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When it comes to Christmas lights in London it’s either go big or go home. From early November the entire capital is lit up with numerous beautiful sparkling light installations and festive decorations that only get bigger and better each year.
Below is a list of the best Christmas lights displays in London and where to find them.
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WHERE TO FIND THE BEST LONDON CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
– INCLUDING A PHOTO GUIDE FROM PREVIOUS YEARS
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OXFORD STREET
Oxford Street has been celebrating Christmas with a special light display illuminating the iconic street for 60 years and has long been one of the city’s most famous.
In 2018, an amazing 1,178 decorations made up the Oxford Street Christmas lights, with hundreds of twinkling silver and purple spheres leading up to the bold neon signs above Oxford Circus boasting the slogan ‘Christmas is Calling’.
The Oxford Street Christmas Light switch on is one of the biggest Christmas events in the capital, with pop-up performances by special guests, late-night shopping and dining offers, and a celebrity guest to press the big button.
SOUTH MOULTON STREET
A street which the rest of the year is relatively unknown in the capital suddenly becomes a hotspot during the festive season. Leading off from Oxford Street on the junction with Bond Street Station, the giant blue arches of South Moulton Street became a popular Christmas light destination during 2017 and continued to appear every year since.
BOND STREET
While you’re in the area admiring the Oxford Street and South Moulton Street lights, don’t forget to pop by one of London’s most luxurious shopping districts and see their display, always as simplistically elegant as the patrons you’ll usually find frequenting the street.
In 2018 the display consisted of simple silver peacock feathers and light chandeliers illuminating the sky high above the street.
REGENT STREET
Regent Street is another popular Christmas lights destination in the capital. For the last two consecutive years, the Regent Street ‘Spirit of Christmas’ has been one of the city’s most popular displays, with beautiful golden angels lining the entirety of one of London’s prime Christmas shopping streets.
Check out 5 other things to do on Regent Street this winter.
CARNABY LONDON
Carnaby Street never fails to go the extra mile and come up with one of the capitals more unique Christmas light displays.
In 2018 you could see the lyrics of Freddie Mercury’s iconic Bohemian Rhapsody written in bright neon lights over the streets of Carnaby, with amusing and slightly more festive ‘SOHOHO’ signs lighting up the side streets.
KINGLY COURT
While in Carnaby, pop into Kingly Court to experience the already charming courtyard draped in hundreds of fairy lights.
COVENT GARDEN
For the last couple of years, Covent Garden’s Apple Market has been filled with giant mistletoe and glitter balls, while a huge reindeer statue keeping guard outside. Covent Garden is also home to London’s biggest hand-picked Christmas tree, standing in the Piazza at 55ft tall and decorated with 30,000 lights.
You can also wander off the main piazza to experience the ‘infinity chamber’ light installation in Conduit Court which has been a popular photo spot in London since last year.
LEICESTER SQUARE / PICADILLY CIRCUS
Although the centre of London’s theatre-land doesn’t go as big on the Christmas decorations as other parts of the city, Picadilly Circus is the finishing point of the Regent Street lights and Leicester Square hosts its own annual Christmas Market, making a visit to this part of town during the festive period a must.
Find out what else to do in Leicester Square here.
WESTFIELD LONDON
West London’s popular shopping centre is too often overlooked for its lights at Christmas, with the already popular Christmas shopping destination filled with a magnificent display of sparkling Christmas lights.
KEW GARDENS
A firm favourite in the London festive calendar, the after-dark event ‘Christmas at Kew’ sees the Royal Botanic Gardens taken over by mesmerising artworks of light and sound, including the famous tunnel of lights, the fire garden and the cathedral of light.
Photo courtesy of Christmas at Kew
WEMBLEY PARK
Instead of traditional Christmas Lights, in 2018 Wembley Park went for a rather more unique Christmas Light Maze called ‘Xmasbox’ in Market Square. There was also a futuristic Christmas tree made from recycled materials in Arena Square and a love-themed art installation on the Spanish Steps.
Photo courtesy of London Designer Outlet Wembley
KENSINGTON CHURCH STREET
Head to Kensington and grab a pint in London’s most festive pub. Taking almost 3 weeks to complete, the Churchill Arms achieved a new record in 2018 with an impressive 95 Christmas trees and 21,500 Christmas lights.
Let’s see if they can set a new record in 2020!
Photo courtesy of Churchill Arms
Emily is a born and raised London girl, starting life in the north of the capital then moving down to Fulham in the southwest. She has a master’s degree in Social and Cultural Anthropology from University College London and now works full-time running this blog and as a freelance travel writer, splitting her life between London and travelling the world as a digital nomad.
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