Visiting London around Christmas

[LateSeptembersunshine]

We want to visit London at Christmas this year.

We wouldn’t be able to go in December due to my 12yo being at school and other commitments. So thinking of going during the school holidays from 19th December.

I’m guessing it will be absolutely heaving and I was wondering whether it might be better to go during Christmas and New Year. When it might be a bit quieter.

Would it still feel Christmassy though?

We wouldn’t be looking at staying for two nights and doing a couple of touristy things, looking at the Christmas lights and maybe a Winter walk in Hyde Park.

We’ve been to London quite a few times so have seen most of the main attractions but have never been in December.

Between Christmas and New Year it will extremely busy.

The busiest places will be the shops form Dec 19th so sights are usually fine other than Winter Wonderland which is a sweaty, busy, noisy, soul destroying mess.

I took my daughter the last weekend before Christmas last year and it was great. Covent Garden was lovely and we went to the Christmas market in Leicester Sq and to see the Christmas tree in Traf Sq. None of those seemed much busier than normal. There are also lots of lights and Christmas trees everywhere, so it feels really Christmassy just wandering around. You might also be able to look up a carol service somewhere? The only horrendous bit was Oxford St when we went to look at some of the Christmas window displays which weren’t worth it for the hordes of Christmas shoppers. Overall it seemed a great time of year to go because I think people are so preoccupied getting ready for Christmas there are actually fewer tourists (we got a really great deal on a hotel as well which suggested it was less busy). Thinking of repeating this year we enjoyed it so much!

Royal Albert Hall Christmas carols is brilliant but not sure about availability.

I live in London and I think if anything it's a bit quieter getting out and about in the twixtmas period as a lot of the younger residents go home to their parents etc. The lights are all still up and there will be plenty of christmas-y things to do.

I agree with the poster who said wandering around was nice, there are Christmassy windows and bits everywhere tbh. I also found some churches with stalls selling eg charity Christmas cards, decorations etc. I also seem to remember John Lewis had something nice hanging over the main escalator? In my experience, the big organised things can be a disappointment but the small things are the things I remember. Bit like life, really.

It will still be Christmassy between Christmas and New Year, with loads of tourists gawping at the Christmas lights and not actually shopping.

I still remember one year struggling down Regent Street late afternoon during the post-Christmas sales. The traffic was at a standstill so I decided to walk, carrying £200 worth of shopping and slowly making my way through crowds of people there for the lights, with minimal evidence that they were shopping too. But hey, the lights bring people in right? Just a shame it makes the shopping experience hell on earth.

I think it would still feel Christmassy between Christmas and New Year, especially with all the lights around London. It might be a bit quieter than the days leading up to Christmas too. Hyde Park would be lovely for a winter walk if the weather behaves!

Despite living edge of zone 6 we often used to book a hotel jn central London for the weekend before Xmas. Go to a show and window shop / lok at lights.

now we just go for a day - it’s super busy but that’s part of the atmosphere. You can download maps for walking and seeing best lights - avoid the bus tour ones as they miss some in pedestrianised areas.

avoid Hyde Park WW (well unless you go late morning) as it’s hell on earth.

John Lewis used to have a cafe to ong on the roof with little huts and blankets - don’t know if they still do.

its fun and we really enjoy it - we have Paddington booked for this year but bought tickets for that before last Xmas.

There's a new event called Christmas in the Garden, that includes a traditional santa's grotto and other activities. The santa visit also includes a self-guided festive trail around Covent Garden as well as a gift, so its like a day out, not just a quick visit to santa. It's called Grotto in the Garden: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/new-santas-grotto-in-covent-garden-and-ms-claus-for-story-time-tickets-1998511651147

It will still feel Christmassy as in lights up everywhere. But it will be heaving, and I do mean heaving. I've lived in London for over 20 years and I've never seen it since busy as over the Christmas break. Make sure you book somewhere for dinner or you may have to queue, and obviously book tickets for any shows or attractions months in advance