Top 5 Niche Winter Activities to Celebrate Christmas in London
London. The Big Smoke. Home of Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, and a laundry
list of numerous legendary landmarks. The UK’s mammoth metropolis also hosts a
myriad of fantastic historical and cultural activities and events on an annual basis. Every
winter, you will find all of the usual suspects pop up in London once again, such as
Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland or Christmas at Kew Gardens. However, if you’re
looking to fill an itinerary with places that are not absolutely bustling with tourists, then
you’ve come to the right place. Continue reading to explore all of the niche winter
activities and plan out your Christmas in London.
1. Dennis Severs’ House Tour
- Date: From November 2023 to January 2024
- Location: Dennis Severs’ House, 18 Folgate St, London E1 6BX
- Entry Tickets: £75
This quirky event is especially appealing for history buffs, theater fans, and architecture
lovers. Dennis Severs’ House is a restored 18th-century East End townhouse, which
now hosts a ‘dramatic journey led by an actor’ based on the original writing and work of
Dennis Severs.
Severs was an American who moved to London in 1979 with a dream of transforming
the old, neglected house he bought into a living and breathing artistic masterpiece that
would outlast him. The artifacts, antique furniture, and paintings Severs collected tell the
story of life in Spitalfields throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. Inspired by his
imagined version of a possible past which lay dormant within the walls, Severs set up
each room in the house as a scene in a fictional family drama. Providing an immersive
exploration into every corner and crevice of the Grade II listed abode, this tour is a
whimsical way to enjoy an evening in the capital — with time slots at 6 and 8pm.
2. Satanic Flea Market: Anti Christmas Fayre
- Date: 10 December 2023
- Location: Electrowerkz, 7 Torrens St, London EC1V 1NQ
- Entry Tickets: £4 on the door only
If the more traditional Christmas markets aren’t your cup of tea, perhaps you just need
to try something a little…satanic. Sometimes an excess of mulled wine, garish
Christmas jumpers, and an endless loop of Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want for Christmas is
You’ in every shop is simply nauseating.
At this Anti Christmas Fayre, however, you can
peruse through a wonderfully macabre curation of underground fashion, cultural relics,
occult trinkets, tarot cards, taxidermy, and even actual human skulls. Visitors can head
over to the Electrowerkz bar and restaurant for a drink or a bite to eat after some
seriously spooky shopping.
A devilishly dark event that presents an interesting
alternative for the Scrooges in your life. Under 18s will need to bring an adult and the
venue is pet friendly.
3. Peter Pan Cup
- Date: 25 December every year
- Location: Serpentine, London W2 2UH
- Entry Tickets: Free
Brave members of the Serpentine Swimming Club have plunged themselves into the
chilly depths of the Serpentine lake in Hyde Park every Christmas Day since 1864.
Swimmers even dress for the occasion, donning Santa hats alongside their swimsuits.
Spectators are welcome, however the race is strictly for Serpentine Swimming Club
members only. The freezing Christmas morning handicap swim is completed over 100
meters for the Peter Pan Cup. The Greenbury family has presented the winner with the
cup since 1932. At the end of the event, you can explore the beautiful grounds of Hyde
Park, or stop at the Serpentine Gallery.
4. The Great Christmas Feast
- Date: November to January every year
- Location: The Lost Estate, 7-9 Beaumont Avenue, London, W14 9LP
- Entry Tickets: From £149
You’ve heard of Wicked, The Lion King, and other musical gems embedded in London’s
West End, but have you heard of The Great Christmas Feast? The Great Christmas
Feast is an immersive theater show in which an actor playing Charles Dickens revives
the classic Christmas tale: A Christmas Carol.
Dickens invites you into his home for ‘his
famous annual feast’ on December 24th, 1843. Enjoy enchanting live music, paired
alongside plates piled high with Victorian food and festive cocktails. The scintillating
show has been described by GQ.com as “the experience you can’t miss this
Christmas.”
5. Dancing In The Dark – NYE Special at MOTH Club
- Date: 31 December 2023
- Location: Old Trades Hall, Valette Street, London E9 6NU
- Entry Tickets: £16.50
Fireworks aren’t for everyone. If you want to spend your New Year’s Eve a different way,
dancing to the greatest 80s bangers, then look no further than the Dancing in the Dark –
NYE Special at the MOTH Club.
You’ll get to hear tunes from the likes of New Order,
Whitney Houston, Bruce Springsteen, and Fleetwood Mac, to name a few. This is an
ideal event for dancing queens who would like to see out the year with a glass of
nostalgia, in Hackney’s cozy venue. So dust off your dancing shoes and plan to arrive
by 11:30pm to be there for the midnight countdown.
I’m dreaming of a niche Christmas…
Your Christmas in London can be more than mugs of mulled wine and saccharine songs
blasted on the radio. Luckily, there are niche Christmas events suitable for every
budget. Hopefully, this list has provided you with ample inspiration to seek out the lesser
known Yuletide activities that the city has to offer
About the Author: Olivia Weaver
