Eye on London - 42 Days of Christmas

Monday November 14^th 2016
What's On This Month

London from the inside Monday 14th - Sunday 20th November 2016

“On the 42nd day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...” OK, there’s meant to be 12 days of Christmas, but London couldn’t possibly cram all it’s Christmas into just 12 days. This week’s blog is for all you Christmas keenos. We’re talking about the Southbank Centre Winter Festival, loads more street light turn ons, the 20th Hamleys Toy Parade and the Coca-Cola Christmas Truck makes its first trip to London for 2016.

LONDON CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

Oxford Street, The Strand, Bond Street and Carnaby Street are already on, but this week you can go and see the switch ons in…

Tuesday 15th - The Royal Ballet dancers will join the lights at at Covent Garden

Thursday 17th - Shopping and the Old Dirty Brasstards at Seven Dials and St Martin’s Courtyard and it’s ‘The Spirit of Christmas’ in Regent Street

From Friday 18th - everyday at 3.30pm The London Bicycle Tour Company are hosting the full tour on two wheels of all the best London Christmassy spots

BEST OF THE REST (CHRISTMAS SPECIAL)

Southbank Centre Winter Festival

There’s outdoor attractions, a huge Christmas market, food stalls, bars and entertainment alongside the river, open most days 10am - 10pm until 25th January.

The Finnish Church Christmas Fair

Scandinavians are born with Christmas in their blood so head to this church in Rotherhithe from 16th - 20th November for one of their famous fairs featuring sausages, roundels of squeaky cheese (best served with cloudberry jam), cinnamon buns and Moomin toys.

The Lego Store, Leicester Square

This London flagship shop opens on Thursday 17th November.

20th Hamleys Christmas Toy Parade

It takes place on traffic free Regent Street on Sunday 20th November from 10.30am - 4.30pm.

CHRISTMAS KEENOS

And for the true Christmas Crazies…

Holidays are coming as the Coca-Cola Christmas truck visits Bishopsgate on Thursday 17th November for its first stop of the UK tour and before returning back to London for more dates in December.

John Lewis, Oxford Street and Peter Jones, Sloane Square are hosting free ‘Treetorials’, Christmas style advice appointments and a Full Festive Works tree decorating service.

Christmas Workshops at Fortnum & Mason this year include wreath making, Christmas calligraphy, cooking and gift wrapping.

EYE ON…ISLINGTON

There are 32 capsules on The Coca-Cola London Eye, representing the 32 London boroughs, so each week we explore a different London borough.

With the most Christmassy sounding tube station in London, Islington had to be our feature borough in ‘Eye On’ this week. Angel has the third longest escalator in Europe, it’s the third cheapest property on the Monopoly board and Islington is the third smallest district in England. It has been home to Arsenal for over 100 years (since 1913), first at Highbury, then moving to The Emirates in 2006. Islington’s Christmas market runs from November 21st - December 24th this year.

ON THIS DAY… 19th November 1994

Almost 49 million tickets were sold for the first ever national lottery draw which was shown live on BBC One, hosted by Noel Edmonds.