I love London decorated for Christmas, and this year certainly does not disappoint. This post showcases most of London's Christmas lights, Christmas trees, and areas where you can see some of the best Christmas window displays. I have spent the past month scouting out the best that London has to offer for Christmas lights and displays. I don't think any of my readers will be disappointed this year. Yes, many of the lights are the same but there are quite a lot of new displays.
Covent Garden: Now that Covent Garden has finished its renovations, it is in top form for some excellent Christmas displays. The mistletoe lights and giant silver baubles have been used for the previous few years and are reused again this year, and the giant silver reindeer that has been shown for the past few years is also back on display. The large Christmas tree in the same Covent Garden basket is also back on display. The Lego sculptures and displays are now a thing of the past as the not-so-new Lego store is around the corner in Leicester Square. This year also brings a couple of new selfie-stops to Covent Garden. The first is a vintage car topped with wrapped presents and decorated pine branches, and the second is the addition of two wooden chairs within the market hall to be used for photographs amongst a wintery floral display backdrop. I am actually really impressed with Covent Gardens displays this year, and it is certainly one of the top places to be in London this winter.
The Christmas tree at the restaurant The Ivy Market Grill in Covent Garden is the same or very similar to last year's one.
Seven Dials: A short walk just north of Covent Garden is an area known as Seven Dials, which is full of nice shops and cafes and the roundabout with seven roads leading off it. In recent years, the area has changed their Christmas lights each year. This year's theme is white snowflakes. Along the monument in the middle of the Seven Dials' roundabout, I loved the light display with the white and gold lights and snowflakes strung along the buildings.
Leicester Square: Head southwest from Seven Dials, and in a brisk 10-minute walk, you will be at busy Leicester Square. This area is always filled with tourists and is one area of London that I avoid throughout the year. Leicester Square was renovated a few years ago, and a year or two after this, it has become home to a new Christmas market with entertainment.
Piccadilly Circus: These days, the statue of Eros has scaffolding around it to protect it from people as (for some unknown reason), it tends to attract people who wish to climb it. This is sad because it is a much prettier monument without the scaffolding around it. For a couple of years, the statue was a feature in a Christmas display, being encased within a giant snow globe; the wind put a stop to that one year. Soon after that, a tourist scaled the statue and damaged it, and for the majority of the time, it has been encased in scaffolding. This was removed for a time but replaced due to another incident. The scaffolding has some light-up Christmas images on screens, but this appears out of place, and the main feature are the electronic advertising boards and the beginning of the Christmas lights on Regent Street.
Regent Street: These angel Christmas lights have been used for the past few years now, though I think they were all white lights previously. This year, I did think they looked pretty whereas I've found them a boring in the past.
Soho: Walk for about ten minutes up Regent Street (more if you wish to pop into shops or if you keep on the left to avoid the crowds outside Hamley's Toy Store), and off to the right toward Carnaby Street (but just beyond) is the entrance into London's popular Soho area. This area now has its own Christmas lights So-ho-ho, which i thought was a cute Christmassy take on the area.
Carnaby Street: This historical fashion street takes up a small space just off Regent Street just south of Oxford Street (near Liberty Department Store). This area always has the best Christmas lights in London as they are different each year. This year, the Christmas lights were a tribute to band Queen's song "Bohemian Rhapsody". Not all of the Christmas lights on Carnaby Street have been too Christmassy in the past; they take inspiration from the street and its history in rock 'n' roll. The Queen tribute is to celebrate the new film, and a pop-up store has been placed on Carnaby Street for the Christmas period so that people can buy merchandise and look at props from the film. For more photographs of these beautiful lights, see Carnaby Street Christmas Lights Celebrate Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody".
Oxford Street: Oxford Street was meant to have new Christmas lights this year, but this was postponed due to Crossrail running behind schedule. Instead, the older lights were used, although the area around Oxford Circus had a few new lights to start its familiar display of twinkling orbs. This year, the orbs are in blue and purple colours. Several of the department stores also get into the spirit by decorating their stores with lights. Boots, Debenhams, John Lewis, Marks and Spencer, and Selfridges always have their own displays.
Bond Street: Bond Street runs down through Mayfair to Piccadilly Street, and the lights here have remained the same lights that have consistently been used and were inspired by peacock feather and diamonds. The blue archways (not photographed this year) on South Molton Street (near Bond Street tube station) are also on display again.
St. Christopher's Place: On the north side of Oxford Street and a block away from Selfridges is a "blink and you'll miss it" alleyway that opens up to a narrow street known as "St. Christopher's Place". This area normally change up their display with the white baubles. This year, it has gone very British with red, white, and blue figures standing atop the baubles.
Mayfair: Many of Mayfair's shops and hotels decorate for the holidays. One of the must-see Christmas trees in London is the Connaught Christmas tree. It is designed by a different artist each year, and this year, it is designed by Michael Craig-Martin. For more photographs and information, see: The Connaught Christmas Tree 2018 is Designed by Michael Craig-Martin. Stella McCartney also always decorate the facade of the building. One of the other stars this year, which has attracted much attention on Instagram, is Annabel's Wine Bar, a private nightclub on Berkeley Square. The facade of the building has been decorated like a giant Christmas tree.
Sloane Square, Belgravia and Chelsea: The past few years, Sloane Square has had these lights hanging from the trees. Not too far away in Belgravia, the shops are decorated with beautiful Christmas displays. Elizabeth Street in Belgravia has the Instagramable cafe and bakery Peggy Porschens and Dominique Ansel. I will be posting separately about Peggy Porschens, but the display is beautiful with their pink building. They will also be launching a new shop on King's Road sometime in the new year. The other Instagramable Christmas display is The Ivy Garden Chelsea. The facade of the building is covered with Christmas decorations and baubles.
King's Cross: King's Cross station always puts up a new Christmas tree each year. This year, it is decorated by jewelery brand Tiffany's. It is ice blue and silver and shows a giant robot decorating the tree.
Leadenhall Market: Leadenhall Market in the city of London always has a Christmas tree, and there's also one outside of City Hall near Tower Bridge. Broadgate also has its own skating and Christmas market here. The buildings often are also lit up for Christmas with the Shard, Tower 42, and the Heron Tower (Salesforce Tower) lit up in festive colours. I have not been there this year.
Trafalgar Square: This is a traditional Christmas tree gifted to London by Norway each year for helping the country during World War II, but it is not usually on display until later in December. There's been a tree in the square since 1947. It is lit in the Norwegian style of decoration, which includes putting the lights on vertically. I did not get a photograph of it this year.
Somerset House: Somerset House is probably London's most famous ice skating rink, and it attracts many people throughout the season. The giant Christmas tree here is decorated by Fortnum & Mason. There is also a food shop set up here during the season.
Winter Wonderland and Winterville: Winter Wonderland is in Hyde Park and London's largest Christmas destination with a range of activities and entertainment available. It is an excellent place to visit to get into the Christmas spirit and has a good-sized Christmas market. Winterville is now located in Clapham Common and is a much smaller version of Winter Wonderland. For a write-up of Winterville, see: A Visit to Winterville and Backyard Cinema's Christmas Labyrinth. For a write-up of Winter Wonderland, see An Evening at Winter Wonderland Hyde Park and "The Snowman Experience" by Backyard Cinema.
Window Displays: John Lewis' window displays for Christmas mimic their Christmas commercial this year, which feature Elton John and "Step into Christmas". Selfridge's display shows various Christmassy figures dressed up with its products, and it was similar to last year's and not that imaginative. Fortnum & Mason's were my favourite this year with several interesting windows and flying mince pies. Visitors to London can check out Harrods and Harvy Nichols for their window displays, but I rarely visit that area of London. To be honest, I have not found the Christmas window displays in London very interesting in the past two or three years, so I have decided not to dedicate a full post to it this year.
Special Mention - Most Festive Pub: The Churchill Arms around the corner from Notting Hill station is London's most festive pub. The pub also has wonderful floral displays in the spring and summer, but this year, it is covered with Christmas trees. These are lit at dark. I will be covering this in more detail later on, but I thought it looked amazing.
Previous London Christmas lights are below:
- Where to see London's Christmas Lights 2017
- London's Christmas Lights 2016
- Christmas Lights and Windows 2015
- London Christmas Lights 2014
- London's Christmas Lights 2013
- London Christmas Lights and Window Displays 2012
Previous London Window displays are below:
Leave a comment