December is when London does its best work. The main light displays have been on since early November, the markets are running at full strength, and the theatres have swapped their usual programmes for pantomime and ballet. It is also the month when a little planning pays off: timed tickets sell out, some venues shut for several days around Christmas, and the Tube does not run at all on 25 December.
This guide covers the best things to do in December in London this year, with dates checked against organisers’ own pages in late October 2026. It has ten dated events with prices and nearest stations, five types of activity for a December day, and ten more ideas split into free, paid, family and couples. Nothing is repeated between sections, so you can mix and match without doubling up.
One calendar note first. Christmas Day falls on a Friday and Boxing Day on a Saturday, which makes Monday 28 December the substitute bank holiday.
Quick answer: The biggest December draw is Hyde Park Winter Wonderland (19 November to 3 January). The best free options are the Southbank Centre Winter Market, the Trafalgar Square tree lights and the West End light displays. Book Christmas at Kew, Skate at Somerset House and the New Year’s Eve fireworks early, because they sell out. Almost everything is shut on Christmas Day.
What’s On in London in December 2026
| Date | What happens |
| Thu 3 Dec | Trafalgar Square tree lights (expected; the tree is traditionally lit on the first Thursday of December) |
| Fri 4 to Sun 6 Dec, Fri 11 to Sun 13 Dec | Festive Fayre at Hampton Court Palace |
| Sat 5 Dec | Cinderella opens at the London Palladium |
| Sat 12 Dec | Cirque Alice opens at Royal Festival Hall (listed; check) |
| Thu 17 Dec | Nutcracker opens at the London Coliseum |
| Tue 22 Dec | King’s Cross Christmas Market closes |
| Thu 24 Dec | Christmas Eve; Old Spitalfields Market ends |
| Fri 25 Dec | Christmas Day: no Tube, most attractions and all markets closed |
| Sat 26 Dec | Boxing Day: sales start, Winter Wonderland reopens |
| Mon 28 Dec | Substitute bank holiday |
| Thu 31 Dec | New Year’s Eve fireworks, 8 pm to 12.30 am |
10 December events in London: dates, prices and who they suit
1. Hyde Park Winter Wonderland
- When: Thursday 19 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027, closed 25 December. Usually 10 am to 10 pm, opening at 11 am from 28 December to 1 January. Last entry 9.30 pm.
- Where: Hyde Park. Nearest stations are Hyde Park Corner, Knightsbridge and Marble Arch.
- Price: Everyone needs a timed entry ticket, from about £1 off-peak to £8.25 at peak. Rides, shows and food cost extra.
- Website: hydeparkwinterwonderland.com
- Best for: Groups, families with older children, first-time visitors.
It is London’s largest festive event and the one most likely to cost more than you planned, because the entry ticket is only the start.
Off-peak slots are cheapest; evenings and weekends in December sit at the top of the price range. If you only want the atmosphere, go on a weekday afternoon and set a ride budget before you walk in.
2. Christmas at Kew
- When: Friday 13 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027, 4.20 pm to 10 pm (9 pm close on 24 December). Not running on 25 December or on several November dates.
- Where: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Kew Gardens station.
- Price: Timed tickets that vary by date and slot. A daytime Gardens ticket does not include it.
- Website: kew.org/christmas
- Best for: Couples, families, anyone who wants a long, slow evening walk.
The illuminated trail takes a couple of hours at an easy pace. Weekend and December evening slots go first, so book as soon as your dates are fixed.
Limited parking has to be pre-booked with the tickets, and Kew runs Quiet Access sessions for visitors with hidden disabilities on selected dates, which also need booking.
3. Skate at Somerset House
- When: Wednesday 11 November 2026 to Sunday 10 January 2027.
- Where: Somerset House, Strand, WC2R 1LA. Temple, Covent Garden, Charing Cross, Embankment and Waterloo are all within walking distance.
- Price: Free to enter the courtyard. Skating runs from £11 to £28.50 for adults depending on peak or off-peak, and £11 for children.
- Website: somersethouse.org.uk
- Best for: Couples, evening skaters, photographers.
The rink sits in a neoclassical courtyard, which is the reason to choose it over cheaper rinks. Boot hire is included in the ticket.
Weekday mornings are the cheapest and quietest slots; December weekends get crowded.
4. Winter Palace at Hampton Court Palace
- When: Saturday 28 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027. Closed on 30 November, 1 December, 7 to 8 December, 14 to 15 December and 24 to 26 December.
- Where: Hampton Court Palace, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Trains run to Hampton Court station from Waterloo.
- Price: Included in palace admission (Historic Royal Palaces members go free). The ice rink (20 November to 3 January, excluding 25 December) is a separate ticket.
- Website: hrp.org.uk
- Best for: Families, history fans, anyone who prefers a daytime outing.
New for 2026, the Winter Palace: The Christmas Beast Ball turns much of the palace into a mythical-creature Christmas ball, with some undecorated historic routes kept open for visitors who prefer them.
The Festive Fayre runs on 4 to 6 and 11 to 13 December, 10 am to 5 pm, with more than 100 artisan producers.
5. Trafalgar Square Christmas tree lights
- When: Expected Thursday 3 December 2026. Last year’s ceremony started at 5 pm with the lights switched on at 6 pm; expect a similar timetable and check the date on the Mayor of London’s page.
- Where: Trafalgar Square, WC2N. Charing Cross is the closest station.
- Price: Free.
- Website: london.gov.uk (search “Trafalgar Square Christmas”)
- Best for: A free evening, families, visitors who want the traditional start to the season.
Norway has sent the tree every year since 1947 as thanks for Britain’s support during the Second World War. It stays up until just before Twelfth Night.
Arrive early for the ceremony itself, as the square fills quickly, or visit on any later evening when it is much quieter.
6. Cinderella at the London Palladium
- When: Opens Saturday 5 December 2026 and runs to 10 January 2027.
- Where: London Palladium, Argyll Street, W1F 7TF. Oxford Circus station.
- Price: Varies by date and seat. Check the official box office.
- Website: londonpalladium.com
- Best for: Families, groups, first-time pantomime audiences.
This year’s headline draw is Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders as the Ugly Sisters. Pantomime is a particular British format, with audience shouting built in, so it suits children and adults who enjoy a loud afternoon.
Matinées on weekdays are usually easier to get seats for than Saturday evenings.
7. Nutcracker at the London Coliseum
- When: Thursday 17 December 2026 to Saturday 9 January 2027.
- Where: London Coliseum, St Martin’s Lane, WC2N 4ES. Charing Cross or Leicester Square.
- Price: Varies by date and seat. Check the official box office.
- Website: ballet.org.uk
- Best for: Families with children over five, ballet beginners, a festive date night.
English National Ballet’s production uses more than 100 dancers and musicians, with Tchaikovsky’s score played live.
Children under five are not admitted except at the family-friendly performance on Saturday 9 January at 2 pm, which falls just outside December.
8. King’s Cross Christmas Market
- When: Friday 27 November to Tuesday 22 December 2026.
- Where: King’s Cross, N1C. King’s Cross St Pancras station.
- Price: Free to enter.
- Website: kingscross.co.uk
- Best for: A quick weekday visit, gift shopping, combining with a Regent’s Canal walk.
It closes earlier than most London markets, so it is one to visit in the first half of the month. Because King’s Cross is a major interchange, it is easy to add to a day that starts or ends with a train.
9. Southbank Centre Winter Market
- When: Monday 2 November 2026 to early January 2027 (listings give 3 or 4 January). Closed 25 December.
- Where: Queen’s Walk beside the Southbank Centre, under Hungerford Bridge. Waterloo or Embankment.
- Price: Free to enter.
- Website: southbankcentre.co.uk
- Best for: A free evening, river views, a stop before a show at the Southbank Centre or the National Theatre.
The chalets line the riverside path, so the walk is part of the experience. Craft stalls usually shut earlier than the food stalls and bars, so check closing times if you plan to shop rather than eat.
10. New Year’s Eve fireworks
- When: Thursday 31 December 2026, 8 pm to 12.30 am, with the display at midnight after Big Ben chimes.
- Where: Ticketed viewing areas around Westminster and the London Eye.
- Price: Ticketed. Prices for 2026 should be checked on the official page; tickets started from £20 last year.
- Website: london.gov.uk/events/london-new-years-eve-2026
- Best for: Groups and planners. It is not an event to improvise.
Tickets were released in batches from 23 October. Without a ticket you cannot enter the viewing areas, and the ticketed zones get very busy, so do not turn up hoping to find a gap.
Last year around 100,000 ticketholders lined the Thames. Use only the official booking route, expect station restrictions near the viewing areas, and check TfL for the night’s service.
Events compared
| Event | Cost | Book ahead? | Best for |
| Winter Wonderland | Entry from about £1, rides extra | Yes, timed entry | Groups, families |
| Christmas at Kew | Paid | Yes, sells out | Couples, families |
| Skate at Somerset House | Courtyard free, skating £11 to £28.50 | Yes | Couples, evenings |
| Winter Palace, Hampton Court | Included in palace admission | Advisable | Families, history fans |
| Trafalgar Square tree | Free | No | A free evening |
| Cinderella, Palladium | Paid | Yes | Families |
| Nutcracker, Coliseum | Paid | Yes | Ballet fans |
| King’s Cross Market | Free | No | Quick visit |
| Southbank Winter Market | Free | No | Pre-theatre stop |
| NYE fireworks | Paid | Essential | Planners |
5 types of activity that suit a December day in London
1. Walk the West End light displays
Regent Street’s angels, Carnaby Street’s lights (themed on 1990s nostalgia this year) and Oxford Street’s displays have been up since early November and stay on through the festive season.
A simple route runs from Oxford Circus down Regent Street to Piccadilly Circus, with a detour into Carnaby Street.
It is free and takes about an hour. Start after sunset, which falls just before 4 pm in mid-December, and pick a weekday evening if you want room to stop and look.
Saturday nights are slow-moving.
2. Do a market food crawl
Three markets suit a grazing day: Borough Market near London Bridge, where Christmas programming is listed from 30 November; Old Spitalfields near Liverpool Street, which runs to 24 December; and Greenwich Market, with Christmas late openings listed to 24 December (dates there were still described as expected).
Two in one day is realistic. Go hungry, carry cash as a backup, and expect mulled wine, raclette and mince pies at every stop. Borough Market is a working food market all year, so some stalls are better for lunch than for gifts.
3. Spend a free day in South Kensington’s museums
The Victoria and Albert Museum, the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum sit within a few minutes of each other off Exhibition Road.
General admission is free at all three, which makes this the best wet-day option in the city. Queues build at the Natural History Museum on December weekends, so go first thing.
Check each museum’s Christmas closure dates before you travel; most close for 24 to 26 December.
4. Take a winter walk on Hampstead Heath
Parliament Hill gives one of the widest skyline views in London, taking in the City, the Shard and Canary Wharf, and it costs nothing.
Go on a dry morning, wear proper shoes, because paths turn muddy quickly, and finish with a pub lunch in Hampstead village.
It is a very different December from the one in Zone 1, and it is a good option on the days between Christmas and New Year when central London is at its most crowded.
5. Shop the Boxing Day sales
Boxing Day falls on Saturday 26 December this year, and the big Oxford Street and Regent Street stores, plus Knightsbridge and Westfield London and Stratford, are expected to trade full hours because it is not a Sunday.
Opening times vary by store, so check each retailer. Expect crowds from the moment doors open, and check TfL before you set out, as Tube services are normally reduced on Boxing Day.
10 more things to do in London in December
Free things to do
1. See Covent Garden’s Christmas decorations. The lights were switched on on 12 November under this year’s “Theatre of Christmas” theme. The piazza and market hall are free to walk through, and street performers work the area on dry days. Covent Garden, Leicester Square and Charing Cross stations are all close.
2. Walk through Leadenhall Market. The Victorian covered market in the City of London dresses its arcade for Christmas. It is free, quick to visit, and best on weekday lunchtimes when City workers are about, though it is quiet at weekends. Bank and Monument are the nearest stations. Check decoration dates, as they were not confirmed when this was written.
3. Follow Regent’s Canal from Little Venice to Camden. About 2.5 kilometres of towpath, free, with narrowboats and a market at the end. It works best in the morning light, since December afternoons fade by four. Warwick Avenue is the start; Camden Town is the finish.
Paid things to do
4. A West End Christmas concert at the Lyric Theatre. West End Musical Christmas is listed from 14 December, a festive concert with a rotating cast. Piccadilly Circus is the nearest station. Check the booking page for performance dates.
5. Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella at Sadler’s Wells. Set in the Blitz-era London of the Second World War, with Prokofiev’s score, it is listed from 1 December. Angel station is the closest. This is a different production from the Palladium pantomime above.
6. Bill Bailey: Vaudevillean at Theatre Royal Haymarket. A comedy show with live music, listed from 16 December. Piccadilly Circus is the closest station. It is a good option if you want a December night out without the Christmas theme.
Things to do with children
7. Sleeping Beauty at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley. A pantomime with Vernon Kay, listed from 5 December to 3 January. It is a good option for families in south-east London who would rather not cross town. Bromley South is the closest station.
8. Stick Man at the Bloomsbury Theatre. An adaptation of the Julia Donaldson picture book, listed in December theatre guides. It suits younger children who are not ready for a long panto. Euston Square and Warren Street are nearby. Check performance dates before booking.
Things to do as a couple
9. Cirque Alice at Royal Festival Hall. Listed as a European premiere running from 12 December to 3 January at the Southbank Centre. Pair it with a walk along the river afterwards. Waterloo is the closest station. Confirm dates on the Southbank Centre website.
10. A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong at Wyndham’s Theatre. A slapstick take on the Dickens story from the team behind The Play That Goes Wrong. It is listed in December guides; check the booking page for dates. Leicester Square and Charing Cross are close.
Planning notes for December
Christmas week: what is open
- 24 December: Most museums and shops open but close early. Winter Wonderland and Kew run to their usual late times, with Kew closing at 9 pm.
- 25 December: The Tube does not run, and buses are extremely limited or absent. Winter Wonderland, Kew, the Christmas markets and Hampton Court’s Winter Palace are closed. Check TfL’s Christmas travel page before you plan anything.
- 26 December: Winter Wonderland reopens and the sales start. Hampton Court’s Winter Palace remains closed.
Pros and cons of visiting in December
| Pros | Cons |
| Lights, markets and theatre programmes are all at their peak | Daylight is short: sunset is just before 4 pm in mid-December |
| Many of the best things are free (lights, markets, the tree) | Timed tickets sell out, and weekends are the first to go |
| Wintry weather suits indoor culture days | Weather is usually single-figure Celsius and often damp |
| Pantomime and ballet seasons run for weeks | Prices peak around the second half of the month |
How to get official New Year’s Eve fireworks tickets
- Open the Mayor of London’s New Year’s Eve 2026 page at london.gov.uk/events/london-new-years-eve-2026.
- Follow the official ticket link to Ticketmaster, which is the only seller listed there.
- Pick your viewing area and the number of tickets, then complete the purchase.
- Plan how you will get home. Check TfL for station closures and expect queues at Westminster, Waterloo and Embankment.
- If tickets are sold out, look for river cruises or other official New Year events instead of resale sites, which have a record of counterfeit tickets.
FAQs
What are the best things to do in London in December?
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, Christmas at Kew, ice skating at Somerset House, the Trafalgar Square tree, the West End lights, pantomime at the Palladium, and the New Year’s Eve fireworks. Book the paid ones early.
Is Hyde Park Winter Wonderland free?
Entry is cheap but not free for everyone. A timed ticket is needed for every visitor, with prices from about £1 off-peak to £8.25 at peak, and rides cost extra.
Is London open on Christmas Day?
Very little is. The Tube does not run, Winter Wonderland and the Christmas markets are closed, and most attractions shut. Some restaurants and hotels open for Christmas lunch, usually pre-booked.
When do London’s Christmas markets close?
It varies. King’s Cross closes on 22 December and Old Spitalfields on 24 December. Southbank Centre and Winter Wonderland run to early January. No market opens on 25 December.
How do I get tickets for the New Year’s Eve fireworks?
Buy through the official Mayor of London page, which links to Ticketmaster. The first batch went on sale on 23 October. You cannot enter the viewing areas without a ticket.
What is free to do in London in December?
The Trafalgar Square tree, the Southbank Centre Winter Market, King’s Cross Christmas Market, the West End lights, Covent Garden’s decorations, Leadenhall Market, Hampstead Heath and the major national museums.
What should I wear in London in December?
Daytime temperatures are usually in single figures Celsius, often with rain. Pack a waterproof coat, warm layers and shoes you can walk in for hours. Outdoor events like Kew and Winter Wonderland feel colder after dark.
When is the best time to visit in December to avoid crowds?
Weekday daytimes in the first half of the month. The weekends before Christmas are the busiest, and central London is crowded again between Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve.
Where to start
Pick two anchor events, such as Winter Wonderland and Christmas at Kew, and book the timed slots now. Fill the gaps with free options like the light walk and Southbank Winter Market. Keep Christmas Day clear, because there will be little to do outside your own plans. For New Year’s Eve, decide on tickets early, and have a backup like a river cruise.
If you are planning around the capital’s neighbourhoods, a useful next read is our guide to London’s Christmas lights, or a January guide for what is on after the festive season finishes.
