Nothing gets you in the festive spirit like a feelgood Christmas film on the big screen, ideally enjoyed with a mulled wine. Loads of London venues and pop-ups screen Christmas movies in December — take a look below for some enchanting settings — way more interesting than your local multiplex. And no, we're not being dragged into the Die Hard debate...
Festive Film & Fizz at One Aldwych
Swanky Strand hotel One Aldwych partners with Curzon for a year-round programme of film screenings in its intimate 30-seat cinema, accompanied by a posh menu.
The programme gets suitably festive for Christmas, with screenings of It's A Wonderful Life, Love Actually, Elf, Home Alone and Miracle on 34th Street. It's at the luxe end of festive screening spectrum — tickets (£95) include a three-course dinner (or lunch at weekends) in the hotel restaurant, Indigo, as well as popcorn and a glass of sparkling wine during the film.
Film & Fizz at One Aldwych, 15 November-22 December 2024.
Taste Film 'eatalong' screenings of Love Actually and Home Alone 2
You've heard of singalong screenings, but what about 'eatalongs'. That's what Taste Film does best, pairing the action on screen with a themed dish or drink, served to audience members at the appropriate moment. They're tackling two Christmas films this year: Love Actually, and Home Alone 2: Lost In New York.
Love Actually, selected dates 18 November-20 December 2024 at Parlour in Kensal Rise. Home Alone 2, selected dates 30 November-22 December 2024 at The Refinery, Citypoint.
Christmas films at Prince Charles Cinema, Leicester Square
The Prince Charles doesn't do things by halves, and its Christmas season is no exception.
You've got the usual classics such as The Muppet Christmas Carol (screened every day in December up until Christmas Eve), Home Alone, and It's A Wonderful Life, as well as some unexpected entries in the form of Eyes Wide Shut (well, it does take place at Christmas) and The Shop Around The Corner (ditto). There's a Christmas Pyjama Party all-nighter on Saturday 21 December, when The Muppet Christmas Carol, Elf, Home Alone, Gremlins and Die Hard are shown back to back.
Many of the films are screened multiple times in the run-up to the big day. For an independent cinema, the Prince Charles punches well above its weight, and it's been a rough couple of years for small businesses — so consider buying some popcorn and a drink on your way in.
Christmas 2024 at the Prince Charles Cinema, 20 November-24 December 2024.
Christmas films at Rivoli Pop-up Cinema
South-east Londoners; head for the glitz and glam of the Rivoli Ballroom for festive movie nights. Pop-up cinema Crofton Park Pictures screens both Home Alone films, Love Actually, Elf, Gremlins and Die Hard over an epic three-day run, with chandeliers hanging overhead, a stall selling sweets, ice cream and popcorn and, of course, a bar.
Christmas films at Rivoli Pop-up Cinema, 20-22 December 2024.
Christmas film screenings at the Clapham Grand
Party venue The Clapham Grand has a lively programme of Christmas events planned, including some rather booze-heavy Christmas film screenings. Drink along with either The Holiday or Love Actually, shown on a 25ft screen and accompanied by snow machines, sing alongs, dance offs, costume competitions, plus popcorn, pigs in blankets and mulled wine. Alternatively, book for the Love Actually movie brunch — which organisers admit is 'brunch' in name only, and takes the same lively form as the other events, but at lunchtime instead.
Christmas film screenings at The Clapham Grand, 30 November-14 December 2024.
Christmas films in concert
Sometimes, certain venues screen films with a live orchestra accompaniment playing the soundtrack.
The Eventim Apollo offers:
- The Holiday in Concert (1 December)
- The Muppet Christmas Carol in Concert (14 December)
- Love Actually in Concert (15 December)
Meanwhile, the Royal Albert Hall hosts Home Alone in Concert (7 December).
Christmas screenings at W Film Club
W Film Club returns to W London for a series of festive film screenings in the hotel's screening room. Kick back and watch Elf (7 December), The Holiday (14 December), Die Hard (19 December), the newly-released Wicked (20 December) or Home Alone 2 (26 December). Tickets include options for cocktails, popcorn, and even the hotel's après-inspired afternoon tea if you fancy going all out for a festive treat.
Christmas screenings at W Film Club, 7-26 December 2024.
Christmas film screenings at the BFI
Both BFI Southbank and the nearby IMAX screen festive films throughout December. Classics including Scrooge, The Muppet Christmas Carol and The Nightmare Before Christmas are on there — as is The Polar Express, much to our personal delight.
As you might expect from an organisation with such cinematic chops, there are a few lesser-known films thrown in there, including 2015's Tangerine, about transgender sex workers on Christmas Eve in LA, and 1947 comedy/romance The Bishops's Wife.
Christmas films at the BFI, 8-23 December 2024.
The Muppet Christmas Carol + talk at the Science Museum
As part of the December edition of Science Museum Lates, The Muppet Christmas Carol is screened at the museum's IMAX cinema. But this one goes further than the many, many other screenings of that film coming to London this Christmas: it's followed by a talk by Professor Alan Heavens, Chair in Astrostatistics at Imperial College, about the science of time travel, and whether what happens to Scrooge in the film is actually possible. Sounds interesting, also sounds like it could ruin that film forever.
The Muppet Christmas Carol at Science Museum, 18 December 2024.
