A cheap and cheerful guide to Christmas in London
16 December 2021
We don’t know if you’ve been able to tell, but in the UK we absolutely love Christmas. So, if you want to celebrate Christmas in a true British fashion, but without breaking the bank, here is our cheap and cheerful guide to Christmas in London.

- Christmas Markets
- Covent Garden/Oxford Street/Carnaby Street
- Hampstead Heath
- Festive Films
- Pomander
- Carol Concert
- Ice-skating
- Pantomime
- The Ballet
- Volunteering
Christmas Markets (or any market will do)

Southbank Winter Market
A short bus ride over the river to Waterloo. Stroll along the Thames and enjoy this Winter market. You will find pop-up bars, street food vendors and lots of stalls to shop or browse.
Borough Market
This is an all-year-round market, but at this time of the year, when good food is of high importance, Borough Market will not disappoint. Here you can purchase artisanal produce, sample the outstanding street food or just get lost in the buzz of this historic market.
Colombia Road Christmas Market
Primarily a Sunday flower market, Colombia Road is transforming into a Christmas market on Wednesdays in December. A great mid-week excursion to get us to the end of term.
All the info can be found here.
Covent Garden/Oxford Street/Carnaby Street

Hampstead Heath followed by a hot drink in the pub? Yes, please.

Check out all of Hampstead Heath's walking routes.
Hampstead is a charming part of London with quaint pubs and cafes dotted all around. Take a book or write some postcards over a hot chocolate or mulled wine.
Festive film night

This is our must watch list:
- ‘Love Actually’, featuring the likes of Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman and Hugh Grant. This has become a Christmas classic and will likely make you laugh, cry and cringe a bit.
- ‘Bridget Jones’ Diary’ is a Christmas must. Watch Bridget and Mark Darcey, (national treasure, Colin Firth), awkwardly chat over hors d'oeuvres in kitsch festive attire.
- James Bond. Every and any James Bond film will be on over Christmas, so take your pick!
- Anything Aardman. ‘Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit’ and ‘Chicken Run’ are fan favourites.
- ‘The Snowman’, which is only 30 minutes long, is a beautiful, animated film that will melt your heart… This film holds a lot of sentimental value to many British people.
- 'A Christmas Carol' (1999). A great film adaptation of Dickens’ classic novella. This film reminds us that the holiday period is an opportunity to show kindness and generosity towards others.
- Harry Potter. We don't need to say anything more.
Make a pomander or Christingle

All you’ll need is some whole cloves, an orange and string or ribbon. Pierce the orange with the whole cloves and tie string around the orange to hang it up. If you want to get super fancy with it, you can carve patterns into the orange too.
A Christingle is a bit more complicated…probably better for the BBC to explain.
Carol concert

Over 40 choirs will be performing in Trafalgar Square in the run up to Christmas. Performances take place from 4 - 8 pm on weekdays, and from 2 - 6 pm on weekends.
If all else fails, there are Youtube livestreams or recordings of carol concerts. Here is an Advent Carol Service live from Trinity College Chapel in Cambridge.
Ice-skating

For an affordable option go to Sobell Leisure Centre in Islington. You can skate for just under £10 pp, including skate hire. Bargain!
If you are keen to get skating, why not join the UCL Ice Club? They do weekly skating sessions for only £7.00 including skate hire.
Pantomime

You can see Sleeping Beauty at Hoxton Hall for £11.50 with your student card!
The Ballet

Sign up to the Young Royal Opera House. For young people aged 16 – 25, you can secure tickets from £25.00.
You can also watch full-length ballets on YouTube, such as this live performance at the Mariinsky Theatre in Russia.
Volunteering

Here are some volunteering ideas.
That wraps up our guide to Christmas in London. We hope it will inspire you as we head towards the end of term. We want to say a huge well done for finishing your first term at UCL. Make sure to celebrate your hard work and take some well-deserved rest over the Holidays.
UCL have a dedicated page with a breakdown of the support and services available to students over the Winter break, should you need any help, do not hesistate to contact support services.
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the International Student Support team