Chelsea has received its annual dusting of seasonal sparkle, with enchanting Christmas lights now glittering throughout the neighbourhood after Father Christmas switched them on after a day of festive fun and entertainment in November.
And that was just the beginning of the celebrations. There will be bespoke wreaths, Father Christmas sightings, delicious festive treats, heart-warming carol concerts and magical horse-and-carriage rides to keep your festive spirits high throughout December.
Plus, there are tempting festive menus and lots more happening around the neighbourhood. Discover all of Chelsea’s Christmas activities at chelseachristmas.co.uk
Read on for all the best Christmas things to do on and around Sloane Street this year…
G4 At Holy Trinity
The UK’s number one classical vocal harmony quartet will be bringing their much-loved and unique sound to Holy Trinity Sloane Square with a captivating Christmas concert featuring timeless classics such as When A Child is Born, Silent Night and All I Want For Christmas from Jonathan, Lewis, Mike and Duncan within the beautiful surrounds of Chelsea’s cathedral of the Arts and Crafts movement. Take a peek at last year’s concert here.
Tickets from £19.50
Friday 1 December 2023; 7.30pm
Holy Trinity Sloane Square, 146 Sloane Street, SW1X 9BZ
sloanechurch.org/events/g4-christmas-730pm/sloanechurch.org
Harvey Nichols' fairground games
Take In A Carol Concert
Join the Sloane Square Choral Society for its annual Christmas concert on Sunday 10 December 2023. Directed by Oliver Lallemant, the programme is Johann Sebastian Bach’s Wachet auf and Thomas Hewitt Jones’ Incarnation.
Tickets £16 (children and students £6); available here.
Holy Trinity Sloane Square, 146 Sloane Street, SW1X 9BZ
sloanechurch.org
Visit Santa In Chelsea
As well as frequenting Anya’s Grotto (more below) and dropping in to read stories to children on weekends in December at the Chelsea Physic Garden, the season’s VIP will be spending time at Peter Jones before the big day.
Take your children on an exciting adventure to meet Father Christmas as they work their way through an interactive grotto experience, guided by Santa’s cheeky little helpers. They will have to crack a code and unlock a magical door in order to meet Santa. When they do, they’ll have their photo taken with Santa and receive a very special gift too.
Santa is also welcoming his four-legged friends at Peter Jones, where the bestest boys and goodest girls will be welcomed at a special Santa Paws session to meet and be photographed with Santa. He may even have a treat in store for them…
Tickets are £20 per child (includes a plush toy worth £10), plus a £2 booking fee. £2 per adult, plus a 20p booking fee. Professional photos available to purchase separately.
Peter Jones, Sloane Square, SW1W 8EL
johnlewis.com/our-services/santas-grotto
Celebrate The Season at Harvey Nicks
Take in the landmark store’s breathtaking Christmas lights before heading inside, where Harvey Nichols is celebrating the festive season with a series of reimagined fairground games for its Rewards members every weekend until Christmas. There’ll be hook-a-duck, a claw-grabber and ring-toss with truly fabulous prizes to be won (minimum spend required).
Plus, over the weekend of 17-19 November, you will be able to create one-of-a-kind gifts with personalisation services available to engrave signature fragrance bottles, special bottles of whisky or wine, and monogram leather accessories. There will be complimentary gift-wrapping to make sure all your gifts are tree-ready when you leave.
Make a day of it and book a table at the Fifth Floor Café and Terrace, where you can enjoy a three-course lunch for £35 (available Monday to Friday from 12pm to 8pm).
Ends: 24 December 2023
Harvey Nichols, 109-125 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7RJ
Anya Hindmarch's Christmas wreaths
Take A Horse-And-Carriage Ride
In the lead-up to Christmas, giddy-up for a complimentary 20-minute trot through the neighbourhood on one of our much-loved horse-and-carriage rides. Can you imagine a more memorable way to take in Chelsea’s dazzling Christmas lights? Hop aboard one of two coaches outside Kate Spade on the corner of Pavilion Road each Saturday this Christmas, from 25 November to 16 December.
Free; Keep an eye out for the on-site elf to arrange your ride. Unfortunately pre-booking is not available.
12pm – 4pm Saturdays
25 November – 16 December
Kate Spade, 2 Symons Street, SW3 2TJ
chelseachristmas.co.uk/offer/94be97c3-eee8-4337-99a7-a454d01a7697
A Very Anya Christmas
Make your way to Pont Street, where you can go on a magical expedition through moonlit forests and crunchy snow to find Father Christmas at Anya’s Grotto, an immersive 30-minute experience imagined by Anya Hindmarch, ending with a story read by Father Christmas himself. Why not drop in to Anya’s Cafe for a hot chocolate afterwards and treat yourself to a gingerbread man – or a proper afternoon tea?
Shop for loved ones at Anya’s Christmas Shop, with great gifting ideas including limited-edition decorations, hot water bottles and pieces from the Anya Life homewares collection. Plus, you can pick up a wreath designed by Rob Van Helden from the seasonal wreath hut – made with a tell-tale Anya twist.
Grotto tickets for one adult and one child, £45 (booking essential).
The Village by Anya Hindmarch, 11 Pont Street, SW1X 9EH
https://www.anyahindmarch.com/pages/anyas-grotto
The Mandarin Oriental
Visit The Mandarin Oriental’s Christmas Fair
Promising a variety of delightful gift options and delicious festive treats, all set to the enchanting melodies of Christmas carols, Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park’s annual Christmas market will be held in the breathtaking ballroom on Sunday 10 December and will be raising money for charity StreetSmart.
Sunday 10 December, 11am – 4pm
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, 66 Knightsbridge, SW1X 7LA
mandarinoriental.com/en/london/hyde-park
Sample Some Delicious Festive Food
Head to Duke of York Square on Saturdays for its wildly popular festive food market from 10am to 4pm, where you can expect artisanal treats and gourmet goodies all made from the finest ingredients. And there will be a dedicated Gourmet Gifts Market on Saturday 2 December, where you can find gifts for the epicurean in your life, and maybe savour a mince pie or two as you shop.
Prefer a sit-down meal? Head to The Botanist, Sloane Place, Harvey Nichols or Harry’s Dolce Vita, which will all be offering their own take on festive menus through November and December. And if you don’t feel like cooking on the big day itself, book a spot at The LaLee, The Fuji Grill or Al Mare for a very special Christmas dining experience (tip: reservations for New Year’s Eve are open, too).
Take Part In The Spiritual Side Of The Season
There are regular services at Chelsea’s many churches throughout the festive season, with Holy Trinity on Sloane Street hosting an Advent Carols service at 6pm on Sunday 3 December and carols by candlelight at 6pm on Sunday 10 December. On Christmas Eve, there will be a 4pm Christingle service and Midnight Mass at 11.30pm. On Christmas Day, there will be a Sung Eucharist at 11am.
Please visit sloanechurch.org for further details
Chelsea Physic Garden's Christmas fair
Enjoy Winter In The Garden
The Chelsea Physic Garden is one of the most special places in London to experience the magic of the season. Celebrating its 350th anniversary in 2023, this Christmas the Garden will be hosting its annual Christmas Fair from Thursday 23 to Sunday 26 November, with over 100 of the finest independent suppliers selling everything from handmade gifts and decorations to Christmas foods and specialist drinks, tableware, clothes, jewellery and accessories for you and your dog. It really is one of the best Christmas markets in the UK. Plus, Father Christmas will be in residence for regular storytelling sessions.
Tickets £8. Book here.
66 Royal Hospital Road, SW3 4HS
chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk
