From 5 November 2026.

Oxford Street: Harry Potter decorations coming soon!

On Oxford Street, the street decorations generally consist of simple Christmas baubles. In 2026, however, things will be much more interesting: to mark the opening of the Harry Potter shop on Oxford Street on 4 November, the Christmas decorations will be themed around the famous wizard, with illuminated magic wands! My children cannot wait to see them.

Carnaby Street: the most beautiful!

For me, Carnaby Street has the most successful Christmas decorations. The theme changes every year, but it is always original and spectacular. I particularly loved the Freddie Mercury theme in 2018, during our first Christmas visit to London, with lyrics from Bohemian Rhapsody floating above the street. It coincided with the film’s release. The children loved the colours of the different lights and the “Ho Ho Ho” signs in the adjoining streets.

From 4 November 2026.

Bond Street and the luxury boutiques

On Bond Street, we loved the peacock feathers. Most of the luxury boutiques embrace Christmas and spend generously on their displays, especially Cartier. You will also come across a Christmas tree.

Covent Garden

The mistletoe-shaped lights at Covent Garden are especially beautiful. On your way there, walk through the prettily decorated Seven Dials. Just beside it, do not miss Neal’s Yard if you have not seen it before—it is a lovely, colourful courtyard. See my itinerary for exploring central London.

From 12 November 2026.

2 – London’s most beautiful shops at Christmas

Fortnum & Mason

I love Fortnum & Mason on Piccadilly, with its red lights and festive windows. Every year, an enormous amount of care goes into its Christmas decorations. It is also a chance to buy tea—my favourite—and orange marmalade with Champagne. Let me know what you think!

Burlington Arcade

Nearby, take a look inside Burlington Arcade and in the courtyard of the Royal Academy of Arts next door.

Selfridges

The windows at the famous Selfridges department store on Oxford Street are fun too. In 2018, we liked the wonderfully eccentric rock theme.

Liberty

In my opinion, Liberty is London’s most beautiful department store. The building has so much character that it needs little decoration. Christmas trees adorn its façade during the festive season, while the ground floor is full of gift ideas.

Harrods

There is no shortage of lights on the façade of Harrods! It is not my favourite shop, but I always enjoy its food halls, which are full of delicious Christmas gift ideas.

3 – Shops for children

Hamleys

Personally, I have always found Hamleys, the famous toy shop, a little disappointing. I do not think it makes a huge effort with its Christmas decorations, and the shop feels slightly old-fashioned. But do not worry: younger children still love it! Ticoeur particularly enjoyed the Harry Potter section in the basement.

LEGO Store

At the LEGO Store in Leicester Square, children can have their photo taken inside a London Underground carriage built entirely from LEGO!

4 – Listen to Christmas carols in Trafalgar Square

We were a little cold, but we really enjoyed this very English experience! As I have mentioned in previous posts, the English sing a great deal at Christmas. They have a vast repertoire of Christmas carols and sing them everywhere, even in the street! In Trafalgar Square, choirs give free one-hour carol performances throughout December; check the official programme for the confirmed 2026 dates and times. It is also an opportunity to admire the enormous Christmas tree given to London each year by the city of Oslo.

5 – London’s landmarks by night

It gets dark very early in December, so from about 3.30 pm you can start enjoying London by night! We particularly liked The Shard, whose summit changes colour for the festive season, with a light show repeated every 30 minutes between 4 pm and 1 am, and the London Eye, whose brilliant red glow is reflected in the Thames. It is red even outside the Christmas period, but the colour suits the season particularly well. Finally, I find St Paul’s Cathedral especially beautiful at Christmas, with its large tree standing just outside.

6 – The attractions at Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park

Winter Wonderland has been taking over Hyde Park at Christmas for many years. What exactly is it? A mixture of funfair, German-style beer festival and Christmas market, all in a wintry setting—quite a combination! Young children are sure to enjoy going on the rides. Funfairs are not really my thing, and you should not expect a picturesque Christmas market. I would suggest stopping by to please your children if they are still young. Ticoeur and Titpuce enjoyed it when they were six and nine. Note that there is a special entrance for families. The crowds arrive at around 5.30 pm, so go earlier—although it will already be busy!

Winter Wonderland 2026

Alongside the usual attractions and Christmas market, there will be a Magical Ice Kingdom, where families can walk among giant sculptures made of snow and ice. Expect crowds!

7 – The ice rink in the courtyard of Somerset House

This is the prettiest temporary ice rink in London during the Christmas season! Skating is expensive, but it is worth stopping by simply to admire the setting. It is just a short walk from Covent Garden and has a magnificent Christmas tree.

8 – A musical for the whole family

If we had to choose just one musical to see as a family in London, we would recommend The Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre without hesitation. All four of us loved it, and it is one of the most beautiful musicals we have seen. It is expensive, but worth it! Do not worry if you do not understand English—watch the Disney animated film again beforehand. Since seeing The Lion King, we have made the most of the Christmas season each year by seeing another musical in the British capital.

9 – A Christmas ballet

Seeing a classical ballet in London is another major expense, but if your budget allows, it adds even more magic to the festive season—especially if you have dancers in the family! The great Christmas classic that my Titpuce loves is, of course, The Nutcracker. In 2026, a beautiful classical production of The Nutcracker will be staged at the Royal Opera House from 3 December 2026 to 13 January 2027. Another production, performed by English National Ballet, will be at the London Coliseum from 17 December 2026 to 10 January 2027. Just beside the Royal Opera House, do not miss this lovely sculpture by Enzo Plazzotta:

10 – A pantomime for a cultural experience!

This is obviously written from my non-British perspective – ignore if you are from Britain 😉
Before living in England, I knew nothing about Britain’s Christmas pantomime tradition. Essentially, a pantomime is a zany play in which the audience is encouraged to participate, a little like a traditional children’s puppet show. It does not take itself seriously at all, and the humour is very broad and sometimes rather heavy-handed. Female roles are often played by men for even more extravagance. Pantomimes originated as popular entertainment drawing on the traditions of commedia dell’arte, but modern productions in London have become major shows. For Christmas 2026 in London, the most eagerly awaited pantomimes appear to be:

• Cinderella at the London Palladium, with Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders—an expensive option.
• Peter Pan at the New Wimbledon Theatre, in a production aimed at families.
• Jack and the Beanstalk at the Hackney Empire, a more affordable show in the Hackney neighbourhood, which is less familiar to tourists.

11 – The Christmas installation at St Pancras station

There is always a large installation at St Pancras, the station where the Eurostar arrives. I particularly liked the book tree in 2023:

And the Wicked-themed display in 2024:

12 – London’s Christmas markets?

I had read many promising things about London’s Christmas markets, but I was very disappointed! Then again, you do not come to London for the Christmas markets, and the city certainly does not need them to be fascinating at Christmas. We visited:

• the Christmas market along the Thames, both near Tower Bridge and near the London Eye
• the Christmas market in Leicester Square

Honestly, I cannot see what is interesting about them—there are other destinations for Christmas markets! In London, I think you should concentrate on the city’s own atmosphere. I would rather have a mulled cider or simply a beer in a pub than a mulled wine at a Christmas market. The atmosphere in London’s pubs is a wonderfully warm and typical experience. Most pubs accept children before 6 pm, although some do not admit them at all, so it is best to ask when you enter. In the pubs, you will probably see people wearing delightfully outlandish Christmas jumpers. Some pubs also have board games to keep children occupied.

If you really want to visit a Christmas market, we found the one inside Winter Wonderland the best—see point 6 above. The stalls are more carefully presented and better decorated than at the other markets. It is also a relatively calm corner of Winter Wonderland, as most visitors head for the attractions:

13 – A Christmas-themed afternoon tea

Having tea in the middle of the afternoon with a selection of sweet and savoury treats is very English! Many London hotels offer special Christmas menus. I particularly recommend afternoon tea at St Ermin’s Hotel, at 2 Caxton Street, because it is very child-friendly and the setting is superb. It offers good value compared with many London hotels, although it is still a considerable expense: £52 per adult and £24 per child. I previously tried the Mad Hatter’s Afternoon Tea, which was excellent but much more expensive. If you have afternoon tea, you can skip lunch or dinner.

14 – Eat mince pies

For a tasty experience that costs less than afternoon tea, try some mince pies in a café, small tearoom, bakery or at a stall. These little pastries are traditional at Christmas: shortcrust pastry filled with dried fruit, berries and spices. I like the ones at Gail’s, a bakery chain with branches throughout London.

15 – Christmas crackers

I am sure your children will find these fun—mine love them! Christmas crackers are a festive tradition here. They contain a tiny explosive snap and sometimes a small gift, and you will find them in every shop. Traditionally, they are pulled just before Christmas dinner. One year, I tried to take some back to France for New Year’s Eve, but they did not make it through airport security! Many airlines do not accept them, so check before trying to take any home. You can carry them on Eurostar, although the rules specify that you must not pull them on the train :-).

16 – Book the Sky Garden

The Sky Garden occupies the top floors of a skyscraper in the City and has been designed as an indoor garden. Its great attraction is the free view over London, so why not treat yourself at Christmas? You do, however, need to reserve a time slot. Free tickets are released every Monday morning, excluding bank holidays, up to three weeks in advance for the whole week. Check availability and book through the official website.

17 – The lights of the Ever After Garden

The Ever After Garden is not directly devoted to Christmas, but it runs from early November to late December and draws on the festive spirit, solidarity and remembrance to raise funds for cancer research. The charity The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity illuminates the square with 30,000 white roses. This garden of remembrance offers a poetic way to think of the people we miss during the festive season.

2026 edition: from 5 November to 21 December in Duke of York Square, Chelsea.

 

And around London…

18 – The Harry Potter Studios

At Christmas, alongside the usual exhibition at the Harry Potter Studios, you can see Hogwarts in the Snow. In 2026, it starts on 14 November. Reread my post about our latest family visit to the Harry Potter Studios for all the practical information, especially how to get there independently so you don’t overpay for this outing! There are far too many expensive offers online. As for the new Harry Potter television series, HBO has announced that it will debut at Christmas 2026.

19 – Christmas at Kew Gardens

Kew Gardens is London’s magnificent botanical garden. See my article on visiting the highlights of Kew Gardens in half a day. Every Christmas, Kew Gardens creates a magical illuminated trail through the grounds. It is a famous festive attraction and very popular with families, so you absolutely must book your time slot well in advance. Visit the official website.

20 – Hampton Court

Hampton Court is the palace of Henry VIII, the star of the Tudors! Fortunately, my Ticoeur is here to teach me English history. It is a beautiful palace to visit as a family, and during the Christmas season you can go ice skating at the palace. What a setting! Book through the official website.

Practical information for visiting London at Christmas

• Transport: the London Underground does not operate on 25 December.
• December in London: remember that night falls very early. It is dark by around 4 pm. This is perfect for the festive lights, but it reduces the time available for outdoor walks, and you will need to wrap up warmly.
• Visiting London: you may be coming for London’s Christmas atmosphere, but I imagine you also want to see or revisit the classic sights. Read my complete guide to visiting London as a family, with dedicated articles about each neighbourhood.
• New for 2026: the London Museum reopens on 28 November. It is a fantastic free family visit and a great way to discover London’s history.

So, who is coming to London for the Christmas holidays?