Christmas Day In London

"a husband"? Are you leaving the others behind? (joke)

Seriously though - where is the hotel? It will make a fair bit of difference since you will likely be relying on Shank's Pony.

We will be staying near Russell Square.

I'm pretty sure Rick addresses this in the London guide, you could also check his TV shows

shank's pony, that's a new one had to look it up

"I'm pretty sure Rick addresses this in the London guide, you could also check his TV shows"

Just looking for more than one experience. Thanks though,

Yes, your options will be very limited. And Russell Square would be too far away to walk to one of the great parks. But Russell Square and Bloomsbury are nearby. Christmas dinner is usually served midday at the hotels or pubs that offer it. Reservations (made well in advance) will be necessary. Do some Google searches to see what might be available in your area.

Here is a fairly recent thread on the subject. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/england/london-12-23-12-26-17

What is your hotel, and what is the meal they are offering that does not appeal to you?

You might check other hotels in your area to see what their menu will be that day. Then make a reservation with their dining room. In that area, there are a number of really fine hotels which I would expect to have good food for a Christmas Day dinner/lunch.

There will be many pubs and restaurants offering a Christmas lunch but you need to book way in advance.

Christmas Eve is pretty much normal business with most people working on that day and everything open however there is a celebratory atmosphere in the air and pubs are typically busy in the evening.

Boxing Day is a wilderness in comparison except for shops which open for their Boxing Day sale, expect pandemonium.

We stayed near Russell Square last Christmas and we are returning this year. One fun thing to do on Christmas day is to look for the public (not motorized) bike racks that are on the sidewalks and rent bikes (credit card). The bikes are red and you can pick them up in one location and drop them off at another bike rack in the city or you may return it to the same bike rack. There is very little traffic on Christmas Day---almost none, and no buses so you can ride a bike in the bus lane all around the city. London is mostly flat so an easy ride. There is a bike rack right next to The Brunswick (a shopping center adjacent to the Russell Square tube station). There is a bike rack between The Brunswick and the Holiday Inn Bloomsbury, (on Marchmont) and one on the east side of Russell Square itself (the green, not the tube station) on Southampton Street. Once you get to London and look for them, I think you will spy them easily--they are everywhere. My son and husband did not think of this idea until noon on Christmas day and actually had a hard time finding 2 bikes, but kept walking around and their persistence paid off, so don't give up.

One block east of Russell Square tube station is The Brunswick shopping center, a small, dignified outdoor mini-mall(on Google Maps). It has a large Waitrose grocery store, a movie theater (The Curzon Bloomsbury) with documentaries and current films, a Boots pharmacy, a few small restaurants---- all good for teens: Carluccios, Giraffe, Gourmet Burger). It is nicely lit up at Christmas time. On Christmas day, there was a price fixe meal served by Salaam Namaste, an Indian restaurant on the corner of Guilford & Millman Street--10 minutes walk from Russell Square tube station--- that was too pricey for us ($50 each and we are not keen on Indian food. Tiny but nice linen tablecloths). We had a very difficult time finding a restaurant for Christmas day and I did tons of online research/emailing. We ended up cooking our own meal in our apartment and that was very easy and cozy.

BTW, 24 December everything was open in fact we went to a 2:30 performance of STOMP (drumming/percussion/amazing athletic contortions while drumming) which I highly recommend for teens. By 4:30pm, things started to close and by 7pm nearly every thing except neighborhood minimarts were closed. 26 December we found many things opened. As for museums, some are open on 24 Dec, but closed 26 Dec or the reverse; you might be surprised to find more things open on 12/24 and 12/26 than you imagine. But on 12/25 there is not a taxi, bus, nothing, to be seen, and cars were rare.

Another place for teens (not sure of Christmas schedule) that my teens LOVED (besides Stomp) was Camden Stables Market. It is basically a flea market located in a giant horse stall area. It is very funky. I myself thought it was junk, but my teens LOVED walking around looking at whatever it was that was on sale in all the stalls (hundreds, perhaps thousands of Tshirts with "witty" sayings on them, music/rock star names, etc), hats, jewelry, scarves, candles, jean jackets, etc. This is not the place to find a nice Christmas outfit but between the independence of walking around in a new area, seeing tons of different types of food served to go out of stalls (everything from Korean to pizza to fish/chips to ice cream to burgers to Thai etc etc). It is a super easy bus ride; you get on bus 168 on the east side of Russell Square, the bus goes straight north for 15-20 minutes directly to the Market. Google maps shows easily how to use mass transit to go anywhere. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g186338-d187577-Reviews-Camden_Market-London_England.html

Sorry to be so long winded but we had a great vacation with teens---you will too. Have fun!!

SuzieeQQ
San Diego

As has been pointed out the city comes to a quiet halt on Christmas Day.

Spent Christmas Day there again last year and because I’ve been in London over Christmas before I spent the day walking, reading and watched the pre taped televised Queen’s Christmas message in the afternoon. A relaxing, uneventful, 24 hours.

In Hyde Park, if you are walkers and early risers you could watch the traditional Peter Pan Cup Race in the Serpentine. Participants plunging into the lake and swimming a short distance. Blink and its over. Silly fun in the morning chill.

I’ve also enjoyed watching families and friends out and about in the park on Christmas morning. Mingling, chatting, wearing new coats, feeding the water fowl. A festive mood.

Christmas Eve you could enjoy the free Hyde Park Winter Wonderland. Just make certain to check times when the tube and or buses are shutting down or it will be a 2 mike walk back to your hotel in Russell Square. Winter Wonderland is near the Marble Arch corner of the park.

The idea of riding around on a bike is brilliant. Especially if it’s a lovely day weather wise. The bike racks are all over London. Check the tfl.gov.uk link for a map of where to locate the docking stations. There are also routes and maps.

Oxford Street the madness of last minute Shopping coupled with the beautiful Christmas lights is a sight to behold. About a 25 minute walk from Russell Square.

Some pubs and restaurants owned and operated by non Christians will have their doors open for Christmas Day meals. Check around the neighborhood where your hotel is located when you arrive and see what if anything will be serving on Christmas Day. Best to reserve.

From my POV experiencing a major metropolitan world renowned city come to a complete halt is fascinating and endearing.

The hustle and bustle of Christmas Eve and the quiet of Christmas Day is an experience you won’t forget nor the madness of the after Christmas sales which start on the 26th now a days.

See if there is a Christmas Eve midnight mass in a church near Russell Square where you are staying. Church of England, Catholic, Protestant, Episcopal, denomination won’t matter.

My first Christmas in London in the 90’s was lucky to be staying by St Paul’s. Stellar Christmas Eve mass. Walking outside as the bells peeled to a slight snow fall was memorable. Not sure it’s snowed on Christmas Eve there since.

Lastly have to disagree about Camden Lock Market. I love it. Always purchase my stocking gifts there and then walk along the adjacent canal. Definitely a lot of eye candy and I imagine your teens would enjoy it. Same with Portobello Market and Brick Lane. Good places to explore before Christmas Day.

As a photographer and walker I find Christmas in London bliss.

Thank you so much for your responses, especially the last two. I am very excited about the trip and now feel I have a great plan for the day. Thank you again!

I see London Walks offers two itineraries on Christmas Day:

• 11am - Christmas Morning, 1666 - Samuel Pepys London
• 2pm - Christmas Day Charles Dickens Walk

Both meet in Trafalgar Square.

The Swan Pub on Cosmo Place near Russell Square serves Christmas meals, probably need to book really early. Was in London a couple weeks ago and the pubs and other places was saying to book their Christmas meal now.

I returned home on September 18 and had already seen some Christmas-meal placards on tables in at least a few places.

Note that this year Christmas Eve is a Sunday so shops and restaurants will be more likely to close.

Wanted to add if you can fit it into your luggage you might consider taking a parlor game to play as a family on Christmas Day.

You know old school.

Monoploy ( see if real estate moguls are in the future), Scrabble ( who is the best speller) Boogle (quickest speller) , or a deck of cards to see if anyone will appear on the World Porker tour. Family time.

Or better if the teens have cell phones engage their photograph skills. Pick a subject. People. architecture. Etc and see which one likes it and excels at taking images. Have them share them on line. Just a thought.

Golden Tour Company has some Christmas Day Tours that sound lovely, which includes a Christmas meal.

Re monopoly - buy the UK edition when you get there. All the locations are in London, then you can see how many you have visited. It would make an unusual souvenir when you return.
http://www.blogblowfish.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/monopoly.jpg
And you get £200 (not $) for passing Go.

As mentioned above the London monopoly is fun, they also have an underground (tube) monopoly game. I got the tube monopoly game in September, so now we have both and play both a lot.