Now that December is here, we’ve officially entered the holiday season. Christmas is here – and frankly, no work is getting done at this point… And one of the most wonderful things about Christmas in London is the city’s annual displays of Christmas lights. London looks absolutely STUNNING when it’s decked out in fairy lights and glowing installations. So if you want to see the streets lit up with festive cheer, here’s where to see the most stunning, glimmering displays.
1. Oxford Street
The famous Oxford Street Christmas stars are perhaps the most iconic lights in the city, and there’s always a lot of excitement when they go up. When Oxford Street lights up, it really feels like Christmas has arrived! They’ve now flipped the switch so head on over to see the display.
2. Regent Street
Regent Street started off this whole Christmas lights tradition back in 1954, and the famed Spirits of Christmas float ethereally above the street each year in an iconic display. And they’re once again shining down over London. What a wonderful sight!
3. Carnaby Street
Carnaby Street’s Christmas lights are always over the top in the best way possible, with themes that set them apart from the rest of London’s light displays. Last year’s installation was an out-of-this-world galactic and planetary installation. This year’s ‘Into The Light’ display features a series of lit-up sculptures made from 60,000 LED energy-efficient lights that will then be re-used for the next five Christmases – albeit in different forms. Head on over to see them now.
4. London’s West End Christmas Lights
Elsewhere in the area, the West End’s area-spanning Christmas lights have also been turned on. The display is a relative newcomer to the area, having first turned on just two years ago, but it’s become very popular! The displays stretch across St Martin’s Lane, Leicester Square, and Piccadilly. You’ll also find them lighting up on Coventry Street as well as Cranbourn, Irving & Bear Street.
5. King’s Cross
King’s Cross’ Coal Drops Yard and Granary Square always get into the Christmas spirit with an enormous Christmas tree and festoons of twinkling lights. This year they’re reminding us why they’re the place to be at Christmas thanks to festive markets, art installations, an enormous 50-foot traditional tree in Coal Drops Yard, and the return of Club Curling.
6. Covent Garden
Covent Garden’s Christmas lights makeover is always spectacular and rivals Oxford Street’s display for the most popular. And this year none other than actor Luke Evans and musician Myleene Klass were on hand to turn on the lights. You can’t miss it, either, thanks to this year’s mind-boggling 260,000 lights. That’s almost twice as many as last year!
7. Soho Kids Christmas Lights
One of our favourite annual Christmas displays is the Soho Kids Christmas Lights which transforms children’s drawings into Christmassy decorations that shine down over Soho. They’ve returned to London a little earlier this year – on November 12 – with yet more playful designs adding to the display.
8. Strand Christmas Lights
Central London’s Strand has unveiled a stunning new Christmas lights display, inspired by the history of the nearby Savoy Theatre. Featuring over 93,000 glittering LED lights, the design shows illuminated fairy figures flying through the air with glowing trails of light behind them. It’s utterly charming to be perfectly frank. Catch them shining down over the Strand and Villiers Street.
9. Connaught Village
Each year Connaught Village gets a lovely themed Christmas lights display that shines down over the streets, and it’s always positively charming. They’re back this year with more Christmassy feeling, thanks to the new lights strung up around the area.
10. Old Spitalfields Market
Not to be outshone (heh, get it?) by the rest of London, the Old Spitalfields Market has also flipped the switch and turned on their lights. To celebrate, they hosted a special evening of Christmas shopping, live festive music, face painting, and Christmas craft workshops for the little ones. Oh, and of course there was plenty of mulled wine and minced pies too, alongside seasonal specials from their many street food vendors.
11. Kew Gardens
Kew Gardens has opened the doors (gates?) to their stunning lights display for the season. The Christmas at Kew light trail is a stunning sight that transforms the gardens into an illuminated wonderland. Psst… You can buy your tickets here!
12. Marylebone Village Christmas Lights
Marylebone Village’s Christmas lights have also turned on, illuminating the area with a very merry Marylebone-y display. Head on down to see the sights – and while you’re there, you might as well do some gift shopping too!
13. The Churchill Arms
London’s most outrageously Christmassy pub is so committed to the Christmas lights game that even while closed during lockdown in 2020 they still prepared the lights for a December switch-on. The pub goes completely OTT each year with its Christmas display (we’re talking multiple Christmas trees stuck to the roof and walls) – but we just LOVE it. They’ve now turned them on, and it’s as stunning a display as it is every year.
14. Leadenhall Market
Christmas sees Leadenhall Market’s already stunning interiors spruced up even more with Christmas decorations galore and a big ol’ tree to boot. This year the Lord Mayor’s was on hand to switch the lights on. But that’s just the start of the Christmas festivities. The area will also be hosting three special weekends of Christmas markets.
15. The Shard
Every year the Shard’s top floors glow with a delightfully festive display to ring in the holiday season. This year they’ve debuted a new light display inspired by the nation’s love of Christmas carols. You can now see it lighting up the sky over London throughout the festive period.
16. Savile Row
Impeccable tailoring meets impeccably designed Christmas lights and displays at Savile Row when the festive season rolls around. Last year saw the area switch up its display with lights that paid homage to the street’s tailoring history in the form of tailor’s shears. This year, the giant shears are back, and glimmering down over the street once more.
17. Bond Street
Here’s another fashion-forward Christmas lights display in London! Luxury shopping merits an equally opulent Christmas display, and Bond Street is always more than happy to provide exactly that. This year, the display features an exclusive CHANEL Nº5 festive light installation, which is lighting up the area in the most luxurious way possible.
18. Chelsea
Chelsea puts on an expectedly charming Christmas lights display each year, and this year is no different. The popular area is now lit up with a delightful sparkling display. Santa Claus was even on hand at the switch-on party to bring all the festive feelings!
19. Belgravia
Belgravia’s tour de force of a light show stretches each year across Motcomb Street, Elizabeth Street, Pimlico Road, Pimlico Road, Eccleston Yards, and Halkin Arcade. So you can’t miss them if you try! This year, the lights turned on on November 4, but they saved the official ‘switch-on’ event for November 17. They threw a magical Christmassy street party to accompany the switch-on, with Father Christmas and his reindeer also in attendance.
20. Mayfair
As always, Belgravia’s Christmas lights were closely followed by nearby Mayfair’s lights turning on across Mount Street, too. The area is now glimmering with its iconic blue light displays – don’t miss the iconic arches!
21. Trafalgar Square
Norway’s annual Christmas present to London is typically one of the last displays to turn on in London, and this year is no different. (I guess we do have to wait for Norway to send the tree, to be fair…) But they’re finally back, and this year’s Christmas lights display in Trafalgar Square is lighting up the area with merry festivity. There will also be all manner of carol and choir concerts in the square throughout the festive season. How delightful!
So, there you have it: the best of London’s Christmas lights to check out in 2024. Time to figure out how to work your phone while wearing gloves so that you’re all prepped to grab some festive shots. And don’t forget the mulled wine!