During the festive season, London transforms into a magical wonderland after dark, courtesy of its enchanting Christmas lights displays. The lights are a favourite among both locals and tourists, turning any visit into a truly festive day out.
But do these displays really live up to the hype, or are they just all glitter with no glow? Well, Merowe from the Cheap Holiday Expert team is on a mission to find out!
Take a Self Guided Tour of the Best London Christmas Lights
Hey there, I’m Merowe! I work with Chelsea to bring you the best in travel here at Cheap Holiday Expert. Join me on a festive lights tour around London as I explore and rate the best London Christmas lights displays.
Displays will be rated from one to five stars, based on creativity and originality, their overall lighting effect, and the festive entertainment available in the area!
The Regent Street and St James's Christmas Lights Display
The Regent Street and St James’s lights display is the OG of the city’s Christmas lights, and has turned into quite the tourist attraction.
The tradition was set back in 1954, when local traders decided to deck out Regent Street with Christmas lights, and over the years this has evolved into the entire city being aglow for the festive period.
This year’s ‘Spirits of Christmas’ display features sixteen soaring angel-like spirits, but these ain’t your average spirits – they’re adorned with hundreds and thousands of twinkling LED lights. If it’s your first time seeing these, be ready to be blown away. It’s not just a bunch of lights; it’s a pretty magical experience that fits right in with the fancy feel of Regent Street. This display truly offers some of the best London Christmas lights.
Also check out:
See the advent window display at Fortnum & Mason, and pop into Venchi Piccadilly for some super rich hot chocolate and Christmassy crepes. Little ones will love a trip to the famous Hamleys toy store on Regent Street – even if your wallet won’t!
Rating
- Creativity and originality: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
The intricate craftsmanship that goes into creating each of these grand angels is seriously impressive, although they’ve had the same display here now for a few years.
- Lighting effects: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Those huge 17-metre wings almost take up the whole street, giving off a mesmerising lighting effect. With a whopping 300,000 little lights in use, you can’t help but be in awe.
- Entertainment and activities in the area: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
There are lots of flagship stores in the vicinity, Trafalgar Square’s Christmas market is a short walk away, and Piccadilly’s bars and restaurants are just around the corner.
Overall Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
The Regent Street Christmas Lights are truly dazzling, but they could be refreshed with a new theme.
Oxford Street Christmas Lights Display
The Oxford Street lights display provides a starry backdrop for your Christmas shopping. Teaming up with the children’s charity Starlight, they’ve adorned London’s busiest shopping street with thousands of suspended white stars for the ‘A Sky Full of Stars’ display. They’re eco-friendly too – the energy-efficient lights are crafted from recycled materials.
Now, you might be getting noughties flashbacks of the Sugababes switching the Oxford Street lights on – well your memory doesn’t deceive you; it’s been a long-held tradition to have celebrities kick off festive proceedings. This year, the honour went to Lionesses star and Chelsea captain Millie Bright. In my opinion, the Oxford Street lights need all the theatrical razzle-dazzle they can get because, as a stand-alone, they’re not actually that exciting. They’re more of a side order to the Regent Street main dish.
Also check out:
Swing by John Lewis to catch up with Santa in his Grotto – because even the North Pole has a London outpost. Then, cross the road and walk down Harwood Place for a twirl on the Hanover Square ice rink.
Rating
- Creativity and originality:⭐
The thousands of lights create a cool effect but they’ve had this exact display for a few Christmases now. However, the giant John Lewis building display serves as a colourful backdrop and dose of excitement to the Oxford Street lights.
- Lighting effects: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
The sheer number of stars combined with the LED power makes for a dazzling display. If they cranked up the brightness a bit, we’d be truly blown away.
- Entertainment and activities in the area: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Oxford Street stretches from Tottenham Court Road to Marble Arch, making it a great access point for many central London spots. Get some Christmas shopping done before heading to Soho for drinks or Hyde Park for the Winter Wonderland rides.
Overall Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Oxford Street’s been sticking with these simple and classic Christmas lights for a while now, it’s time to inject a bit of creativity and innovation into this display.
Covent Garden Christmas Lights Display
Every year the iconic Covent Garden Market space acts as a backdrop for an exciting new Christmas installation. Covent Garden does Christmas decorations extremely well.
This time around, feast your eyes on 40 oversized bells adorned with bows, 12 colossal baubles and eight twirling mirror balls suspended throughout the market building. The gigantic Christmas tree outside brings that extra sparkle and takes centre stage, creating the perfect setting for daily snowfalls (yes really!) and surprise pop-up events.
Also check out:
Pop by Covent Garden’s Winter Warmer Festival; it’s dedicated to mulled wine! You can’t get much better than that.
Rating
- Creativity and originality: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
You can always count on Covent Garden to bring the creativity and add their own spin to iconic Christmas themes. This installation took 70 people 18 months to create.
- Lighting effects: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
The lights from the decorations bounce off the market walls creating a truly immersive atmosphere and the towering Christmas tree lights up the whole square!
- Entertainment and activities in the area: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Covent Garden is an ever-popular destination, home to London’s theatre scene and some of the best restaurants in the city. But at Christmas, they go all out with the festive entertainment. Mark your calendar for the December Christmas Sandwich Festival, and don’t miss out on Festive Thursdays, featuring surprise performances and discounted shopping.
Overall Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Real design effort has been poured into this display; it looks like an art installation.
With all the exciting events in the mix, Covent Garden has truly become a Christmas hotspot!
Bond Street Christmas Lights Display
Bond Street’s current Christmas display was first set up in honour of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee. The gold and silver tiara-like entrance pays homage to Bond Street’s longstanding royal connection and the world-renowned jewellers of the area.
And if that’s not enough glam for you, Bond Street and Ralph Lauren have joined forces to bring you a seriously sparkly Christmas tree, holding court right outside the store. It’s the glitzy duo you never knew you needed!
This display definitely deserves a spot on the list for the best London Christmas lights.
Also check out:
The luxury flagship stores along the street have pumped some serious dosh into their Christmas storefront lights. Make sure you check out the dazzling displays of Dior and Cartier.
Rating
- Creativity and originality: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
The commemorative theme is indeed pretty special, and let’s be real, who doesn’t love giant tiaras? The lights were initially installed in 2021, but the organisers opted to reuse the display for an extra few additional years.
- Lighting effects: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
The arched design of the display ensures the whole street is lit up. The design of the tiaras is also super dynamic and creates a unique lighting effect.
- Entertainment and activities in the area: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
The area is a hot spot for luxury shopping but is also close to the shops on Oxford Street.
Overall rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Bond Street has seamlessly blended culture, heritage, and quintessential Britishness to achieve a super well-rounded and thoughtful display.
Carnaby Street Christmas Lights Display
You can always count on Carnaby Street to dazzle you with a vibrant Christmas kaleidoscope. Their festive displays are a true treat for the eyes, showcasing a burst of colour that captures the holiday spirit with flair.
This year, they’re whisking visitors through time and space with their intergalactic ‘Carnaby Universe’ installation. The shopping district has been transformed with shimmery tasselled clouds, giant illuminated planets and neon lights. As part of their collaboration with the Choose Love charity, they’ve set up a fundraising pop-up to support refugees around the world.
Also check out:
Have a wander around the Liberty department store and perhaps splurge on a purchase in their iconic Christmas department.
Rating
- Creativity and originality: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
The folk at Carnaby Street put real effort into creating unique themes every year. It’s a real mashup of mediums; they use all kinds of creative reflective materials.
- Lighting effects: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
The display masterfully manipulates different tones and intensities of neon in a super sophisticated way, spilling onto adjacent side roads and completely illuminating the streets. The design is incredibly intricate; it’s a real sensory treat!
- Entertainment and activities in the area: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Grab some stocking fillers at the nearby shops, and be sure to swing by Kingly Court for a mouth-watering array of restaurants.
Overall Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
The Carnaby Street Christmas lights consistently provide a unique take on the festivities, perfectly aligning with the area’s eccentric charm. This year is no exception.
Marylebone Village Christmas Lights Display
Marylebone Village Christmas lights are a little more toned down compared to those of its neighbours, but still just as enchanting.
The streets are lit up with gold and silver vines and leaves. Sustainability is at the forefront of this display; the lights have been made with recycled bottles and are powered by energy-saving LED lights.
Also check out:
Book a table at The Selfridges Lounge for an exclusive The Kit Kat Club Cabaret show, complete with cocktails and Olivier award-winning dancers.
Rating
- Creativity and originality: ⭐
The lights are a tad understated. Although they match the fancy ambience of the area, the design element could be hiked up a notch.
- Lighting effects: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
The lights are strategically placed all along the street, even adorning the lamp posts, jazzing up the whole of the High Street.
- Entertainment and activities in the area: ⭐ ⭐
While the night the lights were turned on was buzzing with live music and market stalls, at other times it’s rather subdued as there doesn’t seem to be as much planned going forward.
Overall Rating: ⭐ ⭐
Marylebone’s elegant Christmas lights display could use an extra sprinkle of festive magic. Adding some seasonal events and pop-ups would be a great enhancement.
What is the Best Christmas Lights Display in London?
Each area adds its own unique twist to a cherished Christmas tradition. Personally, I found the Covent Garden display to be the most dynamic, and honestly, the best London Christmas lights. The design is always fresh and new, and there’s a constant buzz with festive events happening almost nightly. But don’t sleep on the other displays – they’re all worth a visit and most have plenty of festive activities to do nearby. And since they’re all in central London, why not create your own tour of the best London Christmas lights displays and have a go at rating them yourself?
Plan Your Own Self Guided London Christmas Lights Tour
The best thing about the Christmas lights is that they’re free to enjoy! That, and it only takes 45 minutes to walk through them all using our handy map below.
Don’t forget to let us know which ones are your favourite!
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