‘Tis the season to be jolly! If you are managing to squeeze in some dating between parties, work, socialising and shopping this December, there are a host of jolly good events in London that make the perfect day out with that someone special. We have pulled together our favourites for you to enjoy:
Christmas Light Trail at Hampton Court Palace
Running from December 12 to 23, you can explore the beautiful gardens of Hampton Court Palace with an after-dark, interactive light trail. Wander around the famous maze and see the responsive lights, which will bring the gardens, East front of the palace and trees to life and react to you being there. Innovative and fun, this is one seriously magical and romantic event, so book your tickets in advance. The experience takes around one hour and there will be seasonal food and drink available to buy afterwards.
This is London’s largest Christmas tree maze, where you can get lost amongst the 500 fir trees covered with twinkly lights, which cover almost 500 square metres of the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens in South London. Running until January 4, you can make your way to the centre of the maze, where you will meet a very Christmassy guest. Alongside the maze is an outdoor ice rink, cabin bar, craft market and street food stalls, so it could make the perfect day out.
Ballet may not normally be your thing but this stunning performance from the English National Ballet at London’s Coliseum is well worth seeing. Journey back in time to a frost-covered, gas-lit London and join Clara, her Nutcracker doll and the magician Drosselmeyer in this magical and traditional festive tale. The Nutcracker brings to life the eternally popular Tchaikovsky score featuring the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Waltz of the Flowers. If you want to see a show this Christmas, make sure it is this one.
Taking place at Westfield Stratford City and running until January 4, this new immersive and hi-tech event experience is inspired by the Grimm Tales. Take a magical tour through the enchanted woods and try to uncover the truth behind Red Riding Hood’s disappearance. Set in a free-flow house, you will find storytellers, princesses and fairy-tale surprises. Opt for the Hidden House: Darkest Secrets option, which is a darker and more extreme experience. So, who’s afraid of the big bad wolf?
No list of must-do events in London this Christmas would be complete without a mention of Winter Wonderland. Since its launch in 2007, the attraction has welcomed over 15 million visitors. Entry into the event, which runs until January 4, is free and once you’re there you will be spoilt for choice when it comes to deciding what to do. There is a Santa Land (including Santa’s grotto), Christmas markets, a huge ice-skating rink, a Giant Observation Wheel and two circuses – Christmas Circus and Cirque Berserk – from Zippo’s Circus. At the Magical Kingdom you can get up close with some real ice and snow – look out for the unicorns and ice fairies and meet the Snow Queen in her magnificent castle. There is also a huge selection of food and drink on offer, including the famous Bavarian Village, Fire Pit and Arctic Lodge Bar.
Have you got any Christmassy dates planned? Where are ya off to?
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