Christmas

This Week in London – Trafalgar Square Christmas tree to light up; new location for returning Sir John Tenniel plaque; and, Chinese crafts at the V&A…

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• The lights will be turned on the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree tonight. This year marks the 78th anniversary of the gift of the first Christmas tree to the people of London from the Norwegian city of Oslo in acknowledgement of the support Britain gave to Norway during World War II. The festivities will include the choir of St-Martin-in-the-Fields singing some well known Christmas carols to music led by the Regent Hall Band of the Salvation Army, the reading of a poem written by children who live in Westminster, a display by The Corps of Drums from the Band of His Majesty’s Royal Marines Collingwood and a performance by Det Norske Jentekor, The Norwegian Girls’ Choir, conducted by Anne Karin Sundal-Ask. Festivities start at 5pm and the lights switch on at 6pm. The tree will be in the square until 5th January after which it will be recycled. You can follow the tree on Instagram at  @TrafalgarTree, on TikTok at @TrafalgarTree, and on X at @TrafalgarTree.

• A Blue Plaque commemorating Alice in Wonderland illustrator and political cartoonist Sir John Tenniel has been returned to London’s streets – but to a different location than that where it was first positioned. The plaque, which is actually jade-green and white, was originally unveiled by the London County Council in 1930 at Tenniel’s longtime Maida Vale home (the colour was due to the request of the house-holder). But following its removal when the house was demolished in 1959, the plaque was so damaged that its destruction was authorised. But this wasn’t carried out and the plaque, which features an early “wreathed” design, has been in storage since. Following restoration, however, it has now been relocated to a new home – a property at 52 Fitz-George Avenue in West Kensington where Tenniel spent the final years of his life.

Figure from the ‘Century Doll’ series, glazed porcelain, by Yao Yongkang, 2004, Jingdezhen, China

• The first major UK exhibition exploring contemporary studio crafts in China is on now at the V&A South Kensington. Dimensions: Contemporary Chinese Studio Crafts features more than 80 objects including almost 50 new acquisitions and puts a spotlight on “contemporary and modern makers who build upon longstanding tradition to reinvent ancient practices, pioneer alternative techniques, and develop new channels for self-expression”. Many of the objects – displayed in the China and Ceramics galleries – sit in dialogue alongside permanent displays of historic Chinese craftsmanship. Highlights include large scale works such as Lin Fanglu’s She’s Bestowed Love (2025), that transforms intricate tie-dye practices into a monumental textile sculpture, more delicate pieces such as Zhang Huimin’s Golden Mammary 4 (2025), a brooch produced by pushing the boundary of filigree in a reinvention of traditional practice, a wall hanging by pioneering artist of studio pottery Tan Chang, as well as works by the three potters who were the first to be exhibited in China under the mantle of ‘modern ceramics’: Mei Wending, Zeng Li and Zeng Peng. Runs until 27th September next year. Free admission. For more, see www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/dimensions-contemporary-chinese-studio-crafts.

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LondonLife – Downing Street’s Christmas lights…

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Prime Minister Keir Starmer turns on the Christmas tree lights outside 10 Downing Street. PICTURE: Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street (licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

This Week in London – Christmas at Hampton Court; Caravaggio’s Victorious Cupid; and, Romani art, culture and heritage…

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PICTURE: paulafrench/iStockphoto

• Christmas has come to Hampton Court Palace with the one-time home of King Henry VIII decorated with traditional decorations and hosting a range of Christmas-related activities. Musicians located throughout the palace are playing a mixture of classical tunes and familiar Christmas melodies while in the Wine Cellar “intriguing history” of Christmas is being brought to life in story-telling sessions. The culinary Christmas traditions of the Tudors, meanwhile, are on display in the historic kitchens with, between 20th December and 4th January, the Historic Kitchens team recreating recipes from the Tudor court. The Magic Garden is hosting a special playful outdoor adventure for younger ones between 17th December and 4th January. The Hampton Court Palace Ice Rink has also returned (until 4th January) and there’s a Christmas market being held in the Great Fountain Garden on 5th to 7th December and again on 12th to 14th December. The Festive Fayre will feature more than 100 independent exhibitors offering artisan food and drink, unique gifts and stocking fillers while there will be live music on the East Front bandstand and horse and cart rides in the grounds. Admission charge applies. For more on Christmas activties at the palace head to www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace/whats-on/christmas-festivities/.

• Caravaggio’s Victorious Cupid – never-before seen in public in the UK – is at the centre of a new exhibition which has opened at the Wallace Collection. The sculpture is presented with two Roman sculptures that along with the Caravaggio were all once part of the portfolio of Marchese Vincenzo Giustiniani (1564–1637), one of the most celebrated collectors of his day. The life-sized Cupid was once displayed along with works by the likes of Raphael, Titian and Giorgione in his grand palazzo located near the Pantheon in Rome along with an extensive gallery of classical sculpture. Caravaggio’s Cupid, which is free to enter, can be seen in the Exhibition Galleries until 12th April. For more, see www.wallacecollection.org/whats-on/exhibitions-displays/caravaggios-cupid/.

• A new display honouring the livelihoods, creativity and craft of Romani communities and their contribution to British society has opened at the London Museum Docklands. By Appointment Only: Romani art, culture and heritage centres on three works, Sugar Coated (2025) by Corrina Eastwood, Tap Your Heels Together Three Times (2025) by Delaine Le Bas and What Makes a Home? (2025) by Dan Turner. There’s also timeline by John-Henry Phillips which illustrates the history of Romani communities from 500-1000 up to 2022. This is displayed along with the Historic England film Searching for Romani Gypsy Heritage with John Henry Phillips (2024) and an oral history piece both of which contextualise the timeline. The exhibition in the Reflections Room is free. For more, see www.londonmuseum.org.uk/whats-on/by-appointment-only/.

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Wishing all our readers a Merry Christmas!

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PICTURE: Jackylie99/Shutterstock

We’re taking a break for Christmas but will be back before the New Year.

LondonLife – Christmas comes to 10 Downing Street…

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PICTURE: Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street (licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria Starmer turned on lights on the Christmas tree outside 10 Downing Street on 2nd December. The couple were joined by NHS workers, military personnel and members of the police. The Christmas tree is the winner of a competition run by the British Christmas Tree Growers Association, chosen for showcasing “the finest dedication, craftsmanship and commitment of British Christmas tree growers”. This year’s Nordmann Fir was grown by Evergreen Christmas Trees – a family run business based on the Welsh border who have been growing Christmas trees since 1992. The runner-up in the Christmas tree competition – Cadeby Tree Trust from Warwickshire – have supplied two Christmas trees for inside Downing Street. The wreath for the famous door at Number 10, meanwhile, was provided by Santa Trees, a Christmas tree farm from Cornwall. Lights on London’s most famous Christmas tree – that in Trafalgar Square – are being turned on this Thursday (5th December).

Have a Merry Christmas!

by exploringlondon

Wishing you a safe and happy Christmas and New Year.

PICTURE: SHansche/iStockphoto

Keep an eye out for our annual countdown of the most popular posts for 2023 next week!

LondonLife – St Pancras ‘book tree’…

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PICTURE: JuliaC2006/Flickr (licensed under CC BY 2.0)

A Christmas tree with a difference, this year’s festive display at St Pancras International features a 12 metre high ‘book tree’ with a winding staircase and 270 shelves adorned with over 3,800 hand-painted books, including classics like Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and CS Lewis’ The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. There’s also a series of nooks where passerby can ensconce themselves and listen to a five minute excerpt from an audio book. The display is the result of a collaboration with bookseller Hatchards.

A Moment in London’s history – The first Selfridges Christmas windows display…

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Oxford Street department store Selfridges is known for many firsts and among them is that it was the first department store in the UK to have window displays for Christmas.

It was in 1909, having opened the store in March that year, that American Harry Gordon Selfridge, drawing on his experience in the states where Macy’s in New York had featured Christmas window displays since the 1870s, decided to illuminate the display windows at his store in a bid to allow passersby to see the goods on display.

Selfridges Christmas window from 2014. PICTURE: Oast House Archive (licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0)

The windows were just one of the many innovations aimed at celebrating Christmas Selfridge – who is credited with having been the first to use the line “only (x) number of shopping days till Christmas” while working at Marshall Field’s in Chicago – embraced in the store.

Christmas displays were said to almost cover an entire floor and there were mince pies for customers, a chance to visit with Santa Claus, and a gift advice service as well as men-only tours of the store to help them with buying gifts for the females in their lives.

This year’s Christmas display at Selfridges was created around the theme of ‘showtime’ and reportedly took 100 hours to put together. It features characters including Santa Claus and the elves in a workshop.

This Week in London – Time to get your skates on…

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Ice skating at Somerset House in 2014. PICTURE: Alison Day (licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0)

It’s ice-skating time in London – here’s some of the most spectacular rinks:

• Skate at Somerset House transforms the palace’s spectacular courtyard with a backdrop provided by Switzerland Tourism. There’s a 40 foot tall Christmas tree and a host of experiences to take part in, including the Skate School, featuring coaching sessions with National Ice Skate Association (NISA) instructors, a Kid’s Club and Chilled Out sessions as well as Skate Lates. Runs until 14th January. For more, see somersethouse.org.uk/whats-on/skate-somerset-house.

• Hampton Court Palace Ice Rink features the chance to skate with stunning views of the Tudor palace as a backdrop. There’s also festive refreshments available from the onsite café and bar. Open until 7th January. For more, see www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace/whats-on/hampton-court-palace-ice-rink/#gs.24q96i.

• The Queen’s House Ice Rink is set outside the historic Queen’s House in Greenwich with views of the Old Royal Naval College. There’s special sessions for young ones and relaxed sessions for those after a calmer environment. The Benugo café is located next to the rink. Open until 7th January. For more, see www.rmg.co.uk/queens-house/attractions/queens-house-ice-rink.

• The UK’s largest open air ice rink, the Ice Rink at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, is set under a canopy of lights and centred around a Victorian bandstand. There’s live entertainment on selected dates. Runs until 1st January. For more, see https://hydeparkwinterwonderland.com/things-to-do/ice-skating/.

• Set in Canada Park Square, the Ice Rink Canary Wharf spans 1275 square metres. Wednesday nights feature DJs and on the 20th December, there’s an ‘Ultimate Christmas Party on Ice’. The rink stays open until 24th February. For more, see https://icerinkcanarywharf.co.uk.

LondonLife – Christmas in London…

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Ice skating at Somerset House. PICTURE: Owen Harvey
South Bank Winter Market. PICTURE: David Ogle
Part of the Miracle on Leake Street event in Waterloo. PICTURE: Leake Street
Christmas at Kew. PICTURE: Royal Botanic Gardens
Glide at Battersea Power Station. PICTURE: Joshua Atkins

Four unusual London Christmas traditions (redux)…

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1. The Ceremony of the Christmas Cheeses…

2. The Smithfield Meat Auction…

3. The Peter Pan Cup…

4. The Boy Bishop of St Paul’s…

This Week in London – Carols at Westminster Abbey; cathedrals at St Paul’s; and, ‘Making Modernism’ at the Tate…

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PICTURE: Manuel Weber/Unsplash

• The Princess of Wales will host a Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey today. The service, which will be attended by members of the Royal Family, will recognise the selfless efforts of individuals, families and communities across the UK as well as paying tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and the values she demonstrated at Christmas and throughout her life, including empathy, compassion and support for others. The service will be broadcast on ITV One in the UK on Christmas Eve. Meanwhile, a special Christmas episode of Westminster Abbey: Behind Closed Doors will be shown on Channel 5 next Wednesday, 21st December. For more, see My5: Westminster Abbey: Behind Closed Doors.

• An exhibition show-casing the work of photographer Peter Marlow, who has photographed all 42 Church of England cathedrals, can be seen at St Paul’s Cathedral. Commissioned in 2008 by Royal Mail to photograph six cathedrals – images of which were used on commemorative stamps marking the 300th anniversary of the completion of St Paul’s Cathedral, Marlow went on to continue taking pictures of cathedrals using just natural light. The display, which is touring all 42 cathedrals, can be found in the South Nave aisle until 26th January. Included in admission charge. For more, see www.stpauls.co.uk/whats-on/exhibition-peter-marlows-english-cathedral.

• On Now: Making Modernism. The first major UK exhibition devoted to women artists working in Germany in the early 20th century, this exhibition at the Royal Academy’s Gabrielle Jungels-Winkler Galleries includes 67 paintings and works on paper. The artists featured include Paula Modersohn-Becker, Käthe Kollwitz, Gabriele Münter and Marianne Werefkin, with additional works by Erma Bossi, Ottilie Reylaender and Jacoba van Heemskerck. Runs until 12th February. Admission charge applies. For more, see www.royalacademy.org.uk.

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LondonLife – Christmas lights in the West End (part II)…

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Christmas windows at Fortnum & Mason on Piccadilly. ALL PICTURES: Jed Leicester/PinP
Carnaby Street lights.
Piccadilly Arcade decorated for Christmas.
Clos Maggiore shopfront in Covent Garden
New Bond Street.

This Week in London – 12 Days of Christmas at the Tower; Museum of London celebrates its London Wall closing; and, William Beatty at the Old Royal Naval College…

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• The Tower of London is getting into the festive spirit with a celebration of the Twelve Days of Christmas. Twelve installations have been installed at the Tower, each representing as different aspect of the fortress’s unique history – from nine wreaths representing “nine rowdy ravens” to five gold coins representing the Mint once housed there. There’s also the six Queens of King Henry VIII and three “lordly lions” – a reference to a gift presented to King Henry III and housed in a Lion Pit at the tower. Visitors will have the chance to collect a map at the start of their visit and follow a trail to find the installations at they explore the Tower. Christmas at the Tower of London runs daily until 3rd January. Admission charge applies. For more, see www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/.

• The Museum of London is preparing to close its doors at its London Wall site as it moves to its new location in Smithfield and to celebrate it’s holding two free weekend festivals. The first, to be held this weekend, will feature family-friendly activities including arts and crafts, dance, face painting and theatrical performances while the second, to be held on the weekend of 3rd and 4th December (after which the museum will close), will feature a celebration of London’s music scene from the 70s to the present day with a DJ sets, a late night film festival and museum’s first ever 24 hour opening. Visitors on both weekends can also take part in London Biggest Table Football competition for a chance to win an England shirt signed by Harry Kane and to see the museum’s collection in a new light thanks to an illuminated display. For more on the festivals, see www.museumoflondon.org.uk/museum-london.

• Now On: Blood and Battle: Dissecting the life of William Beatty. The life and work of renowned 19th-century naval surgeon and physician, Sir William Beatty, is explored in this exhibition at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich. The display – which marks 200 years since Beatty, who had served as ship’s surgeon on HMS Victory during the Battle of Trafalgar (and who wore the musket ball that killed Nelson in a locket on his watch chain for the rest of his life afterwards) – took up the post of Physician to the Royal Hospital for Seamen – explores Beatty’s work as a ship’s surgeon, his time at Greenwich Hospital and how he was honoured by being knighted and appointed Physician Extraordinary to George IV and the Duke of Clarence (later William IV) as well as his outside interests including his involvement in developing the London – Greenwich Railway. Admission charge applies. For more, see https://ornc.org.

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Wishing all our readers a very Merry Christmas…

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Waterloo Place decorated for Christmas. PICTURE: Alexey_Fedoren/iStockphoto.

Don’t forget to check the site next week when we do our annual most popular posts countdown.

LondonLife – Christmas comes early at ZSL London Zoo…

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Christmas came early for some of the residents at ZSL London Zoo this week. Asiatic lions Bhanu and Arya discovered brightly wrapped boxes scented with seasonal spices in the Land of the Lions while in the Gorilla Kingdom, the zoo’s troop of Western lowland gorillas found gifts of their favourite festive vegetables. “Gorillas Alika, Gernot, Mjukuu and Effie are always keen to clean their plates of all the festive veg at Christmas – they loved digging into their presents to find juicy carrots and tasty Brussels sprouts,” said head zookeeper Dan Simmonds. “And while lioness Arya carefully picked up her gifts and carried them off to play with later, Bhanu opened his all at once, rolling around in the boxes to release his favourite seasonal scents – nutmeg and cinnamon.”  The zoo is open every day apart from Christmas Day. For more, see www.zsl.org/london-zoo.   PICTURES: ZSL London Zoo.

London Pub Signs – The Churchill Arms, Kensington…

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The Churchill Arms decorated for Christmas in 2015. PICTURE: Loco Steve (licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0)

It’s Christmas in London and for such a festive occasion, one pub immediately springs to mind – The Churchill Arms.

The name is certainly not a mystery and doesn’t really have anything to do with the Christmas theme. It stems from, of course, wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill – or rather, his grandparents, the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough, John and Frances Anne Spencer-Churchill, who were patrons here and which, in honour of Churchill and them, saw the pub so-named after World War II.

Churchill remains a theme in the interior where a good deal of related memorabilia can be found – including wartime posters, pictures of the man himself and a (fake) plaque commemorating Churchill’s use of the pub for his wartime broadcasts (there’s even a celebratory night held each year around Churchill’s birthday).

The pub, which is located at 119 Kensington Church Street, dates from 1750.

But in recent times, it’s become famous for its stunning Christmas light displays which this year reportedly feature some 80 Christmas trees and 22,000 lights. The pub is also known for its extraordinarily profuse flower displays which cost thousands of pounds each year and which have even won at none other than the Chelsea Flower Show.

It also holds the claim to fame of being the first London pub to serve Thai food when it did so as far back as 1988.

A Fullers pub, for more head to www.churchillarmskensington.co.uk.

This Week in London – The ‘RRS Sir David Attenborough’ at Greenwich; the Amazon explored at the Science Museum; and, Christmas at The National Gallery…

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The RRS Sir David Attenborough in Liverpool. PICTURE: By Phil Nash from Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0 & GFDL.

• Find out what it’s like to live and work in the Earth’s polar extremes at Greenwich from today. The three day ‘Ice World Festival’ centres on the British Antarctic Survey’s vessel, the RRS Sir David Attenborough, which is visiting Greenwich before beginning its first mission to the Antarctic. Visitors will also be able to meet real polar scientists and explorers and see the Boaty McBoatface submersible as well as treasures from the National Maritime Museum’s polar collection including relics from HMS Erebus and Terror and items belonging to Captain Scott and Ernest Shackleton. While the ship can be seen from the dockside, a limited number of tickets are available for walk-up visitors to the festival (advanced booking tickets have sold out). Runs from today until 30th October. Admission is free. For more information, head here.

• More than 200 images – captured by Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado over seven years – explore the rich diversity of the Amazon in an exhibition at the Science Museum. Amazônia provides a close-up look at one of the most unique environments on the planet through Salgado’s eyes, including panoramic scenery and the Indigenous peoples of the region (Salgado spent time with 12 different Indigenous groups over his period in the Amazon). Runs until March next year. Admission charge applies. For more, see www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/see-and-do/amazonia.

• Father Christmas with return to The National Gallery for selected dates in November and December. The gallery’s Christmas experience will provide children with the chance to have their photo taken with Santa in his grotto, listen to an elven story in the winter forest set and receive a special token which they can exchange for a gift at the Elven Sorting Office. Meanwhile, Hendrick Avercamp’s painting A Winter Scene with Skaters near a Castle (about 1608–9) will be enlarged and reproduced on a canvas to provide a scenic backdrop for the activities. Admission charge applies. Bookings are now open. For more, head to www.nationalgallery.org.uk/whats-on/meet-father-christmas.

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Merry Christmas (and the next four in our countdown!)…

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Christmas tree outside St Paul’s Cathedral. PICTURE: Alex Liivet
(licensed under CC BY 2.0)

In what has been, and continues to be, such a hard year for so many, we at Exploring London hope you’re still able to celebrate Christmas in some form this year…

Meantime, here’s the next four in our countdown of the 100 most popular posts of all time…

22. Lost London – The Savoy Palace…

21. What’s in a name?…St Mary Overie…

20. Treasures of London – The Whispering Gallery, St Paul’s Cathedral

19. Treasures of London – Admiral Lord Nelson’s coat

Four unusual London Christmas traditions…1. The Ceremony of the Christmas Cheeses…

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This tradition, the origins of which go back centuries, centres on a ceremony at the Royal Hospital Chelsea which involves the blessing and cutting of a ‘Christmas Cheese’ with a sword.

The origins of the tradition go back to 1692 when a local cheesemonger donated cheese to the Chelsea Pensioners – retired members of the British Army – for Christmas. Since 1959, it’s been organised by industry body Dairy UK and sees cheesemongers from across the UK donate cheeses to the hospital.

The ceremony involves the largest cheese among those donated being blessed and then cut with a sword by a selected pensioner. The cheese is then distributed to the pensioners at meal times in the run-up to Christmas.

This year a special COVID-safe ceremony was held and some 258 kilograms of cheese were donated to the hospital. The largest cheese – a 25 kilogram Montgomery Cheddar – was cut by Chelsea Pensioner George Reed who had a 25 year career in military as well as a career at the BBC.

As well as last year’s 60th anniversary ceremony aside, other milestones have taken place in 2016 – when Chelsea Pensioner Mary Johnston became the first woman to cut the ceremonial cheese – and in 2009, when two members of Territorial Army London Regiment bound for Afghanistan joined the ceremony for the first time.