From alpine wonderlands and giant advent calendars to carousels and kiddie neons
Christmas is expensive, so save your lighting bill and head out to gawp at some of London’s prettiest Christmas displays and lights for free.
We’ve rounded up some of the capital’s merriest and most unusual Christmas displays. And we’re not talking street lights - we all know you can get your fix of twinkling pretties at London’s most famous lights, like Regent Street, Oxford Street, Bond Street and Covent Garden.
Below are some of the Big Smoke's shiniest baubles to officially switch on your Christmas spirit.
ANNABEL’S
This private member’s club is deliciously extra. Previous years have seen its famous, Mayfair facade transformed into a Nutcracker theatre piece, a gargantuan gingerbread house and this year, the whole exterior has been reborn as a vintage carousel of dreams. Its inspiration comes from within, literally - the Pegasus which hangs in reception now takes centre stage as a winged unicorn festooned with grand, hand-painted fairground touches and circus lights.
Annabel's, 46 Berkeley Square, London W1J 5AT
THE CHURCHILL ARMS
For many Londoners, Christmas has truly arrived when The Churchill Arms out-Christmases every other boozer in the world, with its grand switch-on, becoming the biggest and booziest decoration your eyes and liver could hope for. The Kensington pub drops £25k a year on covering the exterior in 80 Christmas trees adorned with 22,000 lights and we dread to think what their electricity bill will be this year. But Santa certainly won’t miss them from his sleigh up above.
The Churchill Arms, 119 Kensington Church St, London W8 7LN
FORTNUM & MASON
Fortnum & Mason’s famous facade is synonymous with the festive season. But they have turned the Christmas dial up to 100 with this year’s offering, transforming the entire building into an enormous advent calendar, with festive surprises behind each window which might just beat the sweaty, foil-covered chocolate on your mantelpiece calendar.
Fortnum & Mason, 181 Piccadilly, London W1A 1ER
ST PANCRAS STATION
St Pancras Station is very much of the go big or go home persuasion, when it comes to Christmas trees. Previous trees have been decked by the likes of Fortnum & Mason, Disney, Tiffany and Cirque du Soleil. But the Prince’s Trust has taken the baton and covered it in tinsel for this year’s spectacular offering.
The iconic buildings making up the London skyline - that the station has been a part of since 1868 - have been mounted on top of each other to form a 33 ft tree. Terraced houses, church yards, department stores, ferris wheels, bridges, concert venues, skyscrapers, towers and monuments all rise up to form a peak, topped by Big Ben. And instead of fairy lights, there are lit windows in the buildings, each fizzing with festive activity, from French hens to Lords-a-leaping.
St Pancras International, Euston Rd, London N1C 4QP
SOHO KIDS CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
Soho’s lights are more famous for being of the red and saucy variety, but at Christmas, they go wholesome with impossibly cute lights designed by children. Started in 2021, Architecture for Kids and Soho Parish Primary School join forces again to create festive lights drawn by schoolchildren and transformed into hanging lights illuminating Soho’s streets. There are even walking tours of each, kid-created light. You can check out all of the original drawings and route here.
Soho
TRAFALGAR SQUARE’S THANK YOU FROM NORWAY
Every year since 1947, Norway has sent London a 25-metre tree - known as the ‘Queen of the forest’ - to thank the UK for our support in WW2. This year’s beauty burns brightly with fairy lights, illuminating its grand home in Trafalgar Square.
CARNABY STREET
This is the only Christmas lights street display we’re including in the list, because it deserves a special mention. This year's lights are a deliciously eclectic, surreal and colourful retrospective of their best displays over the past 25 years. The riot of neon colour includes neon lyrics from Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, an underwater-inspired display made from entirely recycled materials, planets, tropical delights and snowmen. Carnaby Street, London
KING’S CROSS & COAL DROPS YARD
King’s Cross’s Granary Square and Coal Drops Yard have been transformed into an illuminated Apres Ski wonderland this winter, including a 47 foot Christmas tree, glowing winter sculptures along the canal steps, an alpine bar serving up hot toddies and cosy cocktails and a mahoosive curling rink. There is also a changing line-up of ten Christmas markets.
Like what you've read? Why not subscribe to our free, monthly newsletter?