Book now for Christmas in London

The last of the leaves are still clinging to the trees but before you know it, Christmas will be upon us once more. While it's still a little early to think about baubles and mince pies, some festive fun requires early planning. If you want to enjoy London's most magical family outings or open the doors of an indulgent advent calendar this December, take a moment now to arrange a few essentials.
To make it as simple as possible, we've curated a shortlist of the best festive events that always sell out early.

The best of 2021's beauty advent calendars

A luxury beauty advent calendar might feel a little indulgent at a time when you are supposed to thinking about gifts for other people. But if you choose wisely, it can be a savvy way of stockpiling on beauty treats. Most beauty calendars are actually worth double or triple in retail value – meaning you get to try testers and full-size products (often award-winners and bestselling heroes) along with new must-haves before anyone else, all at a discounted price.

Follow the link below for our lowdown on this year’s luxury beauty advent calendars and remember, the best of the bunch are likely to sell out long before Christmas tunes start taking over the airwaves, so make a note of the on-sale dates and be ready.

Treat yourself

The most magical ballet of the season

The Nutcracker returns in force this Christmas, but there are other charming dance shows to brighten up the festive season. Among them is Protein's utterly charming and entertaining The Little Prince (pictured), which makes an eagerly awaited return to The Place. Also returning – for the 23rd year running – is Birmingham Repertory Theatre's enchanting take on The Snowman.

Christmas dance highlights

A candlelit carol concert to take your breath away

In the lead up to the big day, a host of glorious carol concerts can be heard trilling out across the city. The loveliest of all is the Service of Lessons and Carols at Westminster Abbey. The full, candlelit Christmas Services on 23 and 24 December are the pinnacle of festivities. The concerts are free to attend, but tickets must be reserved in advance (and they're always snapped up faster than hot mince pies).

To reserve your pew and sing ‘fa-la-la-la-la’ along with other merrymakers, remember to book your tickets on Tuesday 16 November (at 9:30am or 2:30pm) or Thursday 18 November (at 9:30am and 2:30pm).

Join the choir of angels

Reserve your seats for the best Christmas theatre in town

Hoping to enjoy an awe-inspiring night at the theatre this Christmas? Curtains are set to rise on some stunning productions: Jack Thorne's adaptation of A Christmas Carol, which returns to the Old Vic for the fifth year running, is an atmospheric and utterly charming take on Charles Dickens's festive classic.

At the Wyndham's, Lolita Chakrabarti's dazzling adaptation of The Life of Pi is set to enchant audiences this winter season. Also likely to be magical (and thoroughly sold out if you leave it too late) is Rufus Norris's Hex, a fresh take on the Sleeping Beauty fairytale at the National; and Nicholas Hytner's long-awaited production of La Belle Sauvage at the Bridge Theatre. Plus, don't miss Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane, which has transferred to the West End's Duke of York's Theatre after a sell-out stint at the National.

More Christmas theatre to book now

Glistening ice rinks to glide across this winter

Thick socks, scarves and ice skates at the ready: the city's glittering rinks are preparing to welcome smooth gliders and their Bambi-esque companions alike this winter. If you want to enjoy a festive experience at peak time, you'd better get your skates on: booking for the best is now open and while sessions aren’t going to sell out right away, we've found that the weekend slots and prime evenings close to Christmas fill up very fast.

There’s plenty to look forward to this season, from special events at the Somerset House rink, to the final season of skating at the Natural History Museum.

Get your skates on

The greatest of the grottos

If you’re a Londoner hoping to take your little ones to see Father Christmas this year, you’re in luck: the city plays host to a number of grottos in the lead up to the big day, each offering a chance to deliver your Christmas wish list in person to the man who can make it happen. Us? We'll be standing in line for the immersive Christmas grotto at the Royal Albert Hall.

Sleigh bells ring