Adventures in London
What’s going on in London over Christmas and New Year?
Christmas Lights
If you are in the capital over the Christmas period then the illuminations are not to be missed. The lights are switched on at the end of November and can be found in Oxford Street, Regent Street and some parts of Bond Street. It is also worth a trip into the shopping area just to see the amazing window displays of the major shops.
Christmas Tree
Every year the Norwegian people give the British nation a fir tree to thank them for their help during the war. The tree is placed in Trafalgar Square and decorated with lights. Occasionally carol concerts are held under the tree during lunch time.
20th Dec '10
The singing angels of King's College Cambridge Choir come to London's highly sophisticated venue, Royal Albert Hall: King's College Choir in London.
Boxing Day Sales (the day after Christmas day)
If you are in London over the Christmas holidays then the sales are not to be missed. Starting on boxing day the sales last for about a month but the best deals are to be found on the first few days. The sales are not only on in the West End but all over London and there are bargains galore.
New Year's Eve Celebrations
Every year the New Year's Eve celebrations get bigger and better. If you want to go out on new year's eve there are a number of different celebrations going on around the capital with street theatre and fireworks, which make for a much better evening out rather than crowding into Trafalgar Square where their is nothing happening.
1st Jan '11
A fun and multi-coloured traditional celebration in the capital welcoming the new year enthusiastically on its first day: New Years Day Parade 2011.
Until 23rd Jan '11
London Somerset House is a very enchanting outdoor venue this winter season for skating..
Visit one of London’s fantastic theatres to see the world famous shows such as The Lion King, Billy Elliot or Dirty Dancing
6th February Chinese New Year: Chinatown event, London
Celebration of the Chinese New Year in the Chinatown area of London (around Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Chinatown and Shaftesbury Avenue), from 12-6pm. 2011 is the "year of the rabbit".
8th March Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day), UK
Historically, on Shrove Tuesday Christians confessed their sins and asked to be forgiven for them (this was known as "shriving"). It is the day before the period known as Lent, when Christians traditionally did not eat fatty foods (for example: meat, fish, eggs and milk) for 40 days until Palm Sunday, which is a week before Easter Sunday. Families had a feast on this day to eat those foods which could not be kept for 40 days: eggs and milk were used by adding flour and frying them to make pancakes. This tradition is still kept by many families. The popular name for Shrove Tuesday is Pancake Day. In France the day is called Mardi Gras, which means "Fat Tuesday".
Pancake Races, UK
About 500 years ago, a woman in the town on Olney in Buckinghamshire was cooking her pancakes at home when she heard the bell calling her to church to make her confessions. She ran out of her house and rushed to church, still holding her frying pan and wearing her apron, tossing the pancakes into the air to stop them from burning. This became famous, starting a tradition known as pancake racing.
Parliamentary Pancake Race: Pancake races at about 10am-10:30am between teams from the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the Press
17th March London St Patrick's Day Festival, London
A celebration of Irish culture in London, usually on the Sunday nearest to St Patrick's Day (17 March).
There is a parade starting at 12 noon which passes down Piccadilly, Regent Street and Trafalgar Square before finishing in Whitehall Place
There is also a festival of music and cultural performances in Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square and Covent Garden.