Morning, London! Happy Thursday! It's the last week of school for some, another week for others, and just two weeks till Christmas, with 2025 hot on its heels. Not to reveal my age, but does anyone else feel like it was only yesterday when we were all bracing for the millennium bug? You know, when computers were supposed to go haywire and microwaves were expected to sprout legs and run off with our dinners? Yep, that was 25 years ago—unbelievable, isn’t it? I was a kid then, but I do remember! Despite the decades sliding by, one thing remains the same: London’s endless offerings. We're here to keep sifting through the best of them, making life a wee bit easier for London's families with your weekly dose of what’s on. So, buckle up as we dive into another week of adventures in our splendid city!

Here’s what we’ve got for you today:

• 🎙️ London Snippets: Bits that caught our eye

• 🧠 Casual Einstein: Two new playground-worthy facts

• 📅 Readers’ Favourite: Family events this week

• 🎅 Special Edition: Where to meet the Big Guy?

But first, the weather:

LONDON SNIPPETS

Bits that caught our eye

🧙‍♂️ Over 30,000 kids try out for parts in new Harry Potter TV show! Set to begin production in summer 2025, the UK's Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in Hertfordshire—famous as the filming location for all eight Harry Potter films—will once again be a hub of magic and mystery. This upcoming project will introduce a fresh cast of young witches and wizards, selected through open auditions held in September 2024. Full story

📸 How a £15,000,000,000,000 (£15 trillion) tunnel could link New York and London one day. Ok, I know this screams clickbait, but I just couldn't overlook it—the tunnel talks have resurfaced! With recent advancements in vacuum tube technology, various sources are buzzing about this project's new potential. Picture this: zipping through a tunnel in a pressurized vehicle, hurtling along at speeds topping 3,000 mph. This could slash the London to New York journey to just over an hour. Full story

🚇 The growing TfL lost property pile going unclaimed. A bit less exciting than the tunnel, but over the past year, Transport for London (TfL) reported a 6% increase in lost items, yet fewer are being reclaimed. Notably, of the 12,000 sets of keys handed in from 2023 to 2024, only 211 were reclaimed. Additionally, out of 17,000 lost phones, just over 1,000 were returned to their owners. Unclaimed items are sent to TfL's Not Lost office in West Ham, with most unclaimed items after three months donated to charity. Full story

HOLIDAYS POLL

CASUAL EINSTEIN

2 for 1: Outsmart your 3rd grader & out-fact the other parents

Here are two cool facts to help you sound like the smartest parent on the playground:

Fun Fact: Babies are born with over 300 bones, but some of these will fuse together with age. By adulthood we just have 206 bones!

London fact: King Charles III doesn't clock in and out of Buckingham Palace every day. However, there's a simple way to check if he's home! Look at the flag flying above the palace. When the King is in residence, the Royal Standard is raised, indicating his presence. This flag is unique to the monarch and is only used when they are on-site.

EVENT SCOOP

What’s on this week?

📚 Under 5 Storytelling
Date & Loc: Dec 12th, Kings Cross
Enjoy a free interactive storytelling session for under 5s, themed around the Jewish Festival of Channukah. The session will be delivered by a professional storyteller and feature interactive elements.
Age: <5y | Price: Free | Info

🖌️ Mini Makers @ The Postal Museum
Date & Loc: Dec 14th, Clerkenwell
Fun arts and crafts activity! Inspired by David Gentleman’s famous “12 Days of Christmas” stamps, you will use lino printing and other craft materials to create your own lino print block.
Age: Family | Price: from £10 (under 3 free) | Info

🎨 Family Fun: Phantasmagorical Christmas Cards
Date & Loc: Dec 14th, Holland Park
Create your own unique collaged and decorated Christmas cards, inspired by the weird and wonderful designs of this very Victorian tradition.
Age: Family | Price: £5 (adults free) | Info

🎅 Father Christmas @ Fulham Palace
Date & Loc: Dec 14th, Fulham
Immerse yourself in the holiday spirit at Fulham Palace, where the winter season transforms the historic grounds into a festive wonderland. Enjoy cosy fires, stunning decorations and tasty mince pies. This year, Father Christmas himself will be making a special stop at the Palace!
Age: Family | Price: £25 | Info

🧵 The Elves and the Shoemaker Sewing Workshop
Date & Loc: Dec 14th, Kingston
Inspired by the tale of the Elves and the Shoemaker, join us at Kingston Museum for this festive hand-sewing workshop.
Age: 7+ | Price: £8 | Info

🎄 Craft & Activities @ Guildhall Art Gallery
Date & Loc: Dec 14th, City of London
Our next Second Saturday brings you a fun range of activities to celebrate Christmas at Guildhall Art Gallery. See the wonderful exhibitions and make something special which you can take home and use to decorate your Christmas tree.
Age: Family | Price: Free | Info

❄️ Winter Reimagined @ Southbank Centre
Date & Loc: Dec 14th, Southbank
Create your own winter fun with sustainable craft workshops making beautiful things from old and waste materials, accompanied by uplifting songs and a giant festive sing-a-long.
Age: Everyone | Price: Free | Info

🧜‍♀️ The Little Mermaid Panto
Date & Loc: Dec 14-15th, Wandsworth/Battersea
This modern reimagining of Hans Christian Andersen's beloved tale promises an adventure for audiences of all ages, which you can dive into at the Wandsworth Civic Suite this festive season.
Age: Family | Price: from £11 | Info

🖼️ Family Studio @ Royal Academy
Date & Loc: Dec 15th, Burlington Gardens
Create effects with ink and wax resist at this workshop for families. These sessions can be incredibly popular. Families will be invited to experiment with making abstract art using methods and techniques that create unpredictable results. First come, first served system.
Age: Family | Price: Free | Info

🎁 Once upon a Kingswood Christmas
Date & Loc: Dec 14th-24th, Dulwich
This 45-50 minute experience takes you through several beautiful sets, as characters lead you through our bespoke Christmas Tale. Help Bella find the Fairytale Alliance, rescue Father Christmas from the clutches of the Snow Queen and save the Festive Season!
Age: Family | Price: £20 | Info

🎭 Night Before Christmas @ New Wimbledon Theatre
Date & Loc: Dec 11-24th, Wimbledon
This enchanting Christmas adventure is suitable to 3 - 8 year olds and features festive fun, classic Christmas songs and lots of audience participation plus the opportunity to join Santa, his helpers and Woody and Milly on-stage for photos.
Age: 2-5y | Price: from £17 | Info

🎭 The Wizard of Oz @ Merton Arts Space
Date & Loc: Dec 18th, Merton
A seasonal adaptation of the classic tale of The Wizard of OZ, suitable for ages 7+. With great character actors, live music and a multi sensory experience putting the audience at the heart of the adventure!
Age: 7+ | Price: Free (booking req) | Info

🎭 A Christmas Carol (ish) @ Soho Place
Date & Loc: Nov 28th - Jan 5th, West End
Join double Emmy-award nominee Nick Mohammed as his critically acclaimed alter-ego Mr. Swallow, alongside a star-studded cast for an all-singing, all-dancing comedy retelling of Dickens’ festive classic.
Age: 10+ | Price: from £36 | Info

🎭 The Singing Mermaid @ Little Angel Studios
Date & Loc: Nov 28th - Jan 5th, Angel
Fun, warm-hearted musical adventure this Christmas as this joyful and charming family favourite returns to LAT, following a hugely successful national tour.
Age: 3-8y | Price: from £15 | Info

🎭 Captain Sandy & The Sea Monster @ The Puppet Barge
Date & Loc: Nov 30th-onwards, Little Venice
UK’s only floating puppet theatre. In the little village of Rocky Snore, all the fisherfolk are in a mess, where have all the fish gone? There are no fish to fish! Join Captain Sandy on her adventure to try and find out what happened!
Age: 4-10 | Price: from £10 | Info

🎭 Pan @ Chickenshed Theatre
Date & Loc: Dec 5th - Jan 11th, Southgate (North London)
Get ready to embark on an unforgettable journey as we present PAN, our 50th Anniversary Christmas Show voted for by a whopping 2287 of you! When storytellers come together, new beginnings are born, and old endings cherished.
Age: 5+ | Price: from £16 | Info

🎭 Christmas Tales @ Chickenshed Theatre
Date & Loc: Dec 7th - Dec 30th, Southgate (North London)
Once upon a time, in a land where Christmas magic shimmered, the Shed became a place of wonder and joy. Step into this enchanting world this holiday season, where classic fairy tales come to life with all your favourite Tales characters and festive music.
Age: 0-7y | Price: from £10.50 | Info

🎭 Alice in Wonderland @ Brixton House
Date & Loc: Nov 21st - Jan 4th, Brixton
After an explosive argument with Mum at Brixton Underground Station, eleven-year-old Alice leaps onto the tube seconds before the doors hiss shut.
Age: 7+ | Price: from £15 | Info

🎭 Maddie Moate’s Very Curious Christmas @ Apollo
Date & Loc: Dec 6th - Jan 4th, Soho
Join beloved children’s TV presenter Maddie Moate as she makes her West End debut with this brand-new live show! Following the success of her hit book ‘A Very Curious Christmas’, Maddie is super excited to bring her festive facts and magical experiments to you, at the Apollo Theatre.
Age: 4+ | Price: from £15 | Info

🎁 Mini Morris Jingle Bells Workshop
Date & Loc: Dec 19th, Walthamstow
Toddler-friendly crafting for 2-5 year olds. In December we will take inspiration from all things Morris and make festive decorations using natural materials and bells to spread cheer and good will!
Age: <5y | Price: Free | Info

🎭 Pinocchio @ Stratford East
Date & Loc: Until Jan 4th, Stratford
Join wooden puppet Pinocchio, and his poor toy maker father Geppetto in Stratford this Christmas!
Age: Everyone | Price: from £10 | Info

🎭 The Smartest Giant in Town @ St Martins Theatre
Date & Loc: Nov 29th - Jan 5th, West End
A Little Angel Theatre and Fierylight co-production Based on the bestselling book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler
Age: Everyone | Price: from £10 | Info

🎭 Odd & the Frost Giants @ Unicorn Theatre
Date & Loc: Nov 19th - Dec 31, London Bridge
It's going to take a very special kind of boy to defeat the most dangerous of all the Frost Giants and rescue the mighty Gods. Someone cheerful and infuriating and clever. Someone just like Odd...
Age: 7+ | Price: from £10.5 | Info

🎭 Huddle @ Unicorn Theatre
Date & Loc: Nov 22nd - Dec 31, London Bridge
During the long, cold winter, Mr Penguin carefully guards his egg. Now this new dad needs to look after his newly born chick on his own and he’s not feeling confident. How will father and baby work it out together?
Age: 2-5 | Price: from £14.5 | Info

🎭 The Nutcracker @ Polka Theatre
Date & Loc: Nov 16th - Jan 26th, Wimbledon
When squabbling siblings Clara and Fritz receive a mysterious Nutcracker toy from their flamboyant Aunty Drosselmeyer, Clara is certain that she doesn't want her accident-prone younger brother anywhere near it!
Age: 5+ | Price: from £12.5 | Info

🎭 Ballet: The Nutcracker @ London Coliseum
Date & Loc: Dec 12th - Jan 12th, Leicester Square
Ballet for kids! Featuring over 100 dancers and musicians, this perennial Christmas favourite brings holiday magic to the West End. The new production is complete with ethereal dancing, intricate sets and Tchaikovsky’s popular score played live.
Age: 6+ | Price: from £60 | Info

🎭 3 Little Pig Tails at Winter @ Omnibus Theatre
Date & Loc: Dec 14-22nd, Clapham
A winter version of the beloved tale of the three little pigs. A funny and magical Christmas treat for the young ones.
Age: 3-7 | Price: from £6 | Info

🎭 Father Christmas needs a Wee! @ Arts Theatre
Date & Loc: Dec 7-24th, West End
This family show features merry jokes, jolly Christmas jingles, and Father Christmas himself. Don’t miss out on this sparkly show guaranteed to bring Christmas joy this holiday season. Book your tickets now!
Age: Family | Price: from £24 | Info

🎭 The Snowman @ Peacock Theatre
Date & Loc: Nov 23rd-Jan 4th, Holborn
Join the Boy as his Snowman comes to life and they embark on a magical adventure far across the world. Meet a host of woodland creatures, an assemblage of international Snowmen, and even a dancing Pineapple.
Age: Everyone | Price: from £18 | Info

🎭 The Snow Queen @ the Tabard
Date & Loc: Nov 29th - Jan 4th, Chiswick
From the creative team that brought you the Tabard’s Five Children and It and The Secret Garden comes an unforgettable and thrilling adventure for the whole family Embarking on a once-in-a-lifetime magical quest, Gerda faces the disappearance of her best friend Kai, taken by the enigmatic Snow Queen. Unless Gerda acts swiftly to rescue him, Kai faces eternal entrapment in an icy, endless winter.
Age: 6+ | Price: from £12 | Info

🎭 Room on the Broom @ Lyric Theatre
Date & Loc: Nov 22nd - Jan 5th, Shaftesbury Ave
Jump on board the broom with the witch and her cat in Tall Stories’ fun-filled adaptation of Room on the Broom, the best-selling picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.
Age: 3+ | Price: from £10 | Info

📚 The Holly King & The Oak King @ Battersea Arts Centre
Date & Loc: Nov 29th-Dec 24th, Battersea
Inspired by the old Celtic folk tale, The Holly King and the Oak King, this brand-new festive adventure invites you on an unforgettable journey across the seasons.
Age: 4+ rec (all welcome) | Price: from £16.5 | Info

🎁 Christmas @ The Tower of London
Date & Loc: Nov 29th - Jan 5th, Tower Hill
This Christmas, explore a royal celebration at the Tower of London with specially created displays that showcase how kings and queens of the past celebrated the festive period.
Age: Family | Price: from £17.40 (under 4 free) | Info

🎁 12 days of Christmas @ Duke of York Square
Date & Loc: Nov 29th - Jan 5th, Chelsea
Celebrate the countdown to Christmas at Duke of York Square, with decorations inspired by the iconic carol, the ‘12 Days of Christmas’, returning with even more enchantment and sparkle.
Age: Family | Price: Free | Info

✨ Churchill in Cartoons @ Imperial War Museum
Date & Loc: Nov 29th – Feb 23rd, Lambeth
This free exhibition at IWM London marks 150 years since Winston Churchill’s birth, uncovering how satirical cartoons influenced public perception during Churchill’s lifetime, and how they shape our understanding of his role in history today.
Age: Everyone | Price: Free | Info

🎭 Cinderella @ King’s Head Theatre
Date & Loc: Nov 30th - Jan 5th, Islington
In drizzly London, it’s hard to find romance these days - everyone is so busy! Cinderella needs help to leave her life of drudgery and explore a world full of adventures.
Age: Family | Price: from £10 | Info

🎭 The Gruffalo’s Child @ Pentland Theatre
Date & Loc: Dec 3rd - Jan 5th, North Finchley
Join the Gruffalo’s Child at artsdepot on her adventurous mission in Tall Stories’ enchanting adaptation of the much-loved picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.
Age: 3+ | Price: from £12 | Info

🎭 Robin Hood & The Christmas Heist @ Rose Theatre
Date & Loc: Nov 30th - Jan 5th, Kingston
Join Robin Hood and his Merry Band for a spectacular festive heist!
Age: Family | Price: from £15 | Info

🎭 Stick Man @ Bloomsbury Theatre
Date & Loc: Dec 4th - Jan 5th, Bloomsbury
Stick Man is back in town! What starts off as a morning jog becomes quite the misadventure for Stick Man. Encountering dogs, swans and fire, how will Stick Man ever get back to the family tree?
Age: 3+ | Price: from £17.50 | Info

🍭 The Gingerbread City @ The Gaumont
Date & Loc: Nov 30th - Dec 29th, Chelsea
Visit The Gingerbread City and discover a sweet futuristic city constructed from gingerbread, candy, and frosting alongside real architectural building models, all designed and built by 50+ architects and designers.
Age: Family | Price: from £15 | Info

🐷 Peppa Pig’s Fun Day Out @ Haymarket
Date & Loc: Nov 29th - Jan 5th, West End
Join Peppa, along with her family and friends as they go to the zoo and also the beach for a special party- it’s going to be an exciting and fun packed day.
Age: Everyone | Price: from £10 | Info

Ongoing events:

🎄 London Christmas Markets
Date & Loc: ongoing
Many of London's best Christmas markets are now open! Some of our favourites include Kingston, Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square, Southbank Centre, Hyde Park, Christmas by the River (London Bridge), Camden Town, Selfridges, King’s Cross, and more!
Age: Family | Price: Free | Info

🌳 Glow @ RHS Garden Wisley
Date & Loc: ongoing, Wisley
Enjoy an enchanting festive trail at these beautiful RHS gardens. Brand new route; Christmas stalls and festive music.
Age: Everyone | Price: from £11.75 | Info

✨ Fulham Palace Light Display
Date & Loc: Nov 28th – Dec 22nd, Fulham
Enjoy a festive walk through the Palace’s garden in this light trail.
Age: Everyone | Price: From £6.95 | Info

🎄 Hyde Park Winter Wonderland
Date & Loc: Nov 21st - Jan 5th, Hyde Park
A festive extravaganza featuring ice skating, thrilling rides, live entertainment, and bustling Christmas markets. Perfect for all ages, it’s a magical destination to celebrate the holiday season in the heart of the city.
Age: Family | Price: Free (off-peak) - £5 | Info

⛸️ Skate @ Somerset House
Date & Loc: ongoing, Temple
Hailed as one of the capital’s favourite winter experiences, Skate at Somerset House signals the start of the festive period with unrivalled skating, contemporary music and tasty food and drink.
Age: Family | Price: From £12 | Info

🎄 Christmas @ Kew Gardens
Date & Loc: ongoing, Kew Gardens
As one of the UK’s leading and most acclaimed illuminated trails, Christmas at Kew is an unmissable opportunity to herald the start of Christmas or welcome in the New Year.
Age: All | Price: From £16 | Info

⛸️ Glide at Battersea Power Station Ice Rink
Date & Loc: ongoing, Battersea
Skate around three interconnecting rinks with Thames views, twinkling lights, and a 30ft Christmas tree.
Age: All | Price: From £10.50 | Info

SANTA’S GROTTOS

Special Edition: Where to meet the Big Guy?

For those who joined us this week, we’ve had a great special edition running for the past few weeks. To keep the email light (thanks, Gmail!), you can check it out here this week.