London is looking enthrallingly festive with the most beautiful window dressings, some fantastic winter markets and of course the icing on the cake are the Christmas light displays.
Carnaby Street switched on their lights last Thursday to celebrate Diwali. The area, known to be the heartbeat of fashion in the 1960s, is set aglow this year with 600 neon butterflies. The installation is a collaboration with Choose Love, a pop-up shop set up at no.3 Carnaby Street by the charity Help Refugees; staffed by celebrity figures, here you can purchase some fabulous limited edition products to raise much-needed funds for refugees across the globe.
Covent Garden will switch on their outstanding display of 115,000 Christmas lights tonight (9 November) to coincide with the first day of (artificial) snow falling in the plaza. Alongside the most stunning show of giant silver baubles and mistletoe chandeliers in the undercover market area, it really is the most magical place to visit at this time of the year.
Regent Street’s lights will be switched on this Saturday (13 November). Boasting the oldest display in London, it launched its Christmas light debut in 1954 (which sparked the tradition of festive light displays in the capital) and it has evolved to be the largest and most famous display in the country. Regent Street’s theme is The Spirits of Christmas; the 45 breathtaking angels have been created with a staggering 300,000 lights and the ethereal display continues down St James’s.
Our local display, in our wonderfully friendly community of historic Shepherd Market, will be switched on on Thursday 2 December. Do join us for this event if you can; there will be mulled wine, spiced cider and traditional delicacies to bring you festive cheer!
If you are interested in the history of Christmas lights in the West End, do look at this fabulous article from The Guardian which contains some amazing pictures of festive London over the years.