London comes alive at Christmas — some would say too alive. The West End, a chaotic place at the best of times, turns into something resembling Hieronymus Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights, the misleadingly titled triptych at the Museo del Prado in Madrid, Spain, that warns against excessive pleasure and offers in its third panel a vision of Hell. For something closer to home, simply head to Soho, where thousands run amok in search of Christmas bargains (spoiler: there aren’t any).
A few might go see a pantomime instead, hoping to escape the chaos for a grand total of three hours before re-entering the fray in a more tolerable state of inebriation. Others flock to Bond Street in the hope of nabbing a couple of last-minute candles as gifts. (They won’t.) Unsuspecting visitors are told the Christmas lights on the King’s Road are better than those in the West End and are, to varying degrees, horrified when they find everyone — yes, everyone — has been told exactly the same thing.
I am not saying any of us should be blamed for the London Christmas hell-scape. We have all, at some point, been part of it, unwilling contributors swept up in the seasonal frenzy. One of the more quixotic assignments in my previous job involved buying Sir Ian McKellen a coat from Casablanca (the brand, not the Moroccan city) and delivering it to his dressing room when he was on stage at the Duke of York’s Theatre, playing Mother Goose, on a Thursday evening in mid December. I am the guiltiest party of all.
Too few people know how to do Christmas right, whether they’re travelling into London for the holidays or living here all year round. One should be able to get the shopping done far from the madding crowd or grab a drink at the pub without having to fight your way in (or worse, having to queue). At times, the crowds are simply unavoidable, but with gems hidden all over the city, a handful of Londoners know exactly where to go to embrace fully the Christmas spirit and avoid the sort of situation that inevitably conjures the Ghost of Christmas Past. Our insider’s guide should helpfully cover the basics, with a few extra tips thrown in for good measure.
Will Hosie's top tips
At ...At Sloane, as well as some festive decorations there is a Hotel Costes pop-up boutique offering some of Hôtel Costes’ most iconic objects of desire (for the month of December, only).
- Skip the crowds at Regent Street and get your gifts from Shepherd Market. These backstreets of Mayfair are a treasure trove of rare bookshops (Heywood Hill, Maggs Bros), cigar shops (Birley, Fumar) and watch dealers (Vertex, Watches of Mayfair). The real gem, however, is Simon Carter, a menswear designer from whom I once bought a pair of wine-bottle-shaped cuff-links for my father. They currently sell these in the shape of acorns, seahorses and even British passports. The perfect gift.
- Avoid the lines at the National Gallery by going on a Friday evening. The museum exceptionally stays open until 9pm, a fact surprisingly few people seem to have caught onto despite the headline-making rehang, which really has changed the game.
- Head to The Royal Hospital Chelsea for the city’s best Christmas carols. Home to the Chelsea Pensioners, the Christopher Wren-designed building hosts what insiders believe to be the best carol concerts of the festive season, on December 10 and 18. Book now to avoid disappointment.
- Buy your tree from Pines And Needles. The company operates no fewer than 41 locations across the city and further afield on a temporary basis, each year, from St John’s Church in Notting Hill to the foot of Highgate Wood. The trees are consistently healthy and fragrant.
- Grabbing a bite before seeing a play? Theatreland is full to the brim with excellent pre-theatre menus, but with most shows these days beginning as early as 7pm, you’re better off going for dinner after the performance. If you can handle your spice, Speedboat Bar is just the ticket.
The National Gallery is open until 9pm on a Friday — a fact surprisingly few people seem to have caught onto.
- The best day to go to the theatre is Tuesday and the best value-for-money seats are always at the back of the stalls.
- Impress visiting family members by taking them to The Connaught Bar one of the few Mayfair addresses that strikes the right balance between elegance and ceremony. Order the martini or, during the game season, the aptly named Game Changer cocktail, which blends sloe gin, homemade bergamot and tonka-bean syrup, topped with one of the bar’s signature aromatic sprays.
- When it comes to treating yourself, there’s nowhere quite like The Ritz Restaurant. The executive chef, John Williams, is the son of a fisherman and one of the only restaurateurs who has successfully married British ingredients with the techniques of haute cuisine. His menu would not look out of place in some of the top fine-dining establishments in Paris, France, yet it’s also somewhere that serves its own sourdough, made in-house with Guinness, straight from the oven. Even the crème de la crème of British luxury knows it needs those extra comforts thrown in.
- The best mince pies are found at Aldi. Enough said.
- London has had a spate of luxury openings since the end of the pandemic: visitors are more spoilt for choice now than they ever were. The best new hotel is The Emory; the sexiest is At Sloane.
- Besides the festivities, Christmas is also a time to unwind. Lily Collins is a fan of Martine De Richeville, whose spas offer the best massage in the city from locations in Marylebone and Kensington.
- The prettiest frosts are found in Richmond Park. Go early in the morning when most people are still asleep.
- Watching a Christmas classic on the silver screen is now possible, thanks to Close-Up cinema. This 40-seat arthouse cinema in Shoreditch allows you to connect your laptop to the projector and view anything from old classics to Netflix originals. I discovered its existence earlier this year when a friend arranged a special viewing there for the season finale of The White Lotus. A find.
- Cycling, even in winter, is the easiest mode of transport to get around. Simply make sure you wrap up warm and wear a helmet.
- Whatever you do, don’t leave your Christmas shopping to the last minute.
Will Hosie's favourite pubs
- The Camberwell Arms: Even beyond the roast lunches, this might be London’s favourite pub: cosy, yet buzzing, with a great wine list to boot. Chef patron Mike Davies breathed new, gastronomical life into this 19th-century building when he took over the kitchen in 2014 and it has been the pride of Camberwell ever since
- The Harwood Arms: Described by The Guardian in 2009 as the ‘handsome and precocious’ lovechild of Notting Hill’s The Ledbury and Berkshire’s The Pot Kiln, London’s only Michelin-starred gastropub is almost impossible to beat, 16 years on. Book for 2pm and settle in for the afternoon
- Marksman: Shoreditch’s answer to The Harwood Arms, Marksman draws a more hip and stereotypically east London demographic: expect L. F. Markey workmen’s jackets and Blundstone boots and waiters named Hugo and Ben. An anthropological study that might not taste as sweet were the food any less delicious than it is
- The Duke of Hamilton: You’ve heard of The Spaniards Inn and The Holly Bush, but both are rammed this time of year. The lamb shoulder at the Duke of Hamilton is reason enough to crown it Hampstead’s best pub. Ideal after a walk on the Heath
This feature originally appeared in the December 3, 2025 issue of Country Life. Click here for more information on how to subscribe.
