Christmas is a beautifully magical time of year and many cities have fantastical light displays, but over the years I’ve really appreciated the variety of Christmas Lights in London.
When I was a child growing up in Massachusetts (in the USA) my family used to take detours at night on our way home to see the most beautiful of the Christmas light displays. My home town had an artist who each year would design and create a new display for children, and adults, to drive past slowly and appreciate the glory of the season. It was a huge part of the holiday season, and even more generic lights were common on the neighbourhood homes. I remember my Dad climbing what seemed to be an impossibly tall ladder just to put a string of lights on the tree in our front yard.
None of that prepared me for London’s approach to Christmas – I quite literally have seen the centre of the city lit up from the air when flying over it a few years ago around this time of year. A bright beacon of light that shone even through a thick layer of clouds.
Some displays change year on year, like Carnaby Street. While other displays change after a handful of years, like Oxford Street or Regent Street. Beyond the light displays are the winter institutions – the store windows of Harrods or Selfridges, or the ice rinks throughout the city.
Table of Contents
Top Christmas Lights in London Displays
Oxford Street
The lights string from building to building over the length of the street, and provide a dazzling ceiling for one of London’s busiest shopping streets during the long winter nights. The most recent display of Christmas lights on Oxford Street feature a variety of orb shaped lights, usually white in colour but in recent years there have been some gold and pink ones added as well. In 2019 these were updated to panels that represented screens which could display messages.
Regent Street
Since 2016 the display over Regent Street is called the “Spirit of Christmas“, and is gorgeously elegant in it’s design. It features an illuminated body of an angel with the wings spanning between the stunning buildings on Regent Street.
Seven Dials
The display in Seven Dials changes annually, but always impresses. They line the narrow streets of this charming shopping and restaurant district and always display the name of the neighbourhood in bright lights. A lot of effort is put into the displays in Seven Dials and it really livens up an already charming neighbourhood.
Trafalgar Square
Every year Norway gifts a huge Christmas Tree as a thank you for the United Kingdom’s support to Norway during the Second World War. The tree is lit up and sits in the middle of this already impressive square in the shadow of the grand National Gallery.
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is an already glorious place to visit in London, with it’s incredible market architecture. During the Christmas season they always host a large Christmas Tree (smaller than Trafalgar Square, but still impressive), and have a variety of exhibits and decorations.
Where else to see Christmas Lights in London?
There are light displays glistening throughout the city starting in November and carrying through the end of December.
Neighbourhoods with Beautiful Displays
- The Strand
- Marylebone
- Carnaby Street
- Belgravia
- New Bond Street
- Mayfair
Stunning Exhibitions to Visit
- Enchanted Woodland at Syon House
- Christmas at Kew Gardens
- Kensington Palace
- Southbank Christmas Markets
- Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park
- Christmas Market in Leicester Square
- Ice Skating at London’s Landmarks (Natural History Museum, Tower of London, London Eye, Canary Wharf)
Impressive Displays at Department Stores
- Harrods
- Selfridges
- John Lewis, on Oxford Street
Several of the bus tour companies also offer Christmas Lights tours as well, which are an incredible way to see the city (even if it’s freezing).
Several Years of Christmas Lights in London
I normally return to Massachusetts for Christmas but I still have had the opportunities to see some of the most beautiful Christmas Lights in London before heading back. I’ve collected photos from over the years for some of my favourites to showcase the changes and ranges of those displays.
Oxford Street
My daily commute for over 7 years included taking a bus down the length of Oxford Street, which has one of the most incredible displays of Christmas Lights. Of all the Christmas Lights in London these are the ones I have become most familiar with.
2012 | Marmite Sponsors the Christmas Lights
2013 – 2018 | Orb Lights
2019
Oxford Circus
The lights in Oxford Circus are a unique cross section of Regent Street lights and Oxford Street lights, showing off both of them depending on where in the circus you stand.
Regent Street
Regent Street has embraced the “Spirit of Christmas” lights in the recent years, but when I first moved the street had a variety of sponsored displays. One year was sponsored by one of the Night in the Museum movies, and another year it told the story of the Christmas Carol “12 Days of Christmas“.
2012 | The Twelve Days of Christmas
2013 | Sponsored by Mr. Peabody & Sherman
2014 | Sponsored by Night at the Museum: Secret Tomb
2015 – Present | “Spirit of Christmas“
Seven Dials
Seven Dials changes year on year and it remains one of my favourite displays to see.
Trafalgar Square
The display of the Norwegian Christmas Tree remains the same every year, but it always stuns me with it’s beauty, symmetry and height.
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Comments (19)
Wow these are all so beautiful!
Where we live, the Christmas displays that the city puts up remain the same every year. What I like to do every year is to drive through the neighborhoods. Many of the displays seem to grow year after year as people but more and more stuff that they decorate their houses with. Until one day, as happened to me, the circuit breaker cannot handle all the electricity consumption any more and keeps tripping.
Amazing post!! I was hoping to get to London this year to visit the lights – crossing my fingers for next! Will definitely be using this post for reference for planning that trip! Thank you for sharing this!
London looks so resplendent during Christmas. It is really interesting to see how the lighting has evolved over the years. Very interesting read and lovely pictures.
Love visiting London but somehow have not done so over the holiday season. We absolutely love wandering around the charming streets near Seven Dials and Covent Garden and so I can imagine how magical these must seem with the added splendor of the Christmas decor. Hope to experience the Christmas magic in London next time around.
Awesome shots. My wife, Darcee, would love this cause she just loves Christmas lights. So Trafalgar square seems like a disappointment compared to all the others. But I felt that about the area when we were visiting a few years ago just in general. I think Oxford Street & the Oxford Circus are hands down the winner based on your pics. Who is that funny faced guy imposed in the wreath over the Oxford street entrance? Looked like Mike Meyers!
I will say that when we go for a Christmas, I will have to take Darcee to see the Christmas Markets at Southbank and then ice skating at the Natural History Museum too! That is how you do Christmas!
Going to see Christmas lights is one of my favorite parts of the holiday. Hopefully I can make it to London this year and check out the displays, especially at Harrods. That angel on Regent Street looks amazing. Loved the galleries of past light displays.
I’ve made it to London quite a few times in my life but never around the holidays! I’ve always yearned to be in a big city filled with lights to truly experience the magic. Might just have to make my next Europe trip around December time to experience something like this. Thanks for sharing!
wow, you have seen a lot of lights over the years. Seeing Harrods at Xmas has always been high on our list…maybe 2021 will be the year we do it. Hope things are normal by next December!
Great post! I always loved riding the bus around London before Christmas when everything was lit up.
Carnaby Street is normally my favourite, but I LOVED that year when marmite took over oxford street and had santa/elves throwing up in the moving lights! That one made me laugh sooo much, so I am glad you included it!
These are so beautiful! Lovely to see how the Christmas lights and decorations in London have evolved over the years. It must be magical to walk in the city around Christmas time. I think my favorite is the illuminated angel on Regent Street.
I love Christmas displays and that alao what makes me visit the cities and see how artistically they made it. It also gives me inspiration on what I will place in my house during Christmas. London is definitely in my travel list as soon as we can travel again.
I have only seen pictures of the various Xmas displays in London. However, I have never seen one in person. It was fun reading this and learning about the famous places that one could visit when in London for the season. I am quite intrigued about the creativity that you describe seven dials has. Small but different every year.
Trafalgar Square is quite popular as I have heard of the Christmas decorations there before. But I was not aware of many other sites, like Seven Dials and Oxford Street and they look so lit. I have never seen anyone of them in person, but will surely plan my visit to London during the winters to witness this. No doubt, it gets more impressive by every passing year.
I adore London and would love to go at Christmas. How fun that Norway gives a tree each year. Thereโs also a bit of nostalgia with some of the light displays changing yet excitement with others changing from year to year. What a lovely place to enjoy the holidays!
This is so beutiful! Made me miss my days in London streets with a hot chocolote in my hand and the magic of december walks around England. For sure an amazing place to spend Christmas at!
Visiting London during the holidays definitely sounds magical! Thanks for this journey through time, Covent Garden and Harrod’s look especially lovely under the lights.
I didn’t know London had such ornate displays of Christmas lights! I especially love the orb lights because they look like they’re just floating over the street! I would absolutely love to visit London during the holidays once it’s safe to travel again!
This is such a beautiful post idea! Christmas lights are magical and so beautiful. I’ve never been in London for Christmas but now I have to go just to see the lights.