December can be an expensive month in London, but it’s also packed with things to do for free. Christmas markets cost nothing to walk around, the lights are free, cathedrals open their doors for carol services, and there’s even a free Santa’s grotto. Here’s everything free in London in December 2026, with the dates that matter.
Key free dates in December 2026
| Date | What’s on | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Thu 3 Dec | Trafalgar Square Christmas tree lit | Trafalgar Square |
| Sat 5 Dec, 1.30pm to 4.30pm | Free Santa’s grotto and Christmas crafts | Haydons Road Recreation Ground, South Wimbledon |
| Sat 5 and Sun 6 Dec, 12pm to 5pm | Black Culture Market, Christmas edition | Lambeth Town Hall, Brixton |
| 5 to 22 Dec | Curated Makers Christmas Market | Battersea Power Station |
| Sun 6 Dec, 5pm | Blessing of the Crib | Trafalgar Square |
| Sat 12 Dec, 2pm | Canterbury Chamber Choir carols, no ticket | Southwark Cathedral |
| Sat 12 Dec, 5pm | Britten’s Ceremony of Carols, no ticket | St Paul’s Cathedral |
| Sun 13 Dec, 3pm and 5pm | Nine Lessons and Carols, no ticket | St Martin-in-the-Fields |
| Thu 17 Dec, 12.45pm | Community Carols and Sing In | Southwark Cathedral |
| Sun 20 Dec, 3pm | Blessing of the Crib and lighting of the trees | St Paul’s Cathedral |
| Sun 20 and Mon 21 Dec, 6pm | Cathedral Carol Service, free ticket | Southwark Cathedral |
| Wed 23 and Thu 24 Dec | Lessons and Carols, free ticket | Westminster Abbey |
| Thu 24 Dec, 4pm | Crib Service | Southwark Cathedral |
| Sat 26 Dec | Free garden open day | Hampton Court Palace |
| Thu 31 Dec | New Year’s Eve fireworks from free viewing spots | Along the Thames |
| Fri 1 Jan | New Year’s Day Parade | Central London |
Free Christmas markets
All of these are free to walk around. You only pay for what you eat, drink or buy.
- Southbank Centre Winter Market: chalets along the river by the London Eye, until 3 January. Closed 25 and 31 December. Nearest station: Waterloo.
- Winter by the River, London Bridge City: riverside stalls facing Tower Bridge, until 3 January, closed Christmas Day. Nearest station: London Bridge.
- King’s Cross Winter Market: makers, food and a bandstand in Granary Square, until 3 January. Closed 25 and 26 December and 1 January. Christmas Under the Canopy runs nearby until 23 December.
- Chelsea Winter Village: an evening market at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, 4.30pm to 10pm until 28 December, closed Christmas Day. Only the light trail is ticketed.
- Kingston Christmas Market: wooden cabins in Kingston upon Thames, until 3 January, closed Christmas Day.
- South Bank Christmas Market: a Sunday makers market at Between the Bridges, with a free creative workshop, every Sunday until 20 December.
- Curated Makers Christmas Market: 24 makers inside Battersea Power Station from 5 to 22 December, with a new line-up every few days.
- Black Culture Market: Black-owned businesses selling gifts, art, food and beauty at Lambeth Town Hall in Brixton, Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 December.
Our London Christmas markets map shows what’s open on the day you’re going, and the best Christmas markets guide has more detail on each.
Christmas lights
London’s central Christmas lights are free to see and need no booking. Most displays stay up until early January, so December is the best month to see them all. Follow the free walking route in our London Christmas lights guide, from Regent Street through Carnaby to Covent Garden.
In Chelsea, the free Ever After Garden in Duke of York Square is an illuminated rose garden, open until 21 December.
Free carol services
London’s cathedrals and big churches hold free carol services all through December. Several need no ticket at all:
- St Paul’s Cathedral: Britten’s Ceremony of Carols on Saturday 12 December at 5pm, and the Blessing of the Crib on Sunday 20 December at 3pm.
- St Martin-in-the-Fields: Nine Lessons and Carols on Sunday 13 December at 3pm and 5pm.
- Southwark Cathedral: free daytime carols on 12, 17 and 19 December, and the Crib Service on Christmas Eve at 4pm.
The most famous services need a free ticket, and they go fast. Southwark’s tickets are released on 9 November, Westminster Abbey’s on 16 and 18 November, and St Paul’s uses a ballot that opens in November. Every date is in our free carol services guide.
You can also hear choirs singing carols at the foot of the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree throughout December.
Free Santa
Santa’s Grotto at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland is free, first come, first served, from 10am to 6pm. You do need a Winter Wonderland entry ticket, which costs from £1 off-peak. On Saturday 5 December, Christmas in the Park in South Wimbledon has a free grotto from 1.30pm to 4.30pm. Register on Eventbrite first.
If you’d rather book a slot, several grottos cost £7.50 a child with adults free. See our cheap and free Santa’s grottos guide.
More free things to do in December
- Battersea Power Station is free to wander, and the Christmas makers market is inside from 5 December. Pair it with our free things to do in Battersea.
- The Burberry Trench at the V&A is a free display in South Kensington, until 3 January.
- Free museums are the best escape from the cold. London Museum Docklands, the British Museum and the National Gallery are all free. See our free indoor things to do on a rainy day.
- Free live music continues through December, with weekly open mics and jam sessions across London on our agenda.
Boxing Day and New Year
- Saturday 26 December: the formal gardens at Hampton Court Palace are free to visit, with no booking needed. It’s a good way to walk off Christmas lunch.
- Thursday 31 December: the official fireworks are ticketed, but several spots outside the ticketed zone have a view of the London Eye for free. See our New Year’s Eve fireworks guide.
- Friday 1 January: the New Year’s Day Parade is free to watch from the pavement.
Worth paying a little for
- Hyde Park Winter Wonderland: entry costs £1 off-peak. See our Winter Wonderland on a budget guide.
- A pantomime: seats start at £10 at the Lyric Hammersmith and Hackney Empire. See our cheap pantomimes guide.
- Ice skating: compare prices and off-peak deals across every rink in our Christmas ice rinks guide.
- A festive meal out: Christmas set menus start at £20 a head. See our cheap Christmas set menus guide.
Common questions
What is free to do in London at Christmas?
London’s Christmas markets, the central Christmas lights, most carol services and the national museums are all free. There’s a free Santa’s grotto at Winter Wonderland (after £1 off-peak entry), and Hampton Court Palace’s gardens are free on Boxing Day.
When is the Trafalgar Square Christmas tree lit in 2026?
On Thursday 3 December 2026. The tree is a gift from Norway every year since 1947, and choirs sing carols beneath it throughout December.
Are London's Christmas markets open on Christmas Day?
Mostly not. The Southbank Centre Winter Market, Winter by the River, Kingston and Chelsea Winter Village are all closed on Christmas Day, and the Southbank market also closes on New Year’s Eve.
Are carol services in London free?
Yes. Carol services at St Paul’s, Westminster Abbey, Southwark Cathedral and St Martin-in-the-Fields are free. Some need a free ticket because they’re so popular. See our free carol services guide for release dates.
Planning earlier? See free things to do in London in November.
Dates and details come from our individual guides, each checked against the organisers’ official websites. Last checked on 29 October 2026. Check the organiser before you travel, as December plans can change.