Personally, nothing gets me in the festive mood like getting cosy and watching classic Christmas films. From rom-coms that’ll get you feeling all warm and fuzzy, like Love, Actually, While You Were Sleeping and The Holiday, to family classics like Home Alone and Elf, there’s a perfect film for every occasion this season.
Why not elevate that experience this year by going to a festive screening, where you can catch your festive faves on the big screen? This November and December, you can book yourself in to screenings at some of London’s most iconic venues, on wintry rooftops and retro theatres. All that’s left to do is grab the popcorn and settle in!
Prince Charles Cinema
This one feels extra special this year. The future of this iconic London cinema was up in the air until earlier this year, with a petition to save the venue reaching 168,645 signatures. Now the cinema has secured its future, there’s no better time to enjoy the all that The Prince Charles Theatre has to offer over the festive period, including screenings of It’s a Wonderful Life and Elf, and even a sing-along screening of A Muppet’s Christmas Carol.
Find out more on the Prince Charles Theatre website.
The Royal Albert Hall
It doesn’t really get more Christmassy than this, to be honest. Macaulay Culkin, one of London’s most beautiful venues, and the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra scoring the whole film* chef’s kiss*. There are four shows over two days (5-6 December) showing Home Alone and two shows on 12 December showing Home Alone 2.
Find out more about Christmas at the Royal Albert Hall over on their website.
Clapham Grand
If there’s ones thing the Clapham Grand is good at, it’s putting on. right spectacle, so you can expect their Christmas screenings to be full of fun. On 12 December you can take part in a Love, Actually drink-along movie night. Expect snow machines, singalong carols and prizes for the best costumes. On 22 December, there is also a family-friendly screening of The Muppets Christmas Carol with a live puppet show beforehand.
Find out more and get your tickets with dice.
Enchanted Christmas Cinema
Inside an abandoned cinema in Camden you’ll find a cosy forest cinema with a bar serving mulled wine, popcorn and festive treats, and it snows before every screening. I mean, you can’t get more festive than that. Films will be screened here in a limited two-week run so be sure to get booked in before it’s sold out.
Find out more and book your ticket to Camden’s Enchanted Christmas cinema.
Cadogan Hall
A British Christmas would not be complete without Aled Jones singing ‘Walking in the Air.’ The Mozart Symphony Orchestra returns to Cadogan Hall for its annual performance of the timeless classic, The Snowman, on 20 December. There will also be a performance of Paddington Bear’s First Concert.
Tickets are limited so get in there quickly.
Rivoli Ballroom
Known as one of the last remaining 1950’s style ballroom left in London, Rivoli Ballroom is more used to hosting discos. But, come Christmas time they will be screening six festive films from 20-22 December. The bar will be open and they will be serving classic cinema food like popcorn and hot dogs.
Grab a ticket for a tenner here.
The Arzner
This LGBTQ+ cinema in Bermondsey is celebrating 80 years since the release of It’s A Wonderful Life. While the cinema acknowledges that it isn’t an LGBTQ+ film and it’s not really camp, but say “the film is so beloved that we think it makes it camp enough for the cinema to celebrate its anniversary.” Don’t forget to check out all the wonderful queer films they are also showing until the end of the year.
Find out more and get tickets.
JOIA Rooftop Movie Pop-Up
We all love a rooftop activity and just because summer is over doesn’t mean we have to miss out. From 19-22 December, JOIA Rooftop in the art’otel Battersea Power Station, will be screening many crimbo classics, including The Santa Clause and The Grinch. The setup looks very cosy, complete with twinkling lights and views over the city.
Find out more and book your tickets.
