Things To Do In London Next Week
Shining a light on the next 7 days of London life
London Families
Meet Santa and explore a winter wonderland at London Transport Museum. This December you can visit the Museum for special family activities including a wintery trail, card-making workshop, interactive Routemaster-inspired sleigh and the chance to meet Santa and his elf in our magical winter wonderland. All festive family activities are free with your Museum tickets - kids go free! During the school holidays the museum ramps up its festive family vibes with Santa and his Elfs in available to meet, a giant festive transport poster which you can step inside for a Christmassy selfie, and a Routemaster-inspired interactive sleigh! Festive books and toys will also be available for little ones. All included with your Museum admission - kids go free! 11:00 - 17:00 during school holidays (19-23 December)
See Nile Rodgers and Chic at the festive Carol Service in Chelsea at 7pm on Tuesday 13th December, at St Luke’s Church. The stars will be supported by fellow Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame Inductee, Richie Sambora and Josette Simon OBE will give a festive reading on the night. This event promises to be a magical evening.
Settle down for story then with Santa at the Royal Albert Hall on Friday 16th. This year he will be reading one of his favourite books, ‘Tiny Reindeer’. In this very special festive experience, Albert Hall’s beautiful porch will be transformed into an enchanting North Pole street. Father Christmas and his merry Head Elf will take families on a joyful journey in this charming Christmas story-time session featuring Chris Naylor-Ballesteros’ ‘Tiny Reindeer’, ending with each child taking home their own gift.
Have breakfast with Santa at The Jungle Cafe located 20-24 Shaftesbury Ave
London W1D 7EU. With 4 dates available, Breakfast with Santa offers 3 breakfast options for adults and children which can be selected when purchasing tickets: The magical experience will run for an hour and a half between 9am and 10.30am. Firstly all guests will be seated and served their choice of breakfast to enjoy. During this time Santa and a Jungle Cave mascot will come around to each table and greet all guests for an immersive experience. Ending the experience will be a photo opportunity with Santa and all children will leave with a goody bag.
Go to see Tim Burton’s ‘The Night Before Christmas’ at Wembley. The multiple award-winning composer, songwriter and reigning Pumpkin King, Danny Elfman will be returning to London to bring us Disney’s timeless classic which according to Forbes “elevates the classic movie and transports the audience further into the realm of Danny Elfman and Tim Burton's opus…a MUST SEE”
Experience the enchanting festive lantern and light festival at Hampton Court Palace from the 7th December 2022. This year’s light trail is bigger and better than last year’s, with more elaborate installations and dramatic displays, taking a route through the wilderness, formal gardens and palace that’s double the length of 2021. There will also be an expanded fantastic food and drink offer from street food pioneers, KERB. Expect to encounter curious creatures, from glittering unicorns to polka-dot panthers and from lurking lions to galloping greyhounds, as you wander through the atmospheric gardens and historic palace courtyards after dark.
Watch the beloved holiday favourite, Home Alone in Concert own Saturday 10 December. The show features renowned composer John Williams’ charming and delightful score performed live to picture by a live symphony orchestra. Since its debut in 2013, Home Alone in Concert has become a seasonal favourite with orchestras and audiences around the world!
Art & Culture In London
Join the party at Leake Street Arches in Waterloo from 6-9pm on Tuesday 15th December. London’s longest graffiti tunnel will once again lead this alternative Christmas celebration that will leave even the most Grinchiest of Londoners “all toasty inside”. The evening is set to begin with a Cabaret performance from the award-winning, non-binary artist, Pi the Mime. Guests can then wrap up in a blanket, take their seats (well, deckchairs) and enjoy a screening of ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’. Throughout the event there will be wreath-making workshops, festive face-painting, street food stalls, a mulled wine bar, and market stalls run by local craft traders (perfect for finding that unique Christmas gift). Contributions from the wreath making workshop and donations made throughout the evening will go to Waterloo Foodbank.
Come face-to-face with extinction at the free The Lost Rhino display which opens on the 16th December at The Natural History Museum. The display explores extinction, conservation and technology. Focused around four depictions of a rhino, each of them imperfect in their own way, the display examines our relationship with endangered species. At its centre sits The Substitute, a video installation by artist Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg that brings visitors face-to-face with a digitally recreated, life-sized northern white rhino. With the subspecies nearly extinct, this piece explores the paradox of our preoccupation with creating new life forms, while neglecting existing ones. Displayed alongside Ginsberg's installation is a film of pulsating northern white rhino heart cells grown in the lab, Albrecht Dürer's iconic but inaccurate Rhinoceros woodcut print from 1515 and a rhino from the Museum's collection.
Watch The Nutcracker ballet Live on screen at The Barbican on Sun 11th December. Peter Wright’s much-loved production for The Royal Ballet, with gorgeous period designs by Julia Trevelyan Oman, keeps true to the spirit of this festive ballet classic, combining the thrill of the fairy tale with spectacular classical dancing.
Marvel at the Museum Of The Moon by Artist Luke Jerram at Greenwich’s Painted Hall from December 13th at Old Royal Naval College. This awe-inspiring large-scale installation promises to be truly breathtaking. Gaze up to the beautifully illuminated lunar landscape featuring NASA imagery suspended against the unique Baroque backdrop of the Painted Hall.
Join a festive gingerbread house-making workshop at the The Museum of Architecture’s hugely popular, brilliantly festive and mouthwateringly edible The Gingerbread City® exhibition which returned to London on the 3rd of December, on Motcomb Street, Belgravia. This year’s exhibition presents not just one edible city but five miniature cities across five different climate zones: Polar, Continental, Temperate, Dry and Tropical.
London Eats
TOZI Grand Cafe has opened in Battersea Power Station, with tables available to book from December 12th between 7am until 11pm. The Italian eatery provides Venetian casual dining traditions and the theatre of European grand cafes with menus that include dishes such as Glazed Butternut Squash, Gorgonzola Cannelloni and Buffalo Ricotta Ravioli with Black Truffle.
Treat yourself and the planet this festive season with a plant-based Christmas meal at Purezza in Camden. plant-based. The eco-concious diner started with the goal of making our favourite Italian dishes sustainable and ethical, and that meant making them plant-based – without compromising on texture or flavour. Make sure you try their legendary Christmas Calzone!
Take a trip to Portobello Vegan Night Market Xmas Special on the 14th December. In the heart of West London, this award winning event is all about community with the best tunes and 20+ of the finest vegan traders around. Fill your boots with ethical shopping, delicious food and have a boogie whilst you are at it. This event is free, family friendly and pet friendly.
Indulge your sweet tooth at a Christmas Chocolate Pop Up courtesy of Pump Street Chocolate in Shoreditch, Calvert Ave, E2, from the 15th - 23rd December. They will be serving mince pies, eccles cakes and their single origin hot chocolate to keep you warm whilst doing your Christmas Chocolate shopping, from 10 am - 6pm daily.
Get stuck into some cheese at Borough Market’s Annual Cheese Evening on the 15th December from 6th – 9pm. It’s a cheese-themed shopping extravaganza led by our community of cheesemongers. Enjoy tastings, seek expert advice and put together a festive cheeseboard featuring the highest quality cheeses from Britain, Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and the Netherlands. Find out the best way to put together a festive cheeseboard, which cheese pairings work best together, and refresh yourself with a drink from the other Borough Market traders. It’s a cheese lovers dream.
London Wellness
Run a chip timed 5k or 10k Santa Run through the incredible grounds of the North Park in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on the 11th December. This course is not only flat and fast, but also inspiring. The run is a great opportunity for a quick time and a fun morning out with a unique themed medal waiting for you at the finish. Included is a themed medal, water, fruit & mince pies. Each kilometre is accurately marked out with distance flags and we have plenty of helpers to keep you on track and to encourage you on your way to the finish.
Get fit, get social & discover London with Cycle Club from Fix Your Cycle in Elephant Stores Elephant Park, on the 11-18th December. Whether you’re a casual rider or want to go PRO, join the weekly Cycle Club. This is event is free.
Walk the walk and talk the talk on a Hyde Park Singles Stroll (Ages 30-45) on Sunday 18th. Starting at Elizabeth's Gate by Hyde Park Corner, this energetic host will lead you on a 3km walk through the beautiful Hyde Park. Similar to traditional speed dating we will make sure you chat to everyone in the group but in a much more organic way. We like to keep our walks very informal, fun and accessible for everyone! Once you've got those steps in you'll finish at the Champion pub (Bayswater) for a well-deserved drink with you newfound friends.
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