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christmas in london Archives - Megan Taylor

WHAT TO DO IN LONDON THIS CHRISTMAS

Christmas is and always will be my most favourite time of the year. I love the magic of it and the time to spend with family and friends with yummy food and drink and exciting places and events to go to. Each year, and throughout the year for some reason, my Christmas To Do posts are super popular. Check out my previous years posts for a little extra inspiration. I have been pretty concise this year in my suggestions with only things to do which I have personally taken part in before, therefore knowing they are fabulous and worth your money.

ICE SKATING

There are so many fabulous ice skating venues across London and the whole world at this time of year. I do wish there were more ice skating venues across the world in general to be honest. I believe that the two most adored venues across London at Christmas are Somerset House (£12.82+) and the Natural History Museum (£12.65+). For the ideal ice skating experience I would suggest booking a session between 4/5pm because you then get that absolutely perfect twinkly sunsetting experience. Finish it off with a take away hot chocolate to keep you warm on your way to the bar…or maybe the theatre as I share my favourite performances this year.

THEATRE

I am from a theatre background, both myself and my parents and my brother. We have all worked in the theatre in someway or another. We love going to the theatre all year round but there is something incredibly magical about going over Christmas in a family group. Coincide with a lovely afternoon tea if you have kiddies in tow or cocktails and nibbles if older. This year we have booked to see Home Alone (£25+) played with a live audience at The Royal Albert Hall and I am practically giddy. This experience with La La Land was incredible so I am thrilled to have booked tickets (back in the summer hehe). Another show we are going to see this year in Scrooge at The Old Vic. I wanted to go last year but the tickets were completely sold out. Other fabulous shows which I have seen in the past but are back on are The Nutcracker at the Coliseum (£16.50+) and Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake (£12+). Another show which is theatrical but not theatre is Mariah Carrey is doing a small Christmas tour, including the 02.

CINEMA

I love going to the cinema. As an actress I always come out feeling very inspired. After coming out of the cinema from watching La La Land I walked into an audition the next day and booked it! Other than the inspirational aspect for me, I love that cosy vibe, especially now we have cinemas in the UK like Everyman and Electric Theatre where you can sit on red plush velvet sofas, armchairs and beds all whilst drinking cocktails and eating food. Perfection. This winter there are lots of fab films to go and see. I am seeing Nutcracker this weekend but before the end of the year I also want to watch Mary Poppins Return, The Grinch, Fantastic Beasts:The Crimes of Grindelwald, Ralph Breaks The Internet and The Christmas Cronicles (Netflix). We are seriously spoilt for choice.

RANDOM CHRISTMAS JOLLIES

There are so many fabulous random Christmas fun things to do, especially in the London area. Some exciting goodies that I came across were these:
Winter Wonderland Hyde Park.
SouthBank Christmas Festival.
• Christmas at Kew Gardens.
• Christmas wreath making at Petersham Nurseries.

I have a lot of lovely Christmas posts planned so make sure you stick around and follow me on Instagram and Facebook to make sure you don’t miss it. Christmas recipes and gift guides galore.

LONDON CHRISTMAS TO DO LIST {2017}

I normally write my annual London Christmas To Do List at the end of October but life has been a little bit crazier and busier than normal. This being the case has meant that I will sadly not be including the Christmas lights turn on dates but I hope I have lots of lovely festive finds for you listed below and some key dates for your ice skating and theatre trips. Let me know which sound most exciting to you. For even more festive inspiration check out my guides for 2016 and 2015 which still have some relevant ideas.

THEATRE

Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella
Sadlers Wells
9 December – 27 January
The Nutcracker
The Coliseum
5 December – 10 January
SELLING OUT!
Barnum
Chocolate Menier
25 November – 3 March

MARKETS

Winter Wonderland

17 November – 1 January
Fun for all the family. Winter Wonderland in Hype Park is something that you must experience once. Liam and I went as a romantic date once and it just didn’t live up to that occasion. That being said, going with a group of friends or  with all of the family it is amazing and full of things to do for everyone. There are also events such as ice skating and theatre shows which you can book in advance.

Christmas In Leicester Square

10 November – 7 January
I believe last year was the first year that Leicester Square created the wintery market area. There is a Santa’s Grotto and market like many places but where Leicester Square manages to top others is that they have so many theatre shows for you to book as well.

Southbank
10 November – 4 January
The Southbank is always awash with people visiting their regular markets but at Christmas everything becomes a little bit more twinkly. Being by the riverside makes the weather even more crisp and wintry. This year there is even a Finnish Rooftop Sauna!!!! Whaaaaat?! Yup. Book here, including women only sessions. If you can gather 16 friends together for the experience then you can even privately book out the whole venue.

ICE SKATING

Natural History Museum
26 October – 7 January
£8.80 – £12.65
Hampton Court Palace
24 November – January
£10 – £14
Somerset House
15 November – 14 January
From £7.50

SPECIAL SOMETHINGS

Petersham Nurseries
Petersham is a place that you need to visit in the lead up to Christmas. Everywhere is wonderfully festive in such an elegant way. Check their site out for what classes and events they have on as well, especially their wreath making class.

John Lewis Gardening Society

Do you know that there is a hidden gem on the rooftop of John Lewis, Oxford Street? Well, there is and it is perfectly delightful. Hire your own shed (in a super cool heated decked out sense) fully kitted with your own Robert’s radio and order drinks and food. As from now they have turned the whole of the rooftop into a winter wonderland. Make sure you order a mulled Negroni or Hot Toddy.

Kew Gardens
Kew Gardens have a Christmas light show that I am determined to make time for this year as I have heard such wonderful things about the event.

Wisley Gardens
OK…so Wisley isn’t quite in London but this is a lovely event I wanted to let you know about. Wisley Gardens recently got in touch with me to invite me to have a Christmas bauble decorated for me by artist Jane Redmond. Every Tuesday and Thursday between 12-2pm. Check out Jane Redmond’s decorated baubles which are for sale at Harrods here.

What are you most looking forward to this year?

London Christmas To Do List {2016}


My London Christmas To Do List last year was a really successful blog post and for some reason continued to be all year long. I have decided to do another one a little bit earlier than last year’s as I wanted to help you all plan your Christmas outings and festivities before you get booked up. I have broken it up into categories of lights, theatre, cinema, markets etc. I hope you enjoy it and please do share with all of your friends and family so that we can all have the most wonderful and fun Christmas ever.

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MARKETS

London Christmas To Do List {2016} | Megan Taylor{Photo credit : Timeout}

Leicester Square
Well this seems to be a new event that I am not sure has happened before. The whole of Leicester Square is being transformed into a Christmas market along with a theatre. You can buy tickets in advance for the theatre and Santa’s Grotto but you can also head along to visit the market stalls for free. Find out more here.
11 November – 8 January

Southbank
The Southbank holds an annual Christmas market which is sprawled out for miles. Full of all kinds of market stalls and being free to attend you would be silly not to wander down.
11 November – 25 January

Winter Wonderland
10 years on and Winter Wonderland has turned into quite the tradition for many Londoners. A chance to have a fun time, go on lots of rides, eat festive food and drink lots of mulled wine or spiced rum.
Book your tickets in advance for the main attractions here.
18 November – 2 January

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THEATRE

London Christmas To Do List {2016} | Megan Taylor{Photo credit : Entertainment enquirer}

La Soiree
This show has been around for quite a while now and I have to admit I have been to see it twice. It is a sort of variety show/human circus full of such incredible acts that are truly breathtaking. Each season they change up a few of their acts so you will never see the same thing twice. If you are lucky enough to see ‘Bath Boy’ you are in for a treat.
Buy your tickets here.
11 November – 8 January

Red Shoes
My aunty booked our family tickets to this show back at the beginning of the year and I can’t wait to see it. Matthew Bourne transformed the Nutcracker and Swan Lake into such different modern versions of themselves and I can’t wait to see what he has done with Red Shoes.
Book your tickets here.
6 December – 29 January

Nutcracker
A classic Christmas theatre trip is to see Nutcracker and who better to perform than the English National Ballet. I have seen this performed approximately 6 times and will probably go again.
Book your tickets here.
14 December – 7 January

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LIGHTS

London Christmas To Do List {2016} | Megan Taylor{Picture credit : Jones International}

Kew Gardens
This Christmas you can visit Kew Gardens at night time and experience more than 60,000 twinkly lights with beautiful Christmas music and yummy food. It looks like it will be a more chilled out version of Winter Wonderland. Book your tickets here.
23 November – 2 January

Carnaby Street
The most wacky of the Christmas lights in London tends to be in Carnaby Street. They are always on trend and very relevant.

Covent Garden
The lights in Covent Garden are always beautiful but it is the huge lit up raindeer which draws in the crowds. Tag me in any reindeer selfies you take.

Sloane Square / Kings Road
Sloane Square tends to be my favourite place to visit the Christmas lights in London because they are more delicate and traditional than others. There is often a beautiful tree outside the Saatchi Gallery which you should check out.

Regent Street & Oxford Street
The most commercial lights to visit are those in Regent Street and Oxford Street. They are always turned on by a celebrity and in turn now even coincide with the closing of the street to signify the start of Christmas shopping.
Oxford Street : 6th November
Regent Street : 17th November

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ICE SKATING

London Christmas To Do List {2016} | Megan Taylor{Picture credit : Time Out}

Hampton Court
Not quite London but near to home for me so I have been here a couple of times. If you haven’t seen Hampton Court Palace before then you must book a 5pm ice skating time slot and view the palace at dusk with the twinkly lights.
Book your tickets here.
25 November – 8 January

Somerset House
This is my favourite ice skating rink because it is big and quite frankly a little bit warmer than the other more open rinks, although I am not sure if it is just in my mind because you are surrounded by the enclosed Somerset House? To me, this is the classiest of the rinks.
Book your tickets here.
17 November – 15 January

Natural History Museum
The sight of the history museum at Christmas is spectacular. The museum itself is such a beautiful building but when surrounded by twinkly Christmas fairy lights it is delightful.
Book your tickets here.
27 October – 8 January

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I wish you all a wonderful couple of months full of lovely Christmas spirit xx

{Featured image photo credit : LSC London}