London events in December

Somerset House’s annual ice rink pop-up has long been one of the city’s favourite festive traditions, with thousands of Londoners and tourists alike making it part of their celebrations each year, and for good reason. Gliding (or nervously shuffling) around the rink, gazing upon the surrounding Georgian architecture and the courtyard’s magnificent 40ft Christmas tree feels like you’ve skated onto a movie set, ready to be watched by families settling in for their post-turkey food coma. Look out for the venue’s famous Skate Lates, where you can soar round the rink to a DJ soundtrack.

Amazing news for lovers of neat symmetry, loud primary colours and twee outfits. The Design Museum will be staging a blockbuster show delving into the iconic aesthetic of another of Hollywood’s most distinctive auteurs, the Texas-born Oscar- and Golden Globe-winning director Wes Anderson. London has had several Anderson-inspired openings over the years, but the film director’s first official retrospective promises to be a different beast. A collaboration between the Design Museum and Cinémathèque Française, it has been curated in partnership with Wes Anderson himself and his production company American Empirical Pictures and follows his work from his early experiments in the 1990s right up to his recent Oscar-winning flicks, featuring original props, costumes and behind-the-scenes insights.

The works of US playwright Rajiv Joseph have occasionally been seen in the UK. Joseph’s biggest domestic hit, though, is 2009’s Pulitzer-nominated Bengal Tiger At The Baghdad Zoo, which went on to transfer to Broadway in 2011, with the late, great Robin Williams in the role of the titular fast-talking tiger. Following the bewildered beast as he attempts to adjust to unexpected events in the aftermath of Saddam Hussein’s overthrow, the dark, somewhat supernatural comedy clearly had its roots in the actual aftermath of the Second Iraq War and the US occupation that was still winding down when the play debuted.

Even if you think Christmas is a load of consumerist claptrap, you can’t deny that London looks a whole lot better when it’s hung with strings of glistening lights. And London is never in short supply of some thoroughly excellent festive light displays. From the classic angels that beam over Regent’s Street to the snazzy, themed displays over Carnaby Street, a trip to one of these gleaming streets will flutter the heart of even the most Scrooge-like of souls. 

Join Tony Middleton ‘Sonic’, Resident Magician at the Sheraton Grand Park Lane, for an enchanting drawing room magic show inspired by Christmas. Experience conjuring with a festive twist: sleight of hand, mind-reading and other impossibilities – closer than ever before. Sit back and relax in the cosy, atmospheric Oak Room for a truly merry and memorable experience.

With 12 years of The Magic Hour under his belt, Middleton is a master of close-up and parlour magic — and this new show promises something darker, more secretive and utterly spellbinding.

Get 40% off tickets, only through Time Out Offers

Each year, Hyde Park gets transformed from pretty park to a dazzling, snow-covered, Alpine-themed, 350-acre festive funscape. One of the largest Christmas events in the UK, Winter Wonderland returns for its eighteenth year in 2025, and is expected to welcome around 2.5 million visitors over six magical weeks. As you make your way around the space, you’ll find fairground rides, a child-friendly Santa Land (including a Santa’s Grotto, where presents lie in wait) and traditional Christmas markets. 

Every winter, the Southbank Centre turns the banks of the Thames into a frosty wonderland, full of little wooden Alpine-style cabins selling gifts, warming drinks, and snacks. You’ll find huts serving up truffle burgers, duck wraps, mulled wine, Dutch pancakes, churros and many more tasty morsels to nibble on while you look through gifts, jewellery and decorations made by independent craft traders. Or, once you’re done browsing, snuggle up at pop-up king Jimmy Garcia’s riverside venue Fire And Fromage, where you can snaffle all you can eat raclette, sip on seriously decadent hot chocolates, and even toast your own marshmallows around a cosy fire pit. 

One of London’s quirkiest Christmas traditions as well as being one of the oldest, the Peter Pan Cup has been contested on Christmas mornings since 1864. Strictly a spectator event – unless you happen to be a regular, not to mention hardy, member of the Serpentine Swimming Club – the name of the 100-yard swimming race in Hyde Park’s lido derives from the 1904 edition, when author and playwright Sir James Barrie presented the trophy to the winner. The race commences at 9am so head down to watch the brave folk go for it before you start opening your presents.

Entering it’s final month, Titanique is a cabaret-style parody that marries the considerable kitsch appeal of James Cameron’s 1997 film with that of its true star – Quebecois singing icon Celine Dion, forever associated with the movie thanks to ubiquitous power ballad My Heart Will Go On. Dion the main character here. She genuinely believes she was on la Titanique and tells the story of the sinking from her perspective. 

Markets, eh? They’re pretty nice to wander around at nearly every time of year. But, at Christmas? Well, that’s when London’s markets really come into their own. Every year the capital fills with the kind of markets that host fairy-light-lined stalls, festive street-food sellers and community tombolas, with a playlist of Christmas songs on loop in the background. In fact, whether you’re looking for tasty treats, traditional decorations and cutting-edge arts and crafts or are just shopping for a last-minute present, the capital’s selection of Yuletide stalls are here to help. 

Get £19 tickets, only through Time Out Offers

John Le Carré’s landmark Cold War novel The Spy Who Came in from the Cold has a huge reputation but is relatively under-adapted. Well, here’s a theatre version, transferring to London after an acclaimed run at Chichester last year. Written by David Eldridge and directed by Jeremy Herrin, it stars Rory Keenan as battle-weary British intelligence officer Alec Leanas, ready to ‘come in from the cold’ but pressed into one more job by spymaster George Smiley (John Ramm). Posing as dishonourably discharged in an effort to be recruited by East German spy Hans-Dieter Mundt (Gunnar Cauthery), he sets off a dangerous chain of events after falling for well-meaning lefty librarian Liz Gold (Agnes O’Casey).

Dreaming of a kitsch Christmas? New York’s famous Miracle on Ninth Street bar is popping up in London for its seventh year, ‘50s Christmas decorations, nostalgic accessories and creative new spins on beloved cocktail favourites in tow. Past years have seen the bar slinging the likes of a Snowball Old Fashioned or a Christmapoliton, which includes cranberry sauce and absinthe mist – a take on Christmas trimmings that’s not for the faint-hearted. If you’re failing to get into the Christmas spirit, this is one great place to find it.

The world of solid dairy has some truly devoted fans and they’ll do well to pay a visit to Borough Market’s annual Evening of Cheese, where they’ll find an enormous range of products from all over the world to tempt turophiles, including wines, ciders, chutneys and – obviously – absolutely loads of top quality cheese from around Europe. Looking to craft the perfect festive cheeseboard? Head down to get your paws on loads of tasty little samples, and some expert advice from the market’s artisanal traders. There’ll be plenty of drinks on hand to complete the gouty vibes, while the festivities will also feature the annual parmesan-cracking competition, where cheesemongers compete to cut open a huge wheel of the good stuff and arrange it in a tower. Be sure to nab a spot by the front to get first dips on the freebies afterwards!

Head to Columbia Road on a Wednesday evening this Christmas and you’ll find its more than 60 indie shops open late for all your present buying needs. Starting from November 26, mulled wine and locally-made mince pies will be on hand to give you much-needed sustenance as you shop. Sadly, the weekly carol singing that went viral in recent years is no more. 

Saunter on down to Caledonian Road to witness a bonkers panto set in the Oz universe. This time, Dorothy’s back, and Christmas in Oz-lington is in trouble. Twenty years after her first trip over the rainbow, she’s swept up in a surprise snowstorm and reunited with Scarecrow, Lion and a shiny new Tin 2.0. Together they embark on a feel-good adventure about courage, friendship and acceptance.

Written and directed by Shane ShayShay Konno, this high-energy panto bursts with pop-fuelled fun, colourful characters and plenty of festive sparkle. Perfect for all ages and just a short walk from Caledonian Road.

Adding to the magic, there’s a special on-screen appearance from Jeremy Corbyn as the Wizard of Oz-lington (yes, really). The MP for Islington North is swapping Parliament for panto to mark 30 years of community theatre at the Pleasance. Come along this Christmas to see a politician promising magic, and actually delivering it.

Get £15 tickets, only through Time Out Offers

John Le Carré’s landmark Cold War novel The Spy Who Came in from the Cold has a huge reputation but is relatively under-adapted compared to the later, connected Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. There was a critically acclaimed but now largely forgotten Richard Burton film in 1965 (two years after the novel was published), and not a lot since, although a TV adaptation has been in the works for years, seemingly without much progress.

Well, here’s a theatre version, transferring to London after an acclaimed run at Chichester last year. Written by David Eldridge and directed by Jeremy Herrin, it stars Rory Keenan as battle weary British intelligence officer Alec Leanas, ready to ‘come in from the cold’ but pressed into one more job by spymaster George Smiley (John Ramm). Posing as dishonourably discharged in an effort to be recruited by East German spy Hans-Dieter Mundt (Gunnar Cauthery), he sets off a dangerous chain of events after falling for well-meaning lefty librarian Liz Gold (Agnes O’Casey).

’Tis the season for rampant consumerism, but if all the covetable clobber, shiny new tech and luxury knick-knacks are failing to fill the void, you’d do well to swing by the Choose Love store during your Christmas shopping spree. First set up in 2017 by Help Refugees, the clever pop-up doesn’t peddle fancy beauty products or the latest trainers. Instead, its shelves are filled with emergency blankets, children’s shoes, sleeping bags, toiletries, mobile phone credit, nappies, education supplies and other essentials needed by refugees around the world. Once you’ve bought what you can, the products are distributed via more than 80 projects that the humanitarian aid organisation works with across the globe. After several successful years on nearby Carnaby Street, the pop-up has moved into a department store-sized space on Regent Street for its biggest ever edition this year. 

Returning for a second Christmas season, the National Theatre’s big festive family show is a sumptuous adaptation of Noel Streatfeild’s classic 1936 children’s novel Ballet Shoes. Slick, classy and meticulously directed by Katy Rudd, the story follows the eccentric household initially headed by Justin Salinger’s Great Uncle Matthew (aka GUM), a palaeontologist in the old-school explorer vein. A confirmed bachelor, he is initially aghast when he is abruptly made legal guardian of his 11-year-old niece Sylvia (Pearl Mackie). But he soon changes his tune when freak circumstances lead to him taking in three baby girls: Petrova (Yanexi Enriquez), Pauline (Grace Self) and Posy (Daisy Sequerra), each of whom he found orphaned while out on an expedition. The three women’s journey to self-realisation makes for a classy, Christmassy night out with the family. 

This exhibition puts the work of two rivals – and two of Britain’s greatest painters – J.M.W. Turner and John Constable side by side. Although both had different paths to success, they each became recognised as stars of the art world and shared a connection to nature and recreating it in their landscape paintings. Explore the pair’s intertwined lives and legacies and get new insight into their creativity via sketchbooks, personal items and must-see artworks.

Have we finally reached Peak Paddington? The Young Peruvian bear’s spectacular film-begat renaissance hasn’t just yielded a trilogy of hit film: there’s a tie-in TV series, a skit with the late Queen, and an official immersive attraction, The Paddington Bear Experience. Now, there’s a big splashy West End musical. Super-producer Sonia Friedman has assembled a team headed by playwright Jessica Swale doing the book and kids’ author and McFly member Tom Fletcher on songs, all directed by Luke Shepherd, who did such a good job with the smash revival of Starlight Express.

Every year, thousands of professional and amateur photographers around the world submit their best portraits to The Taylor Wessing Photo Prize – a contest that has helped launch the careers of many top photographers. Around 60 finalists are selected and put on display at the National Portrait Gallery, giving an insight into the lives of friends and family of those behind the lens, or capturing a moment in time with stars in the spotlight. One image will take home the big prize, while the annual ‘In Focus’ display will feature a new work by an established photographer.

Belgian super director Ivo van Hove is tackling Arthur Miller’s first big hit, All My Sons. Set in 1943, the drama concerns Joe Keller, an upstanding pillar of the local community whose business partner has been found guilty of selling faulty parts to the US Airforce. Joe has escaped any blame. But should he have? Van Hove has assembled a proper A-grade cast here, with US star Bryan Cranston – who led the director’s 2017 hit Network –  as Joe, with the wondrous Marianne Jean-Baptiste as his wife Kate and Paapa Essiedu as their son Chris. 

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without ‘The Nutcracker’. Tchaikovsky’s 1892 piece, with its dancing dolls, feisty mice and fairies, all sugared over with snowflakes and delicious music, is probably the most popular ballet in the world. Everyone should go at least once, preferably with children. And if you’re going to splurge on tickets then the Royal Opera House’s production, now 21 years old and still going strong, is the one to see.

For eight Christmases in a row – including 2020! – The Old Vic’s stage version of A Christmas Carol has become the default version in London. It debuted in 2017, when Rhys Ifans played supernaturally reformed miser Ebeneezer Scrooge. Back then, Matthew Warchus’s production of Jack Thorne’s adaptation was simply a stage version. Now it is essentially the version. It’s still a charming, OTT Christmasgasm of a production. If you want raw Christmas injected directly into your veins, there’s truly nothing quite like this.

The regenerated King’s Cross area will once again be transformed into a Christmas paradise with ten different markets popping up over the course of five weeks. The Lower Stable Street Market offers up everything from food and drinks to homeware, art, books and clothing, while Christmas under the Canopy will be showcasing some of London’s best artisan traders and food stalls. The Illustrators Fair will highlight local independent artists, the Crafty Fox Markets will showcase more than 100 designers and makers and the three-day Christmas Charity Supermarket will offer a curated of second-hand fashion and accessories. 

It wouldn't be Christmas in London without Somerset House's famous rink serving up festive prettiness, brews, and edgy Skate Lates. But it's not the only skating spot in town. This year, rinks are popping up all over the city: head to Battersea Power Station for industrial chic or try Alexandra Palace for stellar views over the city. Here's our pick of the very best.

Many of us love a good old-fashioned Christmas complete with trips to festive markets, ice skating, carol services and all the trimmings. But it’s not everyone’s glass of eggnog. Thankfully, London is abuzz with unusual Christmas events come winter. Whether you fancy switching up your usual gift-shopping with a trip to the Satanic Flea Market’s Antichristmas Fayre, making the Yuletide gayer than ever at a camp as Christmas drag show, swatching some alt Christmas movies with only the most tenuous of links to the festive period or even spending December 25 pounding the pavements to complete an ultramarathon, have yourself a quirky little Christmas with our round-up of the ultimate unusual festive events in London. It is truly the most (weird and) wonderful time of the year.

Paranormal Activity is a theatrical adaptation of the 2007 sleeper screen hit. Found footage horror isn’t the obvious genre to put on stage by a long shot. But this adaptation has a real USP: it’s directed by Felix Barrett, aka the brains behind immersive theatre legends Punchdrunk, and is his first non-Punchdrunk theatre show in over a decade. If anyone can inject some menace and atmosphere into a show that is nominally about two people buying a house, it’s him. Rather than a stage retelling of the original film, this adaptation concerns James and Lou, a couple who quit Chicago for London in the hope they can escape their past (spoiler alert: they can’t).

The young Peruvian bear’s spectacular renaissance hasn’t just yielded a trilogy of hit films: there’s a TV series, an official immersive attraction, the Paddington Bear Experience, a computer game, and now a big splashy West End musical. Super-producer Sonia Friedman has done the honours, assembling a crack team headed by playwright Jessica Swale doing the book and kids’ author and McFly member Tom Fletcher on songs, all directed by Luke Shepherd, who did such a good job with the smash revival of Starlight Express. The bear himself is being depicted by a team of two performers: Arti Shah will don a bear suit and James Hameed will be the ‘off-stage performer’.

If you’re struggling to find the perfect, unique present for a loved one, the Christmas Independent Ceramics Market is bound to have the answer. The annual fair brings together over 150 ceramics makers, from students to established artists, all selling their distinctive wares in one space. Browse stall after stall of cups, sculptures and more and keep your eyes peeled for that special treasure. The market will make things more festive with a sound system to soundtrack your shopping, plus mulled wine and seasonal food to keep you refreshed on your search.

When scientists get involved in the food we eat, it's often viewed as something to steer well clear of, with scary headlines about 'Frankenfoods' surrounding genetically modified ingredients or e-numbers in our sweets. But what if science is the only way of putting food on our plates in decades to come? This new free exhibition at the Science Museum looks at fascinating projects like Norway's ice-cold seed vault and the first beef steak to be grown outside a cow, as well as looking at community-led sustainability projects. And it invites you to get involved, with a multiplayer game where you can cook up your own future for food. Delicious!

An evening of proper Christmas carols is an absolute must if you’re interested in getting entirely wrapped up in unalloyed festive cheer. Check out our comprehensive round-up of the jolliest and most moving services in the capital. Indoors and outdoors, cathedrals, churches and secular spaces, we’ll be adding to it constantly, as more events are announced. 

Backyard Cinema is back with a mega immersive cinema to give you all the festive feels. Roam through a fairylit winter forest with real bark underfoot and you'll find a vintage-style cinema with screenings of Christmas classics including Elf, Home Alone, Love Actually, How the Grinch Stole Christmas and The Holiday. There's also a Christmas cabaret room, themed bars and photo opportunities to make sure you're brimming over with festive cheer.

Escape reality through maximum immersion and experience 42 masterpieces from 29 of the world’s most iconic artists, each reimagined beyond belief, through cutting-edge technology. Situated in Marble Arch, Frameless plays host to four unique galleries with hypnotic visuals and a dazzling score. Enjoy 90 minutes of surreal artwork from Bosch, Dalí and more for just £24!

Save 20% on tickets, only through Time Out Offers 

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. In 2025, three pop-up markets offer an added incentive to visit. SoLo Craft Fair Christmas Market will happen on two Saturdays (Nov 16 and Dec 7), offering handmade delights aplenty, and there's also The Vintage Furniture and Flea Christmas Market (Nov 24) for retro treasure hunters to pick up gifts with stories attached. 

Had more festive goodwill and cheer than you can stomach? The Satanic Flea Market’s (anti) Christmas special is the perfect antidote. As always, there’ll be a whole range of traders selling stuff from the darker side of life, like taxidermy, occult trinkets and even human skulls, plus other slightly more unusual goods than you might find at your typical Christmas market. It might not be the kind of place where you can get all your gifts sorted under one roof, but at least you won’t hear ‘Last Christmas’ or any other saccharine festive hits as you’re making your way around.

If you’ve ever watched curling during the Winter Olympics and thought 'pass me that broom, I could do better', you're in luck. This winter, the Curling Club will be taking up residence in both London Bridge's Vinegar Yard and in a new Waterloo location, giving you the chance to have a go at this eccentric team sport. Both venues will be given a proper apres-ski makeover with wintry cocktails, Alpine-inspired street food and entertainment on hand.

In scenes only slightly less dramatic and probably far more entertaining than the Grand National, more than 40 pantomime horses (plus a few pretenders in the form of zebras and cows) will gallop through Greenwich on this race, raising money for the charity Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital. This year's theme is 'Rockstars', meaning you can expect horsey acts including Beatles tribute The Fab Foals. There is usually entertainment in the form of an opening ceremony, plus other antics throughout the day and an after-party with live music, comedy and DJs. 

If you love Christmas (but not so much you're willing to brave Hyde Park's chilly Winter Wonderland) then you're in luck. This year, one of Europe's biggest indoor festive family extravaganzas is coming to London. And it's packed with funfair rides, a special circus show, and a massive ice rink to whizz around, without becoming so chilly you could double as a winter snowman. There's a flat entry fee that includes all entertainments, circus acts, a rollercoaster, dodgems, waltzers, an ice rink, and special late night sessions with DJs aimed at a more grown-up crowd.

Ten of Blackhorse Beer Mile’s finest drinking holes are combining forces to bring a mega Christmas fest to E17. A Christmas tree market will pop up at Big Penny Social with entertainment from nine-piece brass band Brass Funkeys; a live marachi band will be stationed at Exale performing their twist on Christmas classics and a swathe of local artisans will line up at Renegade Urban Winery for its festive market. And that only scratches the surface. Festive drinks and dishes will be available up and down the mile all afternoon – including a bespoke menu from chef Josh Dallaway at 40FT Brewery – and DJs will take the reigns at different venues to keep the festive spirit alive until 1am.  

The Rivoli Ballroom’s interior is already enough to get you in the mood for Christmas, thanks to it being decked out in opulent red and gold. Imagine, then, how festive you’ll feel after watching some fantastic Xmas movies from within its four walls. This year, it’ll be once again screening some Christmas classics, from both ‘Home Alone’s to ‘Gremlins’, ‘Elf’, ‘Love Actually’ and, yes, ‘Die Hard’. Fight over whether that last one is a Christmas movie or not among yourselves – we’re going to be too busy tucking into popcorn and ice cream.

RECOMMENDED: Find more festive pop-up cinemas and film screenings

Got a thirst for adventure and winter-themed beverages? Up at The O2 – the dare-devil tour that lets you climb up the outside of the Greenwich venue’s famous white dome – has been given a festive makeover. After being strapped into a harness and ascending to the top of the 52 metre-high dome, climbers will get to retreat into an immersive snow globe featuring falling snow, the sweet smell of cookies and a ‘whimsical winter set-up’ from which they’ll be able to enjoy breathtaking views of the city from.

This definitely isn't a panto you could take a five-year-old to. Join Cinderella, Prince Donkey Dick, Buttons and the Two Ugly Slappers as the latest charming adult panto outing from the gang behind long-running Snow White and the Seven Poofs. Expect a mixture of eye-wateringly rude humour and feel good party anthems.

New Year’s Eve in London means you’re faced with some choices. Sometimes there’s so much choice, in fact, that you end up spending the night indoors with a few loved ones and plenty of booze. We’ve all been there, but London boasts loads of great New Year’s Eve events that should coax even the most reluctant NYE fan out of the house this year.