14 Stunning London Christmas Trees That Are Simply Treemendous
Christmas is most definitely on its way. The Christmas lights are turning on, Michael Bublé has nearly defrosted, Mariah’s ready to get her warble on, and London’s remarkable Christmas trees are starting to pop up. With many still to be unveiled in the coming weeks, here are some Christmas trees you can see already, as well as some dates to pop in the diary and some predictions based on years gone by.
Without further ado, here are 14 Christmas trees that Santa himself would approve of:
Covent Garden is home to the largest hand-picked Christmas tree in the city at a whopping 60-feet-tall! This show-stopping tree is from the same farm that the Royal Family get their tree from and it’s draped in twinkling lights and festive decorations. The tree forms just one part of their festive display, which features over 115,000 lights. Covent Garden has also decided to grant us the white Christmas we truly deserve by dusting the area with flurries of snow throughout the season. There’s a whole heap of Christmassy cheer awaiting you at Covent Garden.
Covent Garden Piazza, WC2E 8RF. Nearest station is Covent Garden.
Christmas at Kew is one of the highlights of the festive season, with a 2.7km trail winding you through the awe-inspiring gardens. Alongside the incredible light shows and decorations, the Christmas tree almost pales in comparison. Almost. But not quite, as it’s still an incredible display of lighting and festivity. Definitely not one to be missed, especially given everything else that the Christmas at Kew light trail holds.
Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AE. Nearest station is Kew Gardens.
3. Coal Drops Yard
This lovely central London spot has always got something going on, and it’s full of fantastic shops and restaurants. And their Christmas tree makes the place all the more of a must-visit London destination. The whole square has had an alpine, après-ski-themed makeover for the Christmas season, and the whopping 47ft tall tree highlights that with neon ski accessories all over it. In a move towards sustainability, when the tree comes down, its needles will be ground down and used to make pine essence for candles that will be sold in Coal Drops Yard. You could quite literally own a bit of one of London’s prettiest Christmas trees.
Coal Drops Yard, Stable Street, King’s Cross, N1C 4DQ. Nearest station is King’s Cross St Pancras.
Still to be revealed…
These Christmas trees have yet to be unveiled, and we’re honestly chomping at the bit to see them in all their finery and glory!
4. Claridge’s
No stranger to striking Christmas trees, Claridge’s 2022 effort is set to be another sparkling contender. Each year the famous luxury hotel enlists one of fashion’s biggest names, and this year it’s Sandra Choi, Creative Director for Jimmy Choo. The tree will be crafted from reflective mirrors, with lights pulsing and undulating inside to accent the whole affair, all topped off with a giant, glittering bow – one of the brand’s key design themes of the winter collection. Titled, ‘The Diamond’, it’s set to be unveiled on the morning of November 23. Viewers will also be able to step inside the tree, fulfilling Choi’s dream of stepping inside a diamond. Who doesn’t love a Christmas tree that you can step right into?
Brook Street, Mayfair, W1K 4HR. Nearest station is Bond Street.
This magical market represented Diagon Alley in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, and it’s equally fantastical during the festive season. Leadenhall Market‘s extraordinary tree is set to illuminate the area from November 17 onwards with its dazzling lights and striking decorations. They’ll also be offering up all sorts of Christmas workshops – including wine tasting and wreath-making – throughout the Christmas festivities. So, why not dial that festive feeling all the way up to a hundred?
Gracechurch Street, Langbourn, EC3V 1LT. Nearest station is Monument.
6. The Connaught Hotel
The Connaught Hotel is not only home to one of the best bars in the world, you’ll also find a pretty spectacular Christmas tree waiting outside to greet you during the festive season. Last year’s was designed by influential London-based artist duo Annie Morris and Idris Khan OBE. This year’s tree has been designed by London-based artist Suzy Murphy and will be unveiled on November 17 alongside the Connaught Village Christmas lights being turned on.
Carlos Place, Mayfair, W1K 2AL. Nearest station is Bond Street.
7. Aqua Shard
The Aqua Shard‘s show-stopping tree was first revealed in 2020, for which hundreds of golden paint brushes were dipped in glitter and illuminated as an ode to London’s theatre industry and backstage production crews. It was then lovingly restored in 2021 after giving the paint brushes a slightly new look, with the brushes dipped in gold and green. It’s a truly unique Christmas tree in London, and our fingers are crossed for its return.
Level 31, The Shard, St Thomas Street, SE1 9RY. Nearest station is London Bridge.
8. Sofitel St James
If last year is anything to go by, ‘the bigger the better’ is Sofitel St James‘ motto and we don’t blame them. Last year’s towering tree was hard to miss as it spread Christmas cheer and merriment. Everything from the dazzling decorations to the elegant star atop the tree, was fabulously festive, and we’re sure it’ll be back. The question is only… When?
There aren’t many things you can guarantee in life, but Trafalgar Square‘s festive tree making a return over Christmas is definitely one of them. Every year since 1947, Norway has donated an eye-catching tree to the Big Smoke as a thank you for helping them out in WW2. This year’s tree will hit Trafalgar Square on December 1, a veritably late-feeling reveal compared to the rest of London’s early openings and illuminations.
Trafalgar Square, Westminster, WC2N 5DX. Nearest station is Charing Cross.
10. Tower of London
Two Christmas trees await visitors at the Tower of London as part of their 12 Days of Christmas-themed celebrations, from November 23 – January 3. The first, a humble 14-footer, will be found near the entrance, with three lions stationed around it in reference to the three given as a gift to King Henry III. The other will sit on Tower Green, where an impressive 22ft tall Christmas will be ‘guarded’ by twelve wooden Beefeaters. No word yet on their efficacy as guardians!
Tower of London, London, EC3N 4AB. Nearest station is Tower Hill.
Previous years have seen St Pancras International collaborating with the likes of Disney, Cirque Du Soleil, Tiffany & Co., and more on their glorious display. Last year they worked together with ZSL London Zoo for a story book installation based on the zoo’s “Tails from the Zoo” bedtime story, which was released during the pandemic. Find out more about last year’s Christmas tree at St Pancras International here. We’ll be waiting (not so) patiently in the terminal for the tree to go up.
Euston Rd, King’s Cross, N1C 4QP. Nearest station is, erm, St Pancras International.
Wembley Park’s Winterfest came back with a bang last year, but we’ve yet to hear from them yet in 2022. Past years have seen a 25-metre-tall tree made up of 100,000 twinkling LED lights, with a walk-through version debuting last year. We’ve got our fingers crossed for its return!
Wembley Park, Wembley, HA9 0RJ. Nearest station is Wembley Park.
13. The Goring
Though less impressive in stature than other entries on this list, what The Goring‘s two Christmas trees lack in size they make up for with sheer sparkly-ness. For this year’s trees, visible from November 22 – January 5, the hotel has partnered with world-renowned British jewellers, Garrard, on tiara-themed trees inspired by Garrard’s historic tiara’s worn by Her Majesty and The Royal Family. That’s right: Tiara Trees. They’ll be bedecked with four types of tiaras modelled after those favoured by the late Queen.
15 Beeston Place, Belgravia, SW1W 0JW. Nearest station is Victoria.
Visitors to Westfield’s Winter Village, from November 19 onwards, will be confronted by Europe’s tallest Christmas tree on an ice rink. The all-new ice rink, covering 1,000 square meters, will allow revellers to skate their way around the towering festive instalment for a delightful experience.
1081 Ariel Way, Shepherd’s Bush, W12 7GF. Nearest station is Shepherd’s Bush.
Also published on Medium.
