Here Is When London’s Twinkling Christmas Lights Will Return For 2024

With some dates already announced, and countless messages in our inboxes from people keen to know more, it’s clear that London is looking ahead to its annual displays of Christmas lights. And look, we get it – London sure does look STUNNING when it’s decked out in fairy lights and glowing installations. Plus, Winter Wonderland has already started selling tickets. And now that it’s October, Christmas really does seem to be breathing down our necks already!

What’s the best time to see London’s Christmas lights?

Honestly, as boring as this answer may be, the best time to see the lights is in early December. And this isn’t just me being a Scrooge! Some displays don’t illuminate until late November, or even early December. As such, if you only make one or two visits to London to see the lights, and you come in November (even late November) you might miss a few displays.

However, it is worth noting that by mid-to-late-November (around the 20th) you can usually be pretty confident that a hefty chunk of the lights will have been turned on. So even if they’re not all up yet, there will still be some pretty gorgeous displays to check out.

When do the Christmas lights turn on?

Most places still haven’t revealed their details – which isn’t too surprising. But quite a few of the big hitters have announced details of their lights display for 2024. This includes Oxford Street, Covent Garden, and The Shard. Read on for some confirmed dates for the Christmas lights switching on, and some of our best guesses.

Confirmed Christmas lights dates

Yup – that’s right! Some places have already announced when they’ll be turning on their Christmas lights! Pop these dates in the diary to be among the first to see the lights. If you’re fast enough with your camera, you could be the first of your friends to get a snap on the ‘gram too…

1. Oxford Street – November 5

the oxford street christmas lights criss-crossing above the street
Photo: Doug Peters/PA Wire

The famous Oxford Street Christmas stars are perhaps the most iconic lights in the city, and there’s always a lot of excitement when they go up. When Oxford Street lights up, it really feels like Christmas has arrived! They’ll be flipping the switch on their display on November 5 this year.

2. Regent Street – November 7

the bright spirit of christmas light installation above regent street
Credit: Regent Street

Regent Street started off this whole Christmas lights tradition back in 1954, and the famed Spirits of Christmas float ethereally above the street each year in an iconic display. For the past two years, they switched the lights on on November 9, but this year they’re bringing them out early on November 7.

3. Covent Garden – November 12

Covent Garden Christmas Tree all lit up
Credit: Covent Garden

Covent Garden’s Christmas lights makeover is always spectacular and rivals Oxford Street’s display for the most popular. And they’ve just announced details for this year’s display! They’ll be turning on the Christmas lights on November 12 – and you can expect a big ol’ celebration. You can’t miss it, either, thanks to this year’s mind-boggling 260,000 lights. That’s almost twice as many as last year!

4. Soho Kids Christmas Lights – November 12

One of our favourite annual Christmas displays is the Soho Kids Christmas Lights which transforms children’s drawings into Christmassy decorations that shine down over Soho. They’re returning to London a little earlier this year – on November 12 – with more playful designs once again.

5. Old Spitalfields Market – November 13

people strolling around Old Spitalfields Market beneath an oversized glittering Christmas wreath
Credit: Old Spitalfields Market

Not to be outshone (heh, get it?) by the rest of London, the Old Spitalfields Market has also announced details of their Christmas lights for 2024. They’ll be flipping the switch at 5:30pm on November 13, with guests invited to enjoy an evening of Christmas shopping, live festive music, and free face painting and Christmas craft workshops for the little ones. Oh, and of course there will be plenty of mulled wine and minced pies too, alongside seasonal specials from their many street food vendors. It’s essentially dinner and a (light) show!

6. Marylebone Village Christmas Lights – November 13

the marylebone village christmas lights display shining at night over a street full of people
Credit: Marylebone Village

Clearly, the people in charge of Marylebone Village’s Christmas lights have caught Christmas fever, because they’ve already set a date! Marylebone Village’s Christmas lights will illuminate on November 13 at a special Merry Marylebone event from 3-8pm. Expect festive activities, market stalls, live music and even a special celebrity guest.

7. Kew Gardens – November 13

the palm house light show at kew's christmas trail, with purple and blue illuminated jets of water lighting up the scene
©Raymond Gubbay Ltd – Richard Haughton

Kew Gardens is also bracing early for Christmas, with the announcement that they’ll be turning on their stunning lights display on November 13. The Christmas at Kew light trail is always a stunning sight that transforms the gardens into an illuminated wonderland.

Psst… You can already buy your tickets!

8. Leadenhall Market – November 14

Christmas sees Leadenhall Market’s already stunning interiors spruced up even more with Christmas decorations galore and a big ol’ tree to boot. This year the Lord Mayor’s annual Christmas light switch-on will take place on November 14. They’ll then be hosting three special weekends of Christmas markets.

9. The Shard – November 14

The Shard lit up red and white with christmas lights display
Credit: The Shard

Every year the Shard’s top floors glow with a delightfully festive display to ring in the holiday season. This year they’ll be debuting a new light display inspired by the nation’s love of Christmas carols. You’ll see it lighting up the sky over London from November 14.

10. Chelsea – November 16

Chelsea puts on an expectedly charming Christmas lights display each year, and it’s often around the same rough time. Over the past two years, their Christmas lights have been switched on on the third Saturday of November. And this year is no different, with the area’s Christmas lights set to turn on on November 16 this year. (Which is exactly what we predicted by the way…)

11. Belgravia – November 17

shimmering lights strung up above belgravia
Credit: Belgravia; Grosvenor Estate Management Limited

Belgravia’s tour de force of a light show stretches each year across Motcomb Street, Elizabeth Street, Pimlico Road, Pimlico Road, Eccleston Yards, and Halkin Arcade. So you couldn’t miss them if you tried! In keeping with past years’ displays turning on in November, this year’s lights will be illuminated on November 17. Expect a magical Christmassy street party to accompany the switch-on – at 4pm – with the chance to meet Father Christmas and his reindeer and say hello to The Snowman from Sadler’s Wells.

12. Mayfair – early November

The archway lighting installations found as part of Mayfair's christmas light display, where blue-lit archways covered in stars and lights line the street
Photo: Doug Peters/PA Wire

If past years are anything to go by, Belgravia’s Christmas lights are often closely followed by nearby Mayfair’s lights turning on across Mount Street, too. They haven’t announced a concrete date yet, but they’re promising an event in early November. Could this be the year that Mayfair beats Belgravia to the punch switch-on?!

13. Trafalgar Square – December 5

the trafalgar fountain at night, lit with a blue hue, with a magnificent christmas tree in the background
Credit: Alexey Fedorenko, via Shutterstock

Norway’s annual Christmas present to London is almost always one of the last displays to turn on in London, and this year is no different. (I guess we do have to wait for Norway to send the tree, to be fair…) This year’s Christmas lights display in Trafalgar Square will be illuminated from December 5 onwards. There will also be a carol concert on the night in nearby St Martin in the Fields.

Estimated Christmas lights dates

Sure, not everyone has made an announcement yet, but you’ve asked us to find out! So we’ve looked back into the past to make an educated guess for when we think the Christmas lights might turn on this year around London. Read on for our best estimates…

For some of them, we have a specific date in mind. But for others, we can’t narrow it down too much at all.

14. Carnaby Street

The presenter and Choose Love ambassador Vick Hope switching on the lights at Carnaby Street
Credit: Carnaby

Carnaby Street’s Christmas lights are always over the top in the best way possible, with themes that set them apart from the rest of London’s light displays. Last year’s installation was an out-of-this-world galactic and planetary installation. And based on when that one was lit up, and 2022’s dates, we think the Christmas lights will turn on over Carnaby Street on November 8, matching the date of the past two years.

15. King’s Cross

the christmas tree, and lights, at kings cross
Credit: King’s Cross Coal Drops Yard

King’s Cross’ Coal Drops Yard and Granary Square always get into the Christmas spirit with an enormous Christmas tree and festoons of twinkling lights. Our guess for their return? Sometime around the middle of November.

16. St Christmas Place

This little London oasis gets so into the festive spirit that they even change their name for the season! Each year, St Christopher’s Place turns into its alter-ego for the holiday season, St Christmas Place. And given that it usually happens around the same time, we reckon they’ll be switching on their lights around November 14-15.

17. Savile Row

people walking beneath a christmas lights display of golden shears above savile row
Photo: Aaron Chown/PA Wire

Impeccable tailoring meets impeccably designed Christmas lights and displays each year when the festive season rolls around. Last year saw them switch up their display with lights that paid homage to the street’s tailoring history in the form of tailor’s shears. This year, we’re not sure if the shears will return or we’ll be treated to yet another new display, but either way, we’re guessing we’ll find out around the middle of November.

18. The Churchill Arms

80 Christmas trees and thousands of lights glow on the exterior of The Churchill Arms pub in Kensington, London.
Credit: chrisdorney, via Shutterstock

London’s most outrageously Christmassy pub is so committed to the Christmas lights game that even while closed during lockdown in 2020 they still prepared the lights for a December switch-on. The pub goes completely OTT each year with its Christmas display (we’re talking multiple Christmas trees stuck to the roof and walls) – but we just LOVE it. We think they’ll be lighting up for Christmas this year on or around November 16 – as it has for the past two years.

19. Bond Street

Luxury shopping merits an equally opulent Christmas display, and Bond Street is always more than happy to provide exactly that. Head on down for some spenny Christmas shopping, and check out the lights – which we reckon will be up from around the middle of November.

20. St Martin’s Lane, Leicester Square and Piccadilly

The twinkling lights suspended over Leicester Square in London
Photo: Leicester Square

A relative newbie to London’s Christmas lights scene, this West End-spanning display was first turned on just two years ago. Based on last year’s date and the year before, we’re guessing they’ll be back in mid-to-late November. 

21. Connaught Village

the connaught village tree of love illuminated at night, displaying neon lit hearts, stars, and messages of love all over its branches
Credit: David Parry

Each year Connaught Village gets a lovely themed Christmas lights display that shines down over the streets, and finds their famous tree all decorated and lit up. While we’re not 100% sure yet when the Connaught Village lights will return for 2024, we’re guessing it will most likely happen in the middle of November, during the 3rd or 4th week of the month.

So, there you have it: everything we know about the return of London’s Christmas lights in 2024. Time to figure out how to work your phone while wearing gloves so that you’re all prepped to grab some festive shots. And don’t forget the mulled wine!

The post Here Is When London’s Twinkling Christmas Lights Will Return For 2024 appeared first on Secret London.

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