London will always be my favourite city. I truly believe that it has something for everyone, and if you can time your visit right, you can have a few magical days. And for me, those magical days included seeing many many tiaras, several royal tombs, some Jane Austen-related sights, and yes, the start of the Christmas lights. Our trip was in the first half of November, so Christmas wasn’t in full force in London at that point. However, I was able to see some of the Christmas sights. Let’s get into London’s Christmas lights and when they started!
London’s Christmas Lights
I think that a lot of major cities do Christmas well, especially in Europe. You’ve got gorgeous cathedrals, sweeping streets of beautiful architecture, and landmarks that lend themselves well to being lit up. And London is no exception! There are so many areas of London known for their distinctive lights, with many dating back over well over half a century.
My mom and I were able to take an open-top bus tour to see some of the lights, which I would absolutely recommend! (As a Canadian, I thought it was chilly but definitely manageable. If you aren’t used to cold-cold, ie. -10, dress very warmly. London isn’t that cold BUT you are on a moving bus out in the open in the dark- it is brisk, especially on your hands if you are taking photos.) Because we were there so early, not all of the lights were up yet- if you think I’ve forgotten some, they may not have been up/on yet.
Christmas at Covent Garden
I always visit Covent Garden several times while I’m in London. Yes, it is always dragged for being a tourist destination, but given how much I love the Royal Ballet, I often find myself in the area. (I was actually supposed to finally do a Covent Garden walking tour that I’ve been waiting years to do, but the guide cancelled, so I can’t say I’ve done that yet- my one regret of the trip!) Originally, I had planned to go to the Christmas tree lighting ceremony but I wanted to make sure I wasn’t late to my Jane Austen talk at Waterstones.
Still, I was able to snap a few pictures and a video of the tree during the day for the sheer scale of it. (To the influencers posing by the tree who were mad that us plebs were walking around enjoying it, you need a few visits from Christmas ghosts.) Covent Garden seems to have a later start on big Christmas celebrations. I can’t find a set date but my best guess is around 1980 when the market re-opened as a shopping site.
Oxford Street Star Lights
I don’t know how long you will be able to take a bus ride down Oxford Street (or up, I suppose), as the intention is to fully pedestrianise it. From what I have read, the target is sometime in 2026, so if you want to catch the Christmas lights like we did, this 2025 holiday season is your best bet!
Oxford Street first put up lights along the street for shoppers to enjoy in 1959 and the next year, it was a fully fledged display. While in early years, snowflake lights adorned the street, it is now known for its stars. You can sponsor a Christmas Star, with the funds going to the Great Ormond Street Hospital (a children’s hospital).
Selfridges
Selfridges has been decorating its windows for Christmas for over a century now, with the first displays put up in 1909. This year, the massive department store has gone with a complete Disney display. You can find some of the windows on my Instagram, including a Winnie-the-Pooh window, and Mary Poppins! While the windows tend to steal the spotlight, the rest of the building gets into the spirit, too! You can spot a trail of magic lit up at night, with Cinderella’s carriage taking a tour to the castle on the corner.
I will say, I don’t find Disney in-and-of-itself Christmas-y, but it does make for a fun display! And I very much appreciate that Selfridges does not do anything by half- there are no forgotten details or sloppy elements. (If I had to guess, it probably pays- given the amount of attention it brings, both on social media and IRL, it is fantastic advertising for the store.)
The Regent Street Angels
And of course, what would a discussion of London’s Christmas lights be without the Regent Street angels? The angels were first put up in 1954, a welcome light in a post-war London. You can now see the angels from the beginning of November to the beginning of January, with their fifteen metre wingspan and seventeen metre trains lighting the historic buildings along Regent Street. Although the angels harken back over seventy years, they are now made up of 300,000 LED lights and run on a timer to help conserve energy.
Have you ever seen London’s Christmas lights? Which are your favourites?
Cheers,
The Historian
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