London’s Christmas Lights | An Unmissable Festive Cheer
The Christmas season is one of the best times of the year to be in London. The streets of London dazzles, with brightness and warmth. London’s Christmas Lights are one of the greatest joys of Christmas as they fill people’s heart with festive cheer no matter the weather, come rain or shine. Most prominent displays and the unmissable London’s Christmas Lights are in Oxford Street, Regent Street, Carnaby Street, Covent Garden and in some prominent parks such as Kew Gardens.
Despite the current uncertain times, this year (2020) has made no difference. In fact, to kick-off the festive season, London Oxford Street and Carnaby Street have put up beautiful illuminations with heartwarming messages of Love, and Unity a little earlier than usual.
London’s Christmas Lights at Oxford Street
Oxford Street | London’s Christmas Light | 2 November 2020 | © timelesstravelsteps | georgina_daniel
Though low keyed with no celebrities present (understandably), the unmissable London’s Christmas Lights in Oxford Street were switched-on just before lockdown 2.0 on Monday 2 November. The twenty-seven LED light curtains made up of twinkling lights drape the length of the premier shopping street in London. The lights burst into sparkling life with an uplifting message “To London with Love” .
Along with messages of goodwill, the Oxford Street Christmas Lights is dedicated to the Heroes of 2020. Every week, the display will feature the name of a “hero” – a person who has gone that extra mile to help others during Covid-19 pandemic 2020.
The first of London’s Heroes whose name was featured is Anis Ali, a NHS Volunteer Responder who completed an astounding 733 tasks since March while also holding down a full-time job.
Location: Oxford Strret, London
Getting here: Oxford Circus Station on the Central and Jubilee lines of the Underground
To support the Royal Voluntary Service, Oxford Street is selling To London with Love T-shirts with all proceeds going to RVS.
2021 dates TBC
Recommended read: Best 10 Christmas Lights in London
London’s Christmas Lights at Carnaby Street
Carnaby Street | London’s Christmas Lights 2020 | © timelesstravelsteps | georgina_daniel
Carnaby is one of the most fashionable areas in the heart of London. The area covers fourteen streets, over one hundred shops, sixty restaurants, bars and cafes. Each year Carnaby chooses a theme and puts up a spectacular display of lights. This year’s dazzling display is one with a strong message of Love and Unity, in partnership with the charity Choose Love.
As from 2 November, the length of the Streets is immersed in a series of lightboxes of pink neon lights. The message on each of the lightboxes is positively powerful, paying tribute to the strength and courage of Londoners as well as the whole of UK. The messages of love and unity is an encouragement to continue with hope and kindness to each other.
Location: Carnaby Street
Getting here: Nearest station is Oxford Circus
Carnaby Street Christmas Lights 2021 – November 4
Recommended read: Coal Drops Yard at Christmas in Kings Cross, London
Covent Garden Christmas Lights
Apple Market, Covent Garden, 2020 |© timelesstravelsteps | georgina_daniel
The annual magical haven at Covent Garden is going ahead this year without the usual switching-on ceremony. The unique market offers visitors a very special shopping experience. From high-end names, market traders. and bespoke designers, you will find Christmas gifts for everyone.
20 metre Norwegian spruce that took some 300 hours to put together – tree, lights and baubles at Covent Garden, 2020 | © timelesstravelsteps | georgina_daniel
The splendidness of the Christmas atmosphere is in the cobbled piazza and the market buildings that create a wonder-perfect backdrop for the twenty metre (sixty foot) Christmas tree. Decorated with some thirty thousand sparkling lights, the piazza glows! An unmissable Christmas lights experience in London for sure.
Location: Covent Garden
Getting here: Covent Garden Station on the Central, Northern and Piccadilly Underground lines.
Covent Garden Christmas Lights 2021 – TBC
Recommended read: Quirky ideas to experience at Christmas in London
Regent Street Angels at Christmas
Spirit of Christmas, Regent Street Christmas Lights | London 2020 | © timelesstravelsteps | georgina_daniel
Regent Street Christmas Lights is the largest festive display in the UK. The stunning Spirit of Christmas returns to celebrate the festive heritage of the upscale shopping district.
The illumination of more than three hundred thousand twinkling Christmas lights light up the skies of Regent Street and St James’ running from Oxford Circus all the way to Waterloo Place. It is a breathtaking sight and one that will have you in awe.
As with other Christmas Lights switching on ceremony, the annual grand event at Regent Street is cancelled. The lights will dazzle daily from 3:30 p.m. to midnight.
Location: Regent Street
Getting here: Oxford Circus Underground Station: Victoria, Bakerloo & Central Line.
Piccadilly Circus Underground Station: Piccadilly & Bakerloo Line
Regent Street Christmas Lights 2021 – November 12
Kew Gardens | An amazing magical trail of lights after dark
Kew Gardens at Christmas is one of the best times to visit. The grounds turn into an enchanted magical trail of lights taking you through dazzling sparkly tunnels, trees wrapped in glowing lights and a beautiful dynamic laser projections of Christmas colours on the iconic glasshouse. The grand finale at the Palm House Pond is a stunning light show playing to a festive soundtrack.
Christmas at Kew is a perfect destination for families, and couples, both young and old. Enjoy a festive evening with marshmallows, mulled wine and hot chocolate. Open from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Book a time-slot and purchase tickets in advance.
Location: Kew Gardens, Entrances at Victoria Gate, Lion Gate and Brentford Gate
Getting here: Kew Gardens Station on the District Line (Richmond branch)
Christmas at Kew 2021 – November 17 2021 through to January 9, 2022 | From 4 pm to 10 pm – Advance bookings only
Ways to Experience the Magical Christmas Lights in London
Admire the famous and magical Christmas Lights in Oxford Street and Regent Street by booking the following tour:
I sincerely hope that this article is valuable to you in planning your trip to London at Christmas so you can experience the unmissable London’s Christmas Lights. Plan ahead and book your accommodations in London, sign-up to guided tours with last-minute cancellation protection or buy the great value London Pass. TTS earns a commission for all qualified purchases at no cost to you at all. As always, your continued support is much appreciated in keeping this website running. As well, you could support in other ways also.
For more on Christmas in London, visit Timeless Christmas in London
Have a wonderful time experiencing the unmissable festive cheer at London’s Christmas lights and A Very Merry Christmas!
Georgina xx
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London’s Christmas Lights | An Unmissable Festive Cheer first published at timelesstravelsteps.com and is regularly updated. Last update 17 October, 2021
Yes, I sincerely hope it will be soon. Look forward to your visit very much.
Beautiful lights, suppose to be London but …
Hoping to be there soon. 🤩
Thank you so much, Ramya. This year the message has been on Love, Hope and Unity – much needed for what we are going through.
Wow, this is a beautiful way to celebrate the spirit of Christmas. I especially liked the idea where the name of the hero is displayed (the person who has done an outstanding work during covid). This is highly motivating and cheering up someone on Christmas.
Glad you enjoyed London’s Christmas Lights – can’t wait for lockdown to be lifted so I can travel again!
Glad we got to enjoy the holiday lights and the city of London. Lockdown has us really missing seeing holiday decor in our travels.
London really is especially beautiful during the festive season. Thank you so much for appreciating the post and the festive cheer which this article aims to achieve.
I love how there is a variety of types of lights. I feel like London would be magical to visit around the holidays! Thanks for spreading the cheer
I know right! So many of us are held back during this pandemic. I hope you will get the opportunity to experience London during the festive season.
Thank you so much Jayati. London at Christmas is absolutely a beautiful. Though a little different this year, the City is full of the festive cheer with the dazzling lights. Thank you again for saving this post for your future visit. I sincerely hope you will visit us one day at Christmas.
It’s beautiful – you should go and experience it if you can. Your kids will absolutely love it without a doubt.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Sumit. London is especially beautiful at Christmas and I am glad you enjoyed the spirit and warmth of the festive season through this article.
Thank you – so glad my post got you in festive spirit. Yes, Christmas is different this year but hoping next year will be better.
The lights make everything seem magical. Enjoy your day 🙂
Isn’t it beautiful when the lights come on? So happy to know that the cities of Italy are also in festive cheer.
London always put on one of the grandest of shows every year and this year is lovely as well. Hope things change where you are in December nearing Christmas.
Thank you so much. Christmas comes but once a year and I know it will be different this year – Have a splendid holiday season whatever you decide to do.
Haha yes, why not. We can enjoy the festive cheer in more ways than one. 🙂
Thank you 🙂 Glad you found it uplifting.
Thank you. London is beautiful at Christmas. Hope you get to experience it one day.
Ah man, I imagine seeing the streets of London all lit up like that is just beautiful and would make your heart swell.
Also here in Italy despite the coronavirus pandemic, christmas lights are duzzling already. Usually we turn it on after the 8th of Dicember but this year we all need warmth and tranquility so we turned it on already in November!!!
So many pretties. We have a lights festival here, but you drive through it with your car. Can’t wait to see it.
This is such a unique post and really got me in the holiday spirit, although I know the holidays will be quite different this year, sadly.
This article has helped us to relive the warmth and beauty of christmas in a vibrant city such a s London. The description is spot on an the essence has been captured so well
Thanks for taking me on a virtual tour of London’s Christmas lights! This year, I am not even sure if I would be going to see them, but your post has come at the right time and has motivated me to go and click some photographs! Carnaby Street is one of my favourite spot to see the lights!
Christmas lights in London are gorgeous! The huge Norwegian spruce looks beautiful and so are all other parts of the illuminated city. I love your idea of experiencing London Christmas lights through one of the tours – that way the experience will be more structured and enriching. Saving this blog post for future reference – in case I land up in London during Christmas time!
As a Londoner, I have extra appreciation for this 🙂 My favourite one is the one at Regent Street. Hope to see these lights next year!
I would certainly love to see the Christmas lights in London one day. Hopefully in the near future once this pandemic has subsided!
I can’t wait to see Christmas lights. If we can’t go out I will just make a playlist on YouTube to watch. LOL London looks beautiful.
Wow!! Seeing christmas decorations on the streets give me hope that maybe we can celebrate christmas this year even if we’ve been bogged down by everything that’s happened. Haha
I’m finding Christmas events here in Florida to be VERY lacking this year! So jealous of the holiday vibes you are experiencing!
LOVE IT! All the Xmas vibes and everything, I really needed to read something like this. Thanks for that! 🙂
It is always a pleasure to have you visit my article and to read your encouraging comments. The year 2020 has turned all of our lives to adjust differently and to accept changes – we are unable to travel quite as spontaneously as before the pandemic but hoping the year 2021 will bring normalcy as we know. Really hope you would make it to see London’s Christmas Lights next year.
I was so looking forward to seeing the lights this year and being transported back to childhood. If we can’t this year I can save the blog for next year for ideas away from the obvious. Thank you.