Favorite Christmasy things in London

Selfridges for Christmas windows and because it is a huge department store. Both it and Liberty beat out Harrods IMHO. But visit Harrod’s because it’s Harrods. Don’t miss the food halls there. Pricey but I had a very tasty chicken and tarragon wrap from a vendor there. Really really good wrap!

Be absolutely prepared for the hordes of people everywhere and I mean everywhere.

Carnaby Street, Regent Street, Oxford Street, Southbank and Leicester Square for Christmas Lights. Check out the Marylebone Village Christmas lights as well.

Check out churches such as St Brides for masses, carols, choirs.

Is there a panto at Wilton’s music hall?

Ice skate in Winter Wonderland.

Stroll through Christmas Market along the Thames. Most things imported from China.

Check the London Walks website to see if they are hosting a “ seasonal “ walk.

Wander about Spitalifields market. I’ve gotten Christmas ornaments there and at street markets.

OMG how fun! The whole city is riotously slathered with cheer and baubles and lights, so it’s difficult to single much of anything out, but…

If you are going to Harrod’s, GET THERE EARLY. Heed my words. It is a MADHOUSE in there around Christmas. Wall to wall people - literally rubbing shoulders. Get. There. EARLY.

If you are at Harrod’s anyway, pop across to Harvey Nichols. It is similarly done up for the holidays, with a more cutting edge, modern flair. Lots of fun - have a drink in the 5th floor bar!

Covent Garden is spectacular. Hordes of people, still well worth it. I don’t think it can be beat for Christmas cheer.

Carnaby Street has fabulous decorations! And nearby is Liberty London - they always pull out all the stops.

Somerset House has an outdoor skating rink and a posh, amazing indoor market. Much fun!

See a panto! Book now though - tickets are already thin on the ground.

Many pubs offer a tiny (free!) mincemeat pie when you buy a drink. I love this system. :-)

Fortnum and Mason.

Hamley’s.

The Burlington Arcade.

New Bond Street.

That “Christmas World” thing in Hyde Park!

I could go on. London at Christmas is the best. (heart emoji)

Lots of my favourites already covered (including Fortnum & Mason), but given you mention shows, how about a pantomime?

https://www.timeout.com/london/theatre/christmas-pantomimes-in-london

Eat the food!
Try pigs in blankets, sausages wrapped in bacon, a key part of any Christmas dinner.
Have a Christmas sandwich from one of the supermarkets or sandwich shops. Supermarket chains seem to compete with each other to produce the most ridiculous sandwich. It’s not Christmas for me until I have had a Pret A Manger Christmas sandwich, delicious.

Explore a Marks and Spencer’s food hall. They go to town on Christmas ranges of food. One year I bought Prosecco ‘flavour’ crisps (potato chips) that were dusted with glitter and stars! Basically salt and vinegar flavour but good fun. Their chocolate and biscuits are very good quality and would make great presents to take home.

Attend a Carol concert. A’proper’ one in a church can be really lovely whether you are religious or not.

There are often also more fun Carol concerts. Due to generations of brits having to attend morning assembly at school with compulsory hymn singing we aren’t afraid to (often) tunelessly join in and know a surprising amount of the words. In recent years ‘assembly bangers’ ‘ or ‘ primary school bangers’ have become a thing, where hymns and school songs are sung just for the fun of it. If you can find a Christmas Bangers session you will had a blast!

Have a look at the Timeout London website, everything going on will be there with events added over the months

Selfridges turns most of its basement floor into a Christmas shop, it's quite large and packed with stuff. The outside of Fortnum & Mason is lovely at night.

Some have mentioned the food from dept. store food courts, just beware that there is nowhere to sit and eat (like we're used to in a shopping mall). I specifically asked Harrods before my visit and they confirmed yes, no seating. It's all intended to take away.

You should also check out videos from the London vlogger Hannah Ricketts, she does a lot of Xmas stuff every season. She's probably working on some right now.

Just to clarify re department stores - the phrase used was "food hall" rather than "food court". You will definitely find food courts in UK malls, but these are department stores rather than malls - food halls are more like rather posh grocery shops

Some department stores do have restaurants - I love Selfridges' Brasserie of Light, and John Lewis has a self-serve cafeteria called A Place to Eat, which is pretty decent.

Definitely go to the theatre. If it’s the weekend avoid any show that appeals to groups of women on their ‘Christmas girly weekend’ because they’ll all be drunk on Prosecco by the time it starts. Yes even the matinee. (Saw Mean Girls last December. That was an experience).

In a food court in a mall you will always find seats.

Just be prepared for huge crowds at department stores, as Volva alludes to above. I went into Fortum and Mason during the xmas season last year intending to be in and out quickly to get a few gifts and it was completely insane- I could barely move. I'm sure during weekdays it's a bit quieter.

Upstairs in F&M is much more manageable. The ground floor is a complete madhouse full of people going mental over tins of biscuits.

Afternoon tea...some tea rooms are nicely decorated for the XMAS season, festive...

Thank you all so much for your wonderful suggestions and tips. I am making a list of them all! Really looking forward to this!