Fun in London this December 2013:
It's December, the month of Christmas cheer, winter warmers and events all over the capital city. Capture its glow with a wander through Hyde Park or saunter along the Embankment taking in the sights of the river as you go. Alternatively, check out an art gallery, bustling craft market or visit one of the ice skating rinks for a truly magical day out in London.
Sunday 1st December 2013
If you’re into vintage fashion – and let’s face it, who isn’t? – then you cannot miss this opportunity to get down to Chelsea and browse this famous vintage fashion market. Items start from as little as £1.00 and the event has historically been visited by names such as Kylie Minogue and Yoko Ono. The market features the biggest names in fashion going at unbelievable second-hand prices. And if you’ve shopped until you’re about to drop – or just need some light refreshment – they have their own “pre-war" Blackbird Tea Room where you can take a step (or two) back in time, get a cup of Earl Grey and eat some impressive home made cakes.
Address: Kings Road, Chelsea, SW3 5EE Map View
Tickets: £4.00 / £2.00 concession
Timings: 11:00 – 17:30
Hotels: Stay nearby from only £11.50!
Sunday 1st December 2013
If you thought that Santa Claus was a little too stout to tackle a 5K run, think again. If you fancy a festive flight around Battersea Park to raise money for the charity Home-Start (which aims to give children the best start in life), this is the event for you. London’s community spirit really comes to life at this unique event, and whether you’re running like the clappers to reach that glass of mulled-wine at the finish line, or you’d prefer to watch a homogonous mass of red, white and beards celebrate the Christmas spirit in a truly exhaustive way, then get yourself down to Battersea for this great day out.
Address: Battersea Park, Albert Bridge Road, Battersea, London, SW11 4NJ Map View
Tickets: Adult £20.00 (min. sponsorship, £75.00), Child £10.00 (min. sponsorship £25.00)
Hotels: Stay nearby from only £15!
Thursday 5th to Sunday 8th December 2013
Shoreditch is, without doubt, the centre of London’s creative community, and this shopping event is a brilliant opportunity to buy designer items from London’s most quirky artists and artisans. Not only can you get gifts for your loved ones for Christmas (or, if you’re like me, have the best of intentions but end up with a sack of things for yourself), there are also workshops on sustainable wrapping, toy making and – obviously – hat making. There’s also a café-bar to regain your shopping strength in – or just as somewhere to dump any reluctant drag-alongs, as this event is sure to have you occupied for hours.
Address: Shoreditch Town Hall, 380 Old Street, London EC1V 9LT Map View
Tickets: £5.00 £3.00 (concessions)
Hotels: Stay nearby from only £15!
Friday 6th to Sunday 8th December 2013
Tired of the same old turkey, stuffing and roast potatoes on Christmas day? Want to lovingly but firmly suggest to the family cook that they try something else this year? Taste of Christmas is designed for you and gathers the world’s top chefs to impart their culinary Christmas secrets on an epic scale. There are cooking demonstrations, tastings from London’s top restaurants and places to buy seasonal ingredients to give your Christmas dinner that long-sought-after brilliance.
The event is visited by more than 30,000 people each year and counting, so when you offer to cook Christmas dinner this year and the usual culprit breathes a put-out sigh of relief, remember that you’ve got the support of thousands of others who, like you, want to make Christmas that little bit tastier.
Address: ExCel London Exhibition Centre, 1 Western Gateway, Newham, Royal Victoria Dock, London E16 1XL Map View
Hotels: Stay nearby from only £8.77!
Friday 6th to Sunday 8th December 2013
This is a festival that seems to appear out of nowhere. One moment you’re wandering through one of London’s most historic markets, and the next, live music from a huge variety of genres has sprung up on every side. The festival spans all of Spitalfields, with classical concerts in the Hawksmoor-designed Christ Church, jazz and contemporary music in the bustling market, musical tours throughout, folk in Spitalfields City Farm (obviously) and contemporary fare in Shoreditch’s Village Underground. You can wander as far as you like to sample the extensive offerings of this festival, or shore yourself up with a glass of wine in the market and while the time away listening to excellent music from all over the world.
Address: Commercial Street, Spitalfields, London E1 6LY Map View
Hotels: Stay nearby from only £14.67!
Friday 6th December 2013 Onward
No Christmas would be complete without a visit to a pantomime, and if you only get to see one, ever, then make it this one.
The New Wimbledon Panto is a rip-roaring, rollicking show that has cast names such as Pamela Anderson, David Hasslehoff and Priscilla Presley in recent years, and every year promises a new and highly questionable casting in its thoroughly un-PC and reliably hilarious entirety. While the actual show this year is yet to be confirmed, tickets for this show sell at breakneck speed, so get in early and be prepared for a frivolous and thoroughly enjoyable evening.
For those of you new to the concept of pantomime, it is a style of musical comedy written for kids but with very adult undertones (and overtones). It’s usually a re-writing of a well-loved fairy tale to include topical humour, slapstick comedy and general lunacy, and those offered by the New Wimbledon Theatre are regularly at the top of every panto-lover’s list.
Address: New Wimbledon Theatre, The Broadway, SW19 1QG Map View
Tickets: £11.90 - £37.90
Hotels: Stay nearby from only £18.33!
Saturday 7th December 2013
Tired of the same old turkey, stuffing and roast potatoes on Christmas day? Want to lovingly but firmly suggest to the family cook that they try something else this year? Taste of Christmas is designed for you and gathers the world’s top chefs to impart their culinary Christmas secrets on an epic scale. There are cooking demonstrations, tastings from London’s top restaurants and places to buy seasonal ingredients to give your Christmas dinner that long-sought-after brilliance.
The event is visited by more than 30,000 people each year and counting, so when you offer to cook Christmas dinner this year and the usual culprit breathes a put-out sigh of relief, remember that you’ve got the support of thousands of others who, like you, want to make Christmas that little bit tastier.
Address: Parliament Hill Lido, Parliament Hill Fields, Camden, Gordon House Road, London NW5 1LP Map View
Tickets: Free to spectate, £15.00 to enter
Hotels: Stay nearby from only £8.99!
Saturday 7th December 2013
As if the Olympics weren’t enough, London brings you yet another major sporting event this December.
That’s right. The Great Christmas Pudding Race for Cancer Research UK.
Athletes in teams of 6 do battle with a series of obstacles that would intimidate any man – balloons full of flour, jets of foam, undoubtedly something slippery – all the while balancing a Christmas pudding on a flimsy plate and in ridiculous fancy dress.
This really is fun for the whole family, and while the event is free, any donations that you can give toward Cancer Research UK would be greatly appreciated. Covent Garden is a wonderful place to be during the festive season and truly embodies the festive spirit of London, as well as being host to some of London’s best designer shops.
Address: Covent Garden Piazza, Covent Garden, London WC2E 9DD Map View
Hotels: Stay nearby from only £12!
Friday 13th to Sunday 15th December 2013
If the thought of three solid days of sampling chocolate from the world’s most respected chocolatiers doesn’t fill you with lip-licking excitement, then you’re just not human. It’s a chocolate festival. Need I say more?
Probably not, but I will. Returning to London’s prestigious Southbank Centre for the 11th year running, the London Chocolate Festival is hosting chocolate-related events from all over the world, including the chance to tailor your own ideal chocolate bar with ChocoMe, a chocolate tasting masterclass with Seventy% and a trip through chocolate history with Chocanory.
This event is literally choca-block (sorry) with things to keep you salivating, and is the ideal opportunity to stock up on Christmas presents for everyone you know (because who doesn’t like chocolate?!) and bespoke Easter eggs a little early. Just make sure you leave enough room in your stomach and baggage!
Address: Southbank Centre Square, Belvedere Road, Waterloo, London, SE1 8XX Map View
Timings: 11:00 – 20:00 (Fri & Sat), 11:00 – 18:00 (Sun)
Hotels: Stay nearby from only £15!
Throughout December, excluding the 24th, 25th and 26th
What was Christmas like before M&S? Before Coca-Cola? Before Christmas trees and baubles and turkey and Sound of Music induced comas?
Every year the Geffrye Museum (which specialises in curating British interior design through history) looks at the way the Christmas tradition has changed in Britain over the years. For the last 20 or more years, it’s given itself a complete festive makeover to take you on a journey through time each Christmas, as well as providing fun events for the whole family; mulled wine, a traditional burning of the holly and the ivy and the chance to make your own Christmas decorations!
This event guarantees to put you in the festive mood, and promises to restore that child-like excitement that is so easily lost after hours of sifting through department stores to find a pair of socks for dad.
Address: Geffrye Museum, 136 Kingsland Road, Hackney, London E2 8EA Map View
Hotels: Stay nearby from only £15!
