What To Book In London For Christmas 2023
THE NEW ICE RINK:
Kensington Palace
Next month Kensington Palace will open the UK’s largest ice rink. Guests can skate on a rink the length of a football pitch in 45-minute sessions, before enjoying a range of festive food and drinks. There will be a huge Christmas tree to set the scene, as well as music, games and fun attractions for kids. Guests can buy treats, hampers and presents from the Fortnum & Mason store, and enjoy hot chocolate and mulled wine from the pop-up stalls. Best of all, Kensington Palace has teamed up with Cecconi’s by Soho House to create a VIP area on the first floor of the skate exchange.
Tickets: From £19 for adults & £16 for children.
Kensington Palace, Kensington Gardens, W8 4PX; 30th Nov-7th Jan
THE IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE:
Humbug
Humbug is a new dive bar under the archways of Waterloo. Opening next month, the pop-up will be a winter wonderland hosting live performances, sing-a-longs and storytelling. Created by the team behind Backyard Cinema, it promises an immersive experience led by Santa’s helpers. Along the way, you’ll encounter a host of bar regulars, including a disgruntled dive bar waitress, a mailman who has lost all his letters to Santa, and a changing line-up of the city’s finest cabaret, circus and musical acts. Choose drinks from the ‘Naughty or Nice’ cocktail menu including ‘The Grinch’ with rum, peach schnapps and orange liqueur; or the ‘Bah Humbug’ with rum, chocolate liqueur, oat milk, crushed Oreos and whipped cream.
Unit 9, Leake Street Arches, Waterloo, SE1 8SW; 15th Nov-6th Jan
Tickets: From £19.50.
Visit HumbugChristmas.co.uk
THE FESTIVE EXTRAVAGANZA:
Christmas at The Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall pulls out all the stops for its Christmas showcase, and this year looks set to be no exception. The venue has been celebrating the festive season for over 150 years, and there are numerous events to choose from. Highlights include Home Alone and Elf in concert with a live orchestra, a concert from singer Gregory Porter, a special evening with friends Judi Dench and Gyles Brandreth, and Trevor Nelson’s Soul Christmas show featuring several of the UK’s best R&B acts. There will also be carol services throughout December.
Tickets: From £10.
Kensington Gore, South Kensington, SW7 2AP; various dates throughout December
Visit RoyalAlbertHall.com
THE FUN POP-UP:
Miracle at Henrietta Hotel
Experimental Group is bringing its Miracle pop-up bar phenomenon over from the US to London for another year of festive fun. The Christmas-themed bar – renowned across America for its creative cocktails garnished with a side of kitsch – is being hosted on the Henrietta hotel’s mezzanine, which will be decked out with retro decorations, candy canes, giant nutcracker and lots of tinsel. Guests can tuck into festive bar snacks and drinks like the ‘Christmapolitan’ made with vodka, elderflower, dry vermouth, spiced cranberry sauce, lime, rosemary and absinthe. This year, you can bring your Miracle receipt to Experimental Group’s nearby bar Stereo for a complimentary round of chicken wings and 20% OFF burgers.
15 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden, WC2E 8PS; 13th Nov-23rd Dec
Visit MiracleAtHenrietta.com
THE WEST END SHOW:
Diana the Musical
Written by David Bryan and Joe DiPietro, Diana the Musical stars Denise Welch, Alice Fearn and Aleyna Mohanraj. After a successful run on Broadway, this production will hit the West End stage for one night on Monday 4th December. In this retelling of her story, Diana is handed the mic to reflect on her past. In a theatrical twist, this is a tale in two parts, brought to life with humour and satire. It reveals a woman who, having just signed her divorce papers, sees a future filled with opportunity. Expect camp 80s-inspired show tunes throughout.
Tickets: From £72.
Apollo Theatre, 45 Queen Caroline Street, Hammersmith, W6 9QH
Visit EventimApollo.com
THE PANTO:
Jack & the Beanstalk at Theatre Royal Stratford East
Stratford’s Theatre Royal always puts on a memorable panto with original music and characters, so we were excited to hear this year’s production is a classic with a twist. Jack lives in the curious town of Splatford with his cow, Winnie The Moo, and his mum, Milky Linda. The town is home to a magical marsh full of healing mud, which Jack and his pals spend their days mining. But there’s a big problem: Giant Belch. He dominates Splatford from the sky – stealing the mud, charging outrageous rents and polluting the air. One odd shepherd, a handful of beans and an unexpected beanstalk later, Jack is on a life-changing journey. Can he reach the top, make his mum proud and become the unlikely hero?
Tickets: From £10.
Gerry Raffles Square, Theatre Square, Stratford, E15 1BNl; 18th Nov-6th Jan
Visit StratfordEast.com
THE WINTER FESTIVAL:
Bankside Frost Fair
This winter, Bankside will celebrate one of the most extraordinary events in London’s history – the Frost Fair. From 1605 to 1814, the surface of the Thames froze over 24 times, bringing all trade on the water to a standstill. The people of Bankside took to the ice, creating ‘frost fairs’ featuring markets, games, shops and entertainment. Throughout December and January, Bankside will host a fun market event to commemorate the original fairs, with festive menus, cocktail experiences, themed club nights and creative workshops.
Tickets: From £10.
Great Guildford Street, Bankside, SE1 0FD; dates tbc
Visit BanksideLondon.co.uk
THE MAGICAL BALLET:
The Nutcracker at London Coliseum
From the sound of the orchestra tuning up to the final bows and applause, a trip to English National Ballet at the London Coliseum is an eternal Christmas treat. More than 100 dancers and musicians will bring The Nutcracker to life with world-class dancing, beautiful sets and Tchaikovsky’s popular score played live. On a sparkling Christmas Eve in a frost-dusted Edwardian London, Clara and her enchanted Nutcracker doll discover a magical world, where she battles with the Mouse King and meets a handsome stranger. As the air grows colder, Clara and her valiant Nutcracker take a hot-air balloon ride across London to the glistening Land of Snow where her adventure really begins.
Tickets: From £20.70.
St Martin’s Lane, Covent Garden, WC2N 4ES; 11th Dec-5th Jan
Visit LondonColiseum.org
THE TRADITIONAL OUTING:
Skate at Somerset House
The Christmas holidays don’t start until you’ve hit the rink at Somerset House. This year, older children can skate day or night as DJs set the vibe with fun music. Little ones (or those who need a helping hand) can take lessons with National Ice Skating Association instructors. New this year are the ‘Skate Late’ sessions, and Jimmy Garcia’s alpine-inspired restaurant in partnership with the Swiss tourism board. Plus, homelessness charity Shelter will open a pop-up store where visitors can browse a selection of pre-loved vintage, designer and high-street clothing.
Tickets: From £10.
Somerset House, Strand, WC2R 1LA; 15th Nov-14th Jan
Visit SomersetHouse.org.uk
THE CHILDREN’S SHOW:
The Snowman at Peacock Theatre
Twinkling with festive spirit, The Snowman is back for its 26th year. Based on the book by Raymond Briggs, this performance has transported generations of children and their families into the wintery world of a boy and his magical snowman. With music and lyrics by Howard Blake, including the classic ‘Walking in the Air’, The Snowman is a heart-warming mix of dance, spectacle, storytelling, splendid sets and music performed by a live orchestra.
Tickets: From £18.
Portugal Street, Holborn, WC2A 2HT; 18th Nov-30th Dec
Visit SadlersWells.com
THE LIGHT SHOW:
Christmas at Kew Gardens
Kew’s winter trail is set to return with old favourites and new light installations. Visitors can expect bursts of colour and enchanting optics as they explore a Unesco World Heritage landscape after dark. Along the trail, which takes around 90 minutes to complete, you’ll find a tunnel covered with a canopy of glowing, colour-changing stars. Further along, the Cathedral of Light will twinkle with thousands of fairy lights for that all-important Instagram moment. Stop off at the food stalls along the way to try festive treats and boozy hot chocolate.
Richmond, TW9 3AE; 15th Nov-7th Jan
Tickets: From £22.50.
Visit Kew.org
OWEN HARVEY
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