Christmas In London

When I think about Christmas in London, many things come to my mind, but mostly one: Winter Wonderland. For a lot of people, this is a must-do in London during that festive period. But there are also a lot of weird things happening in London. Because, you know: London. For example, have you ever seen a gathering of Santas? No? Well, stay with me and you will.

London’s Winter Wonderland

The first time someone mentioned Winter Wonderland to me, they described it as a magical place. I imagined a big park filled with Christmas decorations, fake snow, giant candy canes… I don’t know, my brain just went big. In 2013, my first year living in London, we celebrated Christmas with my housemates and a group of friends. We were supposed to go to Winter Wonderland in the afternoon and I got really excited. Some of my friends were really slow to get ready and I was afraid we would miss the fun and not have time to enjoy Winter Wonderland.

When we finally arrived there… Well, I was disappointed, and I understood why my friends were in no hurry. Sure, it was beautiful, but it mostly was a big amusement park with Christmas decorations. Not at all what my brain had sold me.

I still think it is nice to go once a year when you live in London, but it’s not an incredible park. It’s the kind of place where you say “Oh, it’s too expensive and there are too many people, but at the same time, I want to see the decorations and eat a toffee apple”. When my brother came to visit me on my last year in London, we went there and even met some new friends. We had a nice time and I have great memories of the park.

Christmas Decorations In The Streets Of London

If you’re not into amusement parks and don’t have any money to spend, you can simply stroll in the streets of the city center. The decorations are always great and some shops create extraordinary windows!

The Carnaby street usually makes an extra effort and is worth a visit. Also, the Selfridges & Co shop on Oxford Street always creates festive windows using products in a really smart way. Actually, all of Oxford street is a must-do. Lots of people, but it’s for a good reason: it’s beautiful!

Weird Events Because… Why Not?

During the Christmas time, you have Christmas brunches, Christmas markets… But also Santas gatherings. Yes, you read it right. It’s not always easy to spot them, because it can happen on a weekday when you’re working. They are sometimes gathering in the tube, sometimes in the streets, and most of the time, they are pretty drunk.

My friends and I unexpectedly found them one day in 2013. There were also elves with them (of course). It’s a fun thing to see. It’s a great atmosphere, people are friendly and don’t hesitate to take a picture. And some Santas, contrary to the image we have, are really handsome. Just saying if you need another argument… This year, I read that Santacon was not promoting the event because of Covid, but hopefully, it will happen again next year. I don’t know how you can participate, but I’m sure it’s easy.

That is all for this article, but as you may suspect, there are many more things to do in London during the Christmas time (like visiting the Kew Gardens, but I will talk about it another time). If you can, go spend one Christmas in London. I’m sure you’ll have an amazing time.

This article is also the last of this year, so Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

To see more photos of the United Kingdom, you can visit the gallery United Kingdom.