A secret cinema screening all your favourite Christmas movies? Check. Igloos on a rooftop with insane views of London? Check. A winter wonderland pop-up that’s BYOB? Check. There’s no second guessing it – there are some incredible things going on in London this December. To make sure you don’t miss out, we got in touch with DesignMyNight for the low-down on the events that are sure to jingle your bells.
Watch Home Alone at a Secret Pop-Up Cinema
With Pop Up Screens in town this December, there’s no way in hell you’re staying in to watch your favourite Christmas movie on the couch. Hidden behind a Narnia-like wardrobe, find the unassuming entrance and you’ll be met by a world where mulled wine reigns supreme. Covered in thick blankets of snow, this magical pop-up is gonna be screening everything from Home Alone to Elf.
Eat Christmassy Pizza and Play Ping Pong
What do ping pong and Christmas have in common? Absolutely nothing. Well, that was until Bounce created Let’s Get Christmessy Brunch. This festive Sunday shindig involves two hours of free-flowing fizz and cranberry spritzers, slices of speciality Christmas-themed pizza, and endless games of ping pong. Don’t be a grinch and grab a ticket ASAP- it’s more than worth the price tag.
Go to a Festive BYOB Pop-Up
If you don’t have that Christmas feeling yet, there’s only one place for you: Winterland. This festive pop-up has riverside igloos, winter cabins tucked away in an enchanted forest, cute curling lanes and a massive feasting hall decked out with hundreds of pine trees. Still not impressed? They have an area dedicated to prosecco pong and it’s BYOB everyday, except Saturday.
Drink with Santa in his Whisky Grotto
Gone are the days when you trudged to a shopping centre to recite your Furby-filled Crimbo list to Santa; St Nick has moved onto bigger and better things. Yup, he’s now got his own whisky cave at The Imaginarium in Southwark and is hosting raucous Christmess dinners throughout December there too. Grab a ticket for dancing on tables and feasting until the early hours.
Have Afternoon Tea in a Cute Cabin
There’s no point in sugarcoating it, London is packed with pop-ups. But none are quite as charming as York and Albany’s An Awfully British Winter Cabin. This retreat is a snug of comfy armchairs where you can eat and drink to your heart’s content. Book in for lunch or dinner for a feast of stilton and red onion tartlets, gin-cured salmon vol au vents, and chestnut and winter berry Eton mess. Fancy something lighter? The Elevenses and Afternoon Tea will fill you up with scones and dainty mince pies.
Party Like it’s the End of the World
The Vaults throw some of the most outlandish parties in London and this festive season they’re whizzing you through space, to the very end of the universe, with the Dance Before Christmas. There’s going to be underwater martian caves, crazy installations, warp drives (whatever they are) and you can even chat with the man on the moon. With the possibility of the end of the world happening any minute, these guys are determined to give you the best Christmas of your life.
Go Bowling and Drink Christmas Cocktails
There’s a Christmas do happening at All Star Lanes on December 4th, and whether you’re known as a bowling queen or for constantly throwing your ball in the gutter; it’s one of this December’s must-visit events. Rock down there with your friends and you’ll all get a festive three-course meal that includes an actual Christmas burger, half a bottle of wine, and a free game of bowling.
Time Travel to 1920s New York
There’s a secret prohibition party taking place in London this December and it’s gonna whisk you away from modern-day life to Christmas in 1920s New York. Kick starting at 7pm with cocktails and canapés, you and your gang will be in for a night of illicit drinking in gambling dens, magic acts and out and out debauchery.
Dine at a Rooftop Igloo
We’ve lost count of the amount of igloos that have been popping up around London, but Aviary have brought those cute little snow globes to their rooftop bar and restaurant for winter, and we’re convinced that they’re the best in the city. Glowing with fairy lights and kitted out with warm blankets, this place is a no-brainer if you want postcard views of the city and a cracking line-up of festive cocktails.
Grab a Hot Chocolate Cocktails at Dalloway Terrace
Dalloway Terrace have transformed their alfresco space into a winter wonderland for the colder months this year, and we’d go as far as saying it’s been plucked straight from the pages of a fairytale. It has snow-frosted foliage, hanging lanterns and faux-fur blankets. They’ve also added some Christmas-themed cocktails, including a boozy hot chocolate, to their menu and you can pop by for everything from breakfast and brunch to an intimate evening meal.
For more info on what’s on in London, and across the UK, visit DesignMyNight and follow them on Instagram and Twitter; @DesignMyNight.
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