Christmas lights in London

Dash away from the Oxford Street crowds with a detour into pretty Carnaby Street, which is known for switching it up with imaginative Christmas light displays each year. Last year's sustainability-led installation ‘Into the Light’ was a bit controversial, with viewers reckoning that the bracingly modern cuboid shapes didn't have the wow factor of previous efforts. In eco style, it looks like the same display will be repurposed this year, but there'll be a welcome splash of neon colour added to bring some jollity to Carnaby's skies.

Best for: escaping the Christmas kitsch
Switch on date: Thursday November 6

There's arguably nowhere in London more Christmassy than Covent Garden's Piazza in December. Every year, the shopping district aims to outdo itself for sheer festive pizzaz. In 2025, the theme is 'The Theatre of Christmas', which means that there'll be decorations taking inspiration from the nearby playhouses and the performances in them. And of course, this year will also see the return of Covent Garden's 55ft Christmas tree, decked with 30,000 lights 

Meanwhile, the roof of the Market Building is adorned with 40 gigantic bells, 12 giant baubles and 8 spinning mirror balls in a reprise of its oh-so-festive annual display. There'll also be pop-ups and events to enjoy as the season unfolds, including mulled wine stations and a Santa's sleigh photo op. 

Best for: extravagantly OTT festive magic
Switch on date: Wednesday November 12

If you want to enjoy spectacular festive lights without having to elbow shoppers out of the way, then Kew Gardens' annual Christmas event is the way to go. This 3km light trail is full of stunning illuminations and glowing colours that bounce off the reflective surfaces of its grand greenhouses and huge lake. For 2025, Kew’s iconic Great Pagoda will be adorned with festive lights for the very first time, too. Keep yourself toasty along the way with warming winter snacks from food vendors curated by Kerb, and make sure say hi to Father Christmas himself as you walk past. 

Best for: treating yourself to a festive evening out
Switch on date: Friday November 14

Flit to north London this Christmas and you'll find a magical light trail inspired by the world of Peter Pan. Glowing installations will let you follow Tinkerbell's fairy dust path from the Darling's family home in London to Neverland, a pirate-filled land of adventure. There'll be dramatic lighting and sound design to sweep you into the world of J M Barrie's story, plus street food stalls and hot chocolate vendors so you can warm up chilly hands. £1 from every  ticket will be donated to Great Ormond Street Hospital, the charity that Barrie gifted the Peter Pan rights to.  

Best for: taking the kids
Switch on date: Friday November 21

Oxford Street is one of the most iconic areas for London’s Christmas lights, and for good reason, given that a hefty proportion of us Londoners will see them lighting our way as we do battle for Yuletide gifts. As is now tradition, the lights this year are made from eco-friendly materials, including LED lights and recycled plastic. Featuring over 300,000 individual lights – including 5000 twinkling stars – they shine from 4pm to midnight daily until early January. 

Best for: the biggest display in town
Switch on date: November 4

Regent Street was actually the very first road in London to be adorned by Christmas lights back in 1954 – a tradition that happily still continues to this day. Each winter, the display comes to life as one of the most impressive in the capital and features 45 angels designed to look like they’re playing the trumpet. Very festive, very fun and very grand – the whole thing is made up of thousands of individual LED lights. See them for yourself from 3pm-11pm daily until January. 

Best for: sheer angelic prettiness
Switch on date: Thursday November 6

There’s always something faintly Christmassy about Leadenhall Market, thanks to its Victorian architecture, and it really comes into its own when the festive season arrives, when twinkling lights and pretty Christmas trees return to the shopping arcade. This year’s tree is decked out in a colour-changing LED display, baubles and more, while fir tree garlands can be found throughout the market, and a light tunnel has returned to Beehive Passage. Markets will be held on weekends in the lead up to December 25, with crafts, vintage furniture and more up for grabs.

Best for: escaping the winter chill
Switch on date: Thursday November 14

Marylebone Village’s super-sustainable Christmas lights are designed by Blachere Illumination, whose designs are made out of recycled plastic bottles and use recyclable LED systems that require 95% less energy than conventional lighting. Featuring curly banners adorned with golden leaves, these quaint decorations twine their way appealingly over these historic shopping streets. 

Best for: combining sustainability with old school prettiness
Switch on date: Wednesday November 12

Chelsea is usually a pretty glitzy neighbourhood any time of the year, but it’s getting even more so this festive season. Its annual light display begins with a spectacular switch on party including live entertainment, fireworks, and of course a visit from everyone's favourite deep-pocketed globetrotter, Father Christmas.

Best for: bougie bells and whistles 
Switch on date: Saturday November 15

You can’t really miss the Churchill Arms. For most of the year, the Irish-owned Kensington pub’s exterior is a bonanza of exploding foliage in pinks, purples, yellows, reds and everything in between. But at Christmastime, it gets a special festive makeover featuring over 80 Christmas trees and a mind-boggling 22,000 individual lights. The exterior decor is a clue to the eccentricity at the heart of this fabulous old boozer, a sort of living tribute to Winston Churchill (whose grandparents were reportedly regulars) festooned with bric-a-brac, Union Jack bunting and busts of the wartime Prime Minister. It’s the perfect place to sink a festive pint or two, perhaps alongside some dishes from its top-tier Thai kitchen, which the owner reckons was London’s first.

Best for: a cheeky pint after
Switch on date: tbc