Trip Report: London at Christmastime

I enjoyed a stay at Bailey’s Hotel in South Kensington for the whole time. I was in a small but comfortable room and the location was great! It was right across the street from the Gloucester Road tube station and I was able to jump on any of 3 different tube lines in a matter of minutes. It was very easy to take the Picadilly line to and from Heathrow and the Gloucester Road station was generally not as crowded as some of the other stops. The breakfasts were good with most of the standard English dishes. I had afternoon tea one day in the hotel and it was lovely and filling.

I bought a ticket to Kew Gardens months before I went to London and good thing that I did, they were completely sold out. For good reason, the light displays were spectacular. The night I was there was cold but dry and it was such an enjoyable evening to see the lights and watch the other people. A couple weeks before I left I got matinee tickets to see A Christmas Carol at Old Vic and a choral concert at Royal Albert and thoroughly enjoyed both. A Christmas Carol was a darker performance than I am used to and had a distinctly Victorian feel to it. Royal Albert was all dressed up for the holidays and the audience was encouraged to sing along with many of the carols.

One quiet morning I walked around Winter Wonderland at Hyde Park. This huge area is similar to a carnival with rides, an ice rink, games of chance, and many food vendors. I was happy to have it very quiet but can imagine it being a busy place when the big crowds arrive later in the day and on the weekend.

My first introduction to the magnificent Christmas lights was a London Walks tour focusing on Christmas trees. The guide was a master at all the side streets and nooks of the posh area of London and we saw about ten lovely trees. We went in and out of a hotel or two, and checked out the trees both in stores and on the streets. While we were walking we got views of the lights on Oxford, Regent, and Bond streets. I was so taken by all the lights, decorations, and sparkly windows that I came back to this area on my own a couple nights.

When I was not dashing around town to an event I spent a lot of time just walking and admiring. Overall, my favorite place to go was Covent Garden. It was beautifully decorated and festive with frequent live music and other events. While strolling around town I stopped in some of the nicer department stores to check them out. They all had amazing Christmas departments with sparkling goodies galore. Lots of dreamy things to admire and potentially take home. My favorite stores were Fortnum and Mason, Selfridges, and Liberty.

On Sunday I decided to bypass crowded London and hopped a train to Bletchley Park. It was very quiet and very interesting. I learned a lot about the code breaking during WWII....the three hours I stayed was not enough to do it justice. One rainy morning I toured the British Museum. And another the Victoria and Albert. One night I went to a couple of the holiday markets and was, truthfully, disappointed. The chalets were charming looking but the vendors were all the same and not very interesting to me. The food vendors were very busy with all the crowds and I just walked on by.

All in all, it was a great trip and a wonderful way of experiencing what the holiday season is like in another country!

Hi, Martha. I was in London the week of Dec 8. Yep, it was really crowded, and in the future, I will keep that in mind because I would prefer visiting without that level of congestion. There were reasons I chose that time period - now I know. Clothing: although I thought I packed light, I had too many sweaters/tops. It sounds like you chose better than me. Next time: only three sweaters and maybe two silk long underwear t's to wear as base layers. I needed my down coat this December as it was so damp and bleak. My hood kept me warm!!

Thanks for your trip report!

Thanks so much for this interesting report! I always thought London in December would be wonderful. As soon as I read about the crowds, I thought, “ Take it off the list.” But then you described so many things that sounded fun that I put it back on! Maybe some day…

I enjoyed your trip report very much. London at Christmas is very much on my list, but I do feel a little daunted at the thought of the crowds. Forewarned is forearmed, though. The Christmas trees walk sounds wonderful.

I also was in London for a week starting Dec 11 and agree the crowds were crazy, especially on the weekend. However the holiday lights everywhere were absolutely amazing. We also saw the start of the annual Santa bike ride that started in front of Buckingham Palace - hundreds of people in Santa outfits (and a couple of Grinchs and a Frosty Snowman), very entertaining. We took a tour of Parliament and saw a concert at St. Paul's Cathedral. We also took a day trip to Bletchley Park, and it was a highlight of the trip. Definitely a fun week as long as you accept there will be crowds outside. It was also delightful to see a number of shows and visit museums. I also packed layers - took 2 sweaters, 4 shirts, scarves, hat, gloves, 1 pair warm shoes, and a long wool coat so it all fit in a carryon.

We have been to London twice in December and loved it because they really do Christmas better than other city IMO. But yes, the crowds. We have found them to be the worst on Oxford and Regent Street and the high profile department stores. Some of our strategies included going to the stores late in the day; going further afield as lots of areas have lights and other decorations; and taking the bus instead of the Tube. Yes the bus can take longer and sometimes we would get off and walk the last stretch; however, sitting up top means you can see lots including all the crowds:) If you go prepared for the crowds, it is a once in a lifetime trip to take in late November or December. (We also had surprisingly great weather both times but of course, there are no guarantees for that).

Thanks for this report. We are at about 80% sure we're going to make the trip to London for the same reasons. I read that the lights turn on around November 15th so we're planning for the 3rd or 4th week of November. Hopefully that's not too early to get the same experiences you had.

Martha, thank you so much for sharing your trip. It sounds wonderful. The November International Meeting and posts here from people inspired me to extend our trip in the Fall and end with a week in London. Christmas at Kew will start before we have to go home and hopefully there will be plenty of holiday decorations to see in London by then. I’m wishfully thinking that by being there in mid-November we might escape some of the crowds. This will be our 4th trip to London and I look forward to seeing some places we haven’t gotten to yet.

I remember you talking about this trip at the November meeting, so I’m happy to know you really enjoyed it!
I love the UK around Christmas time, and London always looks great then, despite the crowds.

Martha, great trip report! I've really enjoyed reading it.
Sounds like you had a wonderful time.
Thanks for including your packing list and the weather report for much of your trip.
You hit some great sights.....good trip planning there!
I also loved that sometimes you just wandered, walked and explored.
Glad you enjoyed your London Walks walk!
(They have about 20 great walks I'd like to take!!)
I would love to see a Christmas concert at Royal Albert Hall! Glad you got to do that.
Thanks again for taking the time to write your excellent well-written trip report!

FWIW I was in London in mid October and it was crowded then, too. Mobs of people on sidewalks, in tube stations, on trains...

I have done London in December in past years and agree it is always very crowded.

Thanks to all for your replies!

Debbie, weather is only partially predictable, I would still pack a few very warm things if I went again... Better to not have to use them than to be miserable.

Carroll and MapLady, London is spectacular at Christmas, you just have to have a bit of patience and have time to fully enjoy it.

Plumeria54, that Santa race must have been a fun sight! I didn't step foot in a church while I was there and regret it. I heard the Carol services are particularly lovely.

Claire has some really good suggestions to bypass the worst of the crowds. I also found the museums to be quieter as well as the back streets.

Allan and Andrea, now that you have been warned about crowds and given a few tips, you should have a great time in London in November.

SJ, thanks for your encouraging words before hand and the tips of things to do!

Rebecca, I love London Walks too! They had several walks with a Christmas theme. I would have loved to take their Dickens one.

Jojo, I think the crowds are part of what makes London such a vibrant city.

So glad you made it to Christmas at Kew!

We were in London the first 10 days of December, it was crowded, but not overly crowded. I’ve seen it more crowed other times of the year.

What a lovely, informative trip report! Thanks for taking the time to write it. Makes me want to go to London next December.

Did any of you London-in-winter travelers happen to catch No Trousers Day on the tube system?

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyevk5ng7eo

When I was on the tube everyone was fully dressed!