London in the winter?

Question

hi,
I'm planning to go to London during the xmas week. How is the weather there usually and is it worth it? Will there be a lot of xmas lights and decorations, like in New York?
Any tip?
Thanks

Answer 1

I've been to London both in Summer and Winter. It's bloody cold but like everywhere else in Europe/U.K. Don't worry about the weather just go there and get into the christmas spirit. Even in Summer it rains all the time so to me you will get crap weather regardless of what time you go :) There are Christmas lights etc... but not on the scale of New York. Have fun!

Answer 2

I was in Xmas and new year´s eve in Central London last year and the lights were nothing special.
It was somewhat fun the shopping frenzy (specially Regent st and Oxford st).
The fireworks were nice. BTW i was in waterloo bridge (the display being around the London Eye) and with the wind and smoke it was really hard to see anything.

There are private parties, in clubs, pubs and restaurants.. with activities and even fireworks. I guess that big clubs can be booked in advance via internet, and while expensive, it should be fun.

Check some pubs or restaurants along the Thames... you could have a good time there and then be close to the fireworks.
Of course, Timeout (web site) will have all the details of the high profile parties.

Answer 3

Having move to the UK about 18 months ago from Oz, I spent my winter in London last year. I have to say that it has a wonderful feel. Christmas shopping in Oxford Street is great because there are lots of lights around. There are generally lots of Christmas trees, decorations and lights around the place and you even tend to get carollers on the streets. There are also lots of Christmas markets in various places (eg Warwick Castle, outside the Musuem of Natural History) and ice skating rinks tend to crop up all over the place (eg in the Tower of London and Somerset House). There is generally a festive feel to the whole city as people are all rugged up and wintery - more so than in the southern hemisphere anyway. There is a occassionally some snow and sleet that falls in London itself but there is usually not much and it melts before it covers anything. I'm afraid I've never spend winter in New York so couldn't really compare the two cities.

But ... it is pretty cold and it can be a hassle to have to take everything on and off as you go from the freezing cold into overly heated pubs, shops etc. Make sure that you are prepared with gloves, thermal underwear, scarves, hats etc. And the lack of daylight can be annoying eg dusk at 3pm makes your day feel so much shorter. While most of the attractions in London itself will probably be open through winter, if you want to venture out on any day trips, a lot of attractions outside of London close for winter and for the Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day in particular. If there are particular places you want to go, make sure you check in a guidebook or the internet whether they will be open at that time. Most shops will be open shorter hours during the Christmas week which can be troublesome if you're not prepared eg we had really trouble finding anywhere to get some basic groceries after 5pm on Boxing Day.

Answer 4

Hi there, I live and work in London.

The weather in London is always going to be cold in December - Not like NYC last year though - we don't usually get any snow at all, however if it does snow, London looks stunning. London, like NYC does its Xmas decorations on Oxford Street & Regents Street and Harrods is done up spectacularly but no where near as big and American as NYC. Its more understated.

It is 100% worth it, you will love it! Take a walk along the river Thames South Bank - its beautiful.

Answer 5

what i like in xmas time in london is the last of the year in trafalgar square waiting for the new year with a lots of people
xmas light nothing special in central london
very good sale after xmas in shops and department stores
the weather is not to bad

Answer 6

Bring warm clothes thats for sure! There are plenty of decorations and fantastic lights especially on Oxford Street and Regent Street. They are worth seeing! The stores in London all do a fantastic job and you will have a great time. If you are looking for help in planning your trip check out http://www.londonvacationguide.com

Answer 7

Weather, to be honset, is pretty crappy but there are lots of Xmas lights. Go to Oxford Circus, the centre of town where all the stores are - its great for shopping. Leicester Square is good for going out, there are lots of bars, clubs and restaurants. I personally love Covent Garden, it's really cool and calm, with lots of different market stalls and shops. One other place to go if you are looking for a bit of culture is Camden because it has lots of "alternative" stores if you are into punk! Have fun, the best time of year for atmosphere in London is Xams!

Answer 8

The seasons are not as clearly defined as they used to be as the climate has changed. It will probably be quite cold in December but I think it is worth coming for the unique atmosphere of a British Christmas and for the lights (while we are still allowed such things.)

Answer 9

Don't worry about the weather, it probably won't be that bad.
If you want to see lights and decorations the best places are - Regent street, Oxford street & Trafalgar square.
It's definatly worth it, I go every year.

Answer 10

Its freezing cold and rains quite a lot. London will be full of decorations! it is very pretty! x