AboutLondon Laura – December 2025
The ‘acceptable to all’ festive month is upon us and London has fully embraced the sparkle everywhere. If you’ve already heard “Last Christmas”, it’s OK, as the Whamageddon rules state the game only starts on 1st December. Good luck!
Did you try any of my recommendations from last month? I’m heading to London in a few weeks and will visit Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, and will be doing lots of ‘arting’ (everything can be a verb these days).
Twixmas
There are lots of suggestions on what to do before Christmas, but what’s available between Christmas and New Year? Things aren’t as ‘open’ as they were before the big day, but there is plenty of fun to be had.
Transport
The tubes and buses do not run on Christmas Day, and taxis charge a premium rate. Walking or bike hire is best for 25th December. There is public transport for the rest of the week, with tubes running late into the night/morning for New Year’s Eve. (See TfL website for more info.)
Dining
Most restaurants will be shut on Christmas Day unless they are offering a pre-booked festive meal. If you haven’t planned ahead, try Chinatown or the Brick Lane curry houses. I’ve also made good use of the luxury hotels that can offer a ‘posh cuppa’ when you need to warm up.
Boxing Day
This is the day after Christmas Day (26th December). More things will be open, but it’s best to call or check websites to confirm.
Ice Skating
Somerset House Ice Rink is only closed on Christmas Day, as is Canary Wharf Ice Rink, Hampton Court Palace Ice Rink, Glide at Battersea Power Station and Skate at Leicester Square. Hyde Park Winter Wonderland is closed on Christmas Day but is open for the rest of the week, including 1st January.
Decorated Attractions
The Museum of the Home is great as the room-sets throughout the ages are decorated for Christmas. Note that the Museum is closed 24th–26th December, plus 29th December (closed on Mondays) and 1st January (as it’s a Bank Holiday).
The Charles Dickens Museum is also decorated for the festive season. Christmas Eve is one of their busiest days (book here), and then it’s closed on 25th–26th December and 1st January.
Southbank Winter Market is closed on 25th and 31st December, plus 1st January if you fancy a stroll by The Thames. And Winter by The River is on near London Bridge (closed Christmas Day).
Big Attractions
The London Eye is only closed on Christmas Day and even manages to be open on New Year’s Eve until 3pm, which is impressive as it’s the focal point of the New Year’s Eve Fireworks.
Westminster Abbey is only closed on Christmas Day, although I’ve noticed the cafe is open. Kensington Palace is open on 27th, 28th and 31st December.
The National Gallery is closed 24th–26th December and 1st January. The Natural History Museum is closed 24th–26th December.
What’s Happening This Month?
Some of last month’s recommendations are still good for December. I’m hoping to see one or two of the big exhibitions, plus some fun smaller galleries too.
Small is Beautiful at the Flowers Gallery on Cork Street. All of the artworks are no more than 7 x 9 inches.
David Hockney is at the Annely Juda Fine Art Gallery. This exhibition features “some very, very, very new paintings not yet shown in Paris”.
Hoi Polloi is at The Brown Collection in Marylebone. It brings together paintings, drawings, prints, and sculptures from the sixteenth century to the present. It explores how artists have represented, resisted, or reimagined the ordinary man through the lens of the spiritual.
Women in Print: 150 Years of Liberty Textiles is at the William Morris Gallery. Tracing the rich history of Liberty Fabrics, the exhibition surveys the evolving influence and status of women in textiles over the past 150 years.
Evelyn De Morgan: The Modern Painter in Victorian London is at the Guildhall Art Gallery. And Blondie in Camera 1978 is at the Barbican Music Library.
I also hope to get on the British Museum Reading Room free tour and see the decorated room-sets at the Museum of the Home.
All of that and more will take me to some wonderful museum and gallery shops so I can finish off my Christmas shopping too.
Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays!