London is a sight to behold during Christmas and whether you are a Scrooge or not, there’s no denying that it’s one of the best places to enjoy the festive season.  From the classic angels that beam over Regent’s Street to the snazzy, themed displays over Carnaby Street, Winter Wonderland and plenty of Christmas shopping experiences, London’s is peppered with plenty of cheer come this time of year. 

If you want to see the Christmas lights around London, here’s where you need to stop and soak it all in. What’s better? It’s all moments from us, so you can step out and enjoy it all, and come back to some warming calm in the surrounds of The Mandeville Hotel.  

A great, central place to start, is of course Oxford Street. The busy shopping thoroughfare has brought back back its display of dangling stars which make a lovely impact in the night sky. Much like 2022, the lights are made with 300,000 LED light bulbs and recycled plastic, making them 75 percent more efficient than traditional bulbs.

One of central London’s finest shopping destinations, Regent Street was the very first road in London to feature Christmas lights back in 1954, and still boasts one of the most impressive displays each winter. The ‘Spirits of Christmas’ lights features 45 large-scale installations, seemingly playing trumpets. The big switch-on takes place on November 9, with the lights shining from 3pm to 11pm throughout the festive period. 

The piazza is a pièce de résistance during Christmas time. With the big switch on Tuesday November 7,  over 140,000 LED lights will light up the area, in addition to the 30,000 adorning the central 18-metre Christmas tree aglow, and the Market Building will be adorned with brand new decorations in the form of giant bells. There is also a Winter Warmer Festival which promises plenty of mulled wine and a Christmas pop-ups, so make sure you make it to Covent Garden this festive season.

Every year, since 1947, the people of Norway have given the people of London a Christmas tree. This gift is in gratitude for Britain's support for Norway during World War II.

Carnaby Street’s lights are typically pretty bold, illuminating the street with eccentric, fun-loving tributes from everything from rock bands to robins to outer space. This year, the street transports Londoners to a ‘Carnaby Universe’- a ‘moving vortex’ of neon colour and light waves. The shopping street is once again partnering with refugee charity Choose Love and a Choose Love pop-up store will open on the street from November 22. Visitors can buy essential supplies and life-saving interventions for refugees and displaced people around the world. 

St Christopher's Place transforms into St Christmas Place from Tuesday 14 November 2023, when vividly coloured discs will illuminate the pedestrianised shopping area just off Oxford Street. The central tree in the main square and others lining James Street will also be lit up, and there are free festive performances every Thursday from 5.30pm and every Saturday from 1.30pm in the run-up to Christmas.

This year will see the return of the Chiltern Street and Dorset Street Christmas Shopping evening on Thursday 23rd November, 4:30pm until 7:30pm. Chiltern Street, known for its iconic red-bricked stretch of independent, unique boutiques and cafés amid Victorian-gothic architecture, is the perfect one-stop shop for considered gifting this Christmas. Whether you’re in the mood to treat yourself or someone else this Christmas, drop into the stores on Chiltern Street, to discover incredible craftmanship, design, meet the names above the door and to get hold of gifts that will last a lifetime.

The quaint pockets including Motcomb Street, Elizabeth Street, Pimlico Road, Eccleston Yards and Halkin Arcade will be illuminated with the Belgravia Aglow scheme of Christmas lights on 15 November. A roaming concert from the London Gay Men's Chorus, appearances from Santa Claus, a pop-up Christmas market in Eccleston Yards and festive offers at various businesses around the Belgravia area will be there to entertain.

The Chelsea Christmas light switch-on involves a whole day of festive fun on Saturday 18 November 2023. King's Road is part-pedestrianised from Sloane Square down to Walpole Street with a Christmas market, live entertainment, and a chance to meet Santa's reindeer. Father Christmas himself has the honour of switching the lights on, illuminating King's Road, Sloane Square and surrounding areas, accompanied by a fireworks display, light show and sprinkling of snow.

Last year saw festive changes on Bond Street, as the peacock decorations were ousted in favour of regally-themed illuminations featuring more than 90,000 LED lights. They were inspired by the Crown Jewels, as well as the many high-end jewellery stores which have set up shop on Bond Street over the centuries. A tiara-like gateway at each end of Bond Street welcomed shoppers to the area, with 'necklaces' strung across Old and New Bond Street at regular intervals — and we're hoping to see them back for 2023... watch this space.