It may only be the middle of November, but all of London’s main Christmas street lights have now been switched on, and this short photo series shows off the displays in Regent Street, Leicester Square and Carnaby Street.
Hosting a Christmas market for the first time is Trafalgar Square, with vendors and bars set up outside the National Gallery.
Approach to Leicester Square.
Leicester Square hosts a Santa’s Grotto and all the usual Christmas stalls.
A not so festive mini pancake worker.
The fudge stall was doing good business.
Naturally, there were sausages and gourmet burgers available.
More fudge!
Charlie Chaplin surrounded by Christmas lights.
Piccadilly Circus.
The Regent Street lights were switched on by an excitable clusters of B-List celebrities last Thursday, 14th November.
Once again, the ‘Spirit of Christmas’ angels were suspended along the length of Regent Street.
The designer says:
Regent Street’s first seasonal lights date all the way back to 1954 where a festive flock of angels were spotted flying overhead, joined by cascading streams of light and iconic twinkling stars.
Now over sixty years later this memorable design has been revisited, becoming a poignant source of inspiration as the angels have been artistically reimagined with a contemporary twist. ‘The Spirit of Christmas’ is one of Regent Street’s most ambitious schemes to date and is a truly enchanting sight to behold. [—]
I liked Carnaby Street’s lights best, with the sustainable display the result of a collaboration with ocean conservation charity Project 0.
The street-long display represents areas of the ocean in need of conservation, including a floating kelp ‘forest,’ pink coral, whales, crabs and all other manner of aquatic creatures.
Best of all, it’s all been made using recycled and reusable materials including repurposed fishing nets, 500m of post-use bubble wrap and over 1,500 recycled plastic bottles.
Related posts:
In photos: the Christmas lights of London: Trafalgar Square, Mayfair and Winter Wonderland
Tonight: your last chance to see choirs sing traditional Christmas carols in Trafalgar Square, London
Around Leicester and Trafalgar Squares
Christmas lights in the November rain, drag queen karaoke and street views – a trip to Cardiff in photos
Oxford Street Christmas lights are turned on – in ruddy November, FFS
Deserted London: the empty streets of Soho, Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus, Chinatown and Trafalgar Square, June 2020
Coimbra, Portugal: 100 photos of night scenes, street art, architecture and Christmas lights
London pics: Christmas lights, rain, Pixel 3 and a bloke dragging a golden cross, Dec 2018
