When every major London Christmas lights display will turn on for 2025: full list of dates

It’s the end November and perfectly acceptable to start getting excited about the festive period in London. In fact, in many parts of the capital, the festive period is officially underway. 

If you’re the type to savour the Christmas period (rather than panic about present-buying), there’s a lot to look forward to in the coming weeks. Some of London’s biggest and best festive markets have already started welcoming visitors, having opened at the start of November (find a full list of markets and opening dates here), and the capital’s iconic neighbourhoods are starting to sparkle with Christmas-themed displays, too. 

But when exactly does each of London’s major Christmas lights displays officially turn on in 2025? We’ve got the lowdown. From Oxford Street and Covent Garden to Kew, here are the switch-on dates for the capital’s festive displays.

RECOMMENDED: The best Christmas lights displays in London.

When are London Christmas lights turned on this year?

West End

The first official display turned on in the capital this year was in the West End – specifically Piccadilly, Leicester Square, and St Martin’s Lane. The lights are on until January 6, and the festivities include a brand-new ice rink at Leicester Square.

Switch-on date: Saturday November 1.

Oxford Street

The longest shopping street in Europe features, as before, 5,000 stars consisting of 300,000 LED bulbs. Once again, the street is partnering with Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity (GOSH Charity) to raise funds for seriously ill children. 

Switch-on date: Monday November 3.

Regent Street and St James’s

Regent Street, Piccadilly, Jermyn Street, St James’s Market and more feature the area’s usual ‘spirits’ display. Thirty of the graceful winged beings look down on the quarter, while a Wishing Tree at St James’s Market is raising money for food distribution charity The Felix Project.

Switch-on date: Thursday November 6.

Carnaby Street

In 2024 Carnaby launched a brand-new programmatic lights display designed to last five years. This year Carnaby’s display is called ‘All is Bright’ and apparently captures ‘the joy and optimism of the season while reflecting the creativity and vibrancy that make Soho unique’.

Carnaby has been crowned London’s best Christmas lights display for 2025 by us here at Time Out – find out why here.

Switch-on date: Thursday November 6.

Covent Garden

Back in September Covent Garden (with Carnaby) was among the first to announce this year’s festive switch-on date. A whopping 300,000 lights illuminate the Piazza, Seven Dials, Neal’s Yard and surrounding streets, while Christmas-themed cocktail bar Miracle at Henrietta has also returned for 2025.

Switch-on date: Wednesday November 12.

Marylebone Village

On the day that Marylebone Village’s Crimbo lights turned on for 2025, the high street was pedestrianised for the occasion and Devonshire Street hosted a main stage with live music and performances by local school choirs. The event supported homeless women charity The Marylebone Project.

Switch-on date: Wednesday November 12. 

Bond Street

This year Bond Street’s display features 93,000 LEDs inspired by the crown jewels. The energy-efficient bulbs are made from recyclable, long-life materials, apparently reducing energy consumption by 75 percent compared to previous installations.

Switch-on date: Wednesday November 12. 

Leadenhall Market

Leadenhall is one of London’s most atmospheric and beautiful festive displays, and the covered arcade also hosts several events to help fill up stockings. The SoLo Craft Fair Christmas Market took place on November 8 and will do so again December 13. The Vintage Furniture and Flea Christmas Market is on November 30.

Switch-on date: Thursday November 13.

St Katharine Docks

Maritime-themed festivities at St Katharine Docks kicked off with school choir performances, free mulled wine and a towering tree outside Dickens Inn. Marble Quay is also hosting a free-to-enter ‘winter wonderland’.

Switch-on date: Thursday November 13.

Knightsbridge

Brompton Road and its neighbouring streets dazzle beneath a display consisting of more than 12,000 LEDs and over 3,000 recycled plastic bottles. The centrepiece of the installation, which is by Blachere Illumination for The Knightsbridge Estate, is a 14-metre  animated cross-street banner on Brompton Road. 

Switch-on date: Thursday November 13

Christmas at Kew

Kew Gardens’ lights display has eight new installations this year – including, excitingly, one at the Great Pagoda. It’s the first time ever that 18th century Chinese-inspired structure will get a Christmassy makeover.

Switch-on date: Friday November 14.

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland

Not a display as such but still a festive London attraction with a lot of Christmas lights, one of Winter Wonderland’s new-for-2025 attractions promises is very visually pleasing indeed: ‘Luminarie Lane’ is a new marketplace with its own light installation.

Switch-on date: Friday November 14.

How to get tickets for Hyde Park Winter Wonderland.

Chelsea

To mark the switch-on of festive lights in Chelsea, the King’s Road was part-pedestrianised between Sloane Square and Walpole Street for a market and day of activities. Father Christmas himself flicked on the switch at 5pm. 

Switch-on date: Saturday November 15

The Shard

London’s highest skyscraper will, as in previous years, be transformed into a towering festive display. Gustavo Zuluaga Villegas, a Colombian-born artist and member of The Shard’s housekeeping team, is behind this year’s Christmas display. 

Switch-on date: Tuesday November 25

Chelsea Winter Village

Chelsea Winter Village and Illuminations at Royal Hospital Chelsea will feature a 1.5km festive trail, light sculptures and audiovisual art, plus a market, bars, street food and a bandstand. 

Switch-on date: Wednesday November 26

Guildhall

The Culture Mile in Guildhall is hosting its first ever Christmas lights switch-on this year, and Guildhall Yard is unveiling its first ever Christmas tree. The day of the switch-on will have live music (carols and steel pans), roving acrobats, and food and drink stalls. 

A wider ‘Voices and Illuminations’ winter programme will see the area boast an illuminated winter trail, community carols and workshops.

Switch-on date: Wednesday November 26

Canary Wharf Winter Lights Festival

Canary Wharf’s Winter Lights Festival is not a Christmas show at all, but it’s a spellbinding visual attraction that will dazzle any festive lights enthusiast. The financial district will be once again transformed into a free-to-view outdoor gallery of light art, this time with the theme ‘Dreamscape’.

Switch-on date: January 20 2026.