Keep up date with festive happenings in the capital on our Christmas 2026 in London page.
Nothing signifies the approach of Christmas like the glow of seasonal street lights. Here's our guide to when London's festive illuminations are switched on (and the accompanying parties) in some of the capital's biggest shopping destinations — including Oxford Street, Regent Street, Covent Garden and Carnaby. For even more lights, check out our pick of winter lights trails and illumination festivals in the capital this winter.
Note: at time of writing, 2026 Christmas lights details haven't been announced. Below are our best guesses for when London's Christmas lights will be switched on this year, based on previous years. Nothing is confirmed yet — though we will of course update this page as soon as we have specific details.
Oxford Street Christmas lights 2026: switch-on date
Oxford Street is always one of the first London districts to switch on its Christmas lights, illuminating the world-famous shopping street. The magic 'officially' happened on 3 November last year, though the lights were spotted in all their illuminated glory a couple of nights before this.
In recent years, there's not been an official lighting event/switching-on ceremony for the Oxford Street Christmas lights. However, with Oxford Street going traffic-free from autumn 2026, there's the potential for a lot more fuss to be made this year. In August 2026, the Oxford Street Development Corporation told Londonist: "OSDC are working closely with New West End Company who are leading on the Christmas lights to ensure that this Christmas is a very special one". Watch this space...
Estimated Christmas 2026 date: Around 2 November.
Regent Street and St James's Christmas lights 2026: switch-on date
An absolute staple of the festive season in London, we're very much hoping the 'Spirit of Christmas' angel illuminations will be back on Regent Street and St James's for Christmas 2026. They usually get switched on a couple of days after the Oxford Street Christmas lights (above) — last year they were lit from 6 November.
Estimated Christmas 2026 date: Around 5 November.
Carnaby Christmas lights 2026: switch-on date
Carnaby Street's festive unveil is on Wednesday 4 November 2026, "inspired by the feel-good nostalgia of the 90s" — very much on trend right now, given the doomy times we live in. (How about going all out and inviting the Spice Girls to switch the lights on, as they did on Oxford Street 30 years ago?). For the last couple of Christmases, Carnaby's boxy Christmas lights — made from 60,000 energy-efficient LEDs — have been reused to reduce waste, and we expect to see them again in 2026, albeit with that 90s twist. Last year, Carnaby's light were switched on the same day as Regent Street's.
Christmas 2026 date: 4 November.
Covent Garden Christmas lights 2026: switch-on date
Covent Garden goes all out for Christmas, with a towering tree in the West Piazza; and bows, baubles and mirror balls in the market hall. All of this is back from 12 November 2026, marking the return of the "Theatre of Christmas" campaign. The switch-on draws quite a crowd.
Christmas 2026 date: 12 November.
Bond Street Christmas lights 2026: switch-on date
The festive illuminations over Bond Street have taken us on something of a magical mystery tour in recent years: in 2023 they took the form of Crown Jewel-inspired crowns and pearls, replaced in 2024 by Chanel perfume bottles... only for the Crown Jewels to return last year. So we've no idea what to expect for 2026. They were switched on from 12 November last year.
Estimated Christmas 2026 date: 11 November.
West End Christmas lights: 2026 switch-on date
Christmas in London usually begins when the West End Christmas lights are switched on, the first of the season (from 1 November last year). They encompass Piccadilly, Leicester Square, and St Martin's Lane, with different designs at each location, nodding to their individual heritage.
Estimated Christmas 2026 date: Around 1 November.
