Christmas in London

No city does Christmas quite like London. Once December rolls around, the city starts to twinkle with sparkling lights. Crowds flock toward the wonderful smells of mulled wine and hot chocolate at the Christmas markets. And businesses add festive twists to their classic menus and experiences.

There's no wrong way to spend Christmas in London, and the list of things to do seems to only grow by the year. If you're visiting this season, here are some of my favorite activities to add to the top of your list.

Admire the iconic Christmas light displays on Regent Street

The festive season hasn't truly started until the lights turn on at Regent Street. These light displays have been a tradition since 1954, when Regent Street was the first area to put up public Christmas lights in London. Named “The Spirits of Christmas,” this year's displays are a dazzling sight to behold, with more than 50 magical “spirits” lined up, as if soaring above the buildings. They're powered by 300,000 low-energy LED lights that twinkle in harmony to create a ripple effect along the street. This was my first stop when I arrived in London, which also happened to be the night of the first snow of the season. With the scene of the magnificent displays towering over spectators and London's iconic, red double decker buses, it's difficult not to feel the holiday magic.

“The Spirits of Christmas” will be on display from November 9, 2023 to January 2, 2024, and will be lit up every day from early evening.

Take a stroll through London's charming riverside market

When in London, visiting a Christmas market is essential. The question is, which one should you visit first? While we explored some of the most famous ones, I found “Winter by the River” to be the most memorable. Located along the Thames and against the backdrop of the iconic Tower Bridge, this charming market features a lengthy row of festive shops in cute, wooden cabins. Vendors sell a range of goods, from homemade crafts to unique trinkets - perfect for last-minute holiday shopping. There's also a diverse selection of freshly made food and steaming hot winter beverages to keep you warm.

“Winter by the River” will open from November 14, 2023 to January 1, 2024, open daily from Noon to 10:30 p.m., with adjusted times on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

Make your childhood dreams come true at Hogwarts in the Snow

I'll be honest - the first time I visited the Warner Bros. Studio Tour to see The Making of Harry Potter, I teared up. But how can you not, when walking through a giant, detailed model of Hogwarts Castle with the original soundtrack playing in the background? Blake had never been, so I got him tickets to visit in December, and to my surprise, the tour during the holiday season is extra special. Called “Hogwarts in the Snow,” the tour adds lovely elements and details to the entire experience. At the start of the tour, visitors enter the Great Hall to see it fully decked out, with the movie's mouth-watering Christmas feast laid across the long tables. The sets of the Gryffindor and Slytherin common rooms are transformed into the way that they were filmed for the movie's Christmas scenes. Lastly, Hogwarts Castle is covered in a beautiful blanket of snow. Christmas is an important, memorable part of Harry Potter, so if you're a fan, seeing this special edition of the tour is a must.

“Hogwarts in the Snow” will run from November 11, 2023 to January 14, 2024, with advance booking required.

Eat at Borough Market, London's most famous food market

Borough Market is one of the most famous, historic markets in London, known for high quality, seasonal food and fresh, organic produce. For the festive season, the market is decorated with lights, wreaths and ornaments, while vendors add specials like mulled wine and Christmas cakes to their selections. It's a great place to pick up the finest quality goods for the foodies in your life. We stopped by for lunch and of course, this giant paella from Bomba Paella caught our eye. I thought the paella itself was good, but not worth the queue, which took about 20-30 minutes. For dessert, we got the apple and cinnamon crumble with vanilla custard at Humble Crumble, which was absolutely worth the (shorter) queue.

Borough Market has adjusted times during the holiday season, with the latest updates available on its website.

Treat yourself to a festive, quirky afternoon tea

One of my favorite traditions in London is afternoon tea, and Sketch's rendition is an unforgettable one. From the moment we walked into The Gallery, the main room for afternoon tea, we were transported into a luxurious, pink setting with fun, quirky art and live music. Over the next two hours, we indulged in tea, finger sandwiches, cakes and scones. There were also a few exclusive additions as part of their Festive Afternoon Tea menu. All of the items were fresh, creative and delicious, but the scones were the star of the show for me - baked perfectly and paired with clotted cream and jam. Another strangely iconic thing about Sketch is their bathroom. With egg-like pods and bright, colored lights, it's the most unique bathroom I've ever seen. Sketch is a whole experience and a wonderful way to treat yourself for an afternoon.

Sketch will be exclusively serving its Festive Afternoon Tea menu from November 16, 2023 to January 8, 2024, with advance booking required.

For more videos and clips from my Christmas trip to London, watch my Instagram Story Highlights.