Morning, London! Happy Thursday! 🍂 It’s been cold this week! Arctic-blast cold. The “where-did-I-leave-my-gloves-last-year” kinda cold. Quite a few readers cheekily messaged yesterday to rub it in—turns out those weather experts were right, and snow actually fell in London! Sadly, the only snowflake I managed to spot was the franchised ice cream shop. Props to those who caught the flurries for your Insta stories—and to the rest of the country, who always seems to get snow before us—healthy envy over here. If you manage to snap a good photo send it across, I’ll publish the best one next week!

On a more thoughtful note, as we brace for the chill, consider donating a winter coat to someone in need. There are fantastic national initiatives and grassroots projects across the UK helping to keep everyone warm this season.

What’s happening in our beautiful city? Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park opens today, serving as the unofficial Christmas countdown. Festive markets are popping up across the boroughs, family-friendly shows are lighting up the stages, free events abound, and—just like last week—a full lineup of Santa’s Grottos awaits further down. Let’s dive in!

Here’s what we’ve got for you today:

• 🎙️ London Snippets: Bits that caught our eye

• 📅 Readers’ Favourite: Family events this week

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

• 🧠 Casual Einstein: Two new playground-worthy facts

But first the weather, because that’s literally what everyone mumbled about all week when dropping the kids at school.

LONDON SNIPPETS

Bits that caught our eye

🚆 London Overground: TFL rolls new names and colours. New names and colours were unveiled at stations yesterday as part of a whopping £6.3 million rebrand across 113 stations. New line names: Liberty, Lioness, Mildmay, Suffragette, Weaver, Windrush. The aim? To make navigating the Overground easier for passengers while also "celebrating" London's culture and recent history. Full story

📱 New emojis coming in 2025! Did you know that every new emoji has to be approved by the Unicode Consortium—the group that decides which emojis make it to our phones? (Seriously, how do I get that job?) Among the contenders for next year are a paint splatter, a leafless tree, a tired face with bags under its eyes (relatable), a harp, a shovel, a fingerprint, a root vegetable, and the flag of Sark—a tiny Channel Island with fewer than 600 residents. Full story

🔥 U-13s will be blocked from Roblox private messaging. Game developers will now need to declare if their games are suitable for under-13s—any that don’t will be automatically blocked for younger players. Additionally, under-13 accounts won’t have access to “social hangouts,” the spaces where players can chat via text or voice. Full story

EVENT SCOOP

What’s on this week?

💡 Quick Heads-Up. It’s a busy time of year in London, which means our list of events is packed. Your email might get clipped toward the end (thanks, Gmail!), so if it suddenly stops mid-sentence, just click "View Entire Message" to catch all the good stuff. A bit annoying, we know, but worth it for the extra scoop!

By the way, if you’d like me to tackle this section differently, feel free to reach out anytime!

🎄 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

🎄 Winter Late @ William Morris Gallery
Date & Loc: Nov 21st, Walthamstow
Gallery open after hours to celebrate the season. Special evening of crafts, exhibition tours, music, late night shopping, food and drink.
Age: 5+ | Price: Free | 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 | Book

📖 South Ken Kids Festival
Date & Loc: Nov 18th – Nov 24th, South Kensington
Celebrate children’s literature in all its glory with the 27th edition of the South Ken Kids Festival, a festival bursting with activities for the whole family. Featuring children’s books, young adult novels, comic books, films, and music.
Age: Everyone | Price: From £5 | 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 | Book

🎻 Bach to Baby: Family Concert
Date & Loc: Nov 21st-28th, Putney/Stoke/Regent’s Park/Wimbledon/London Bridge/etc
Classical concert series for families to enjoy live music together.
Age: 0-5yo | Price: £15 | Info

🌹 Friday Froglets @ London Wetland Centre
Date & Loc: Nov 22nd (every Friday), Barnes
Play in nature, learn new songs and share stories, make nature crafts and finish with quiet time around a fire! Fun for children and adults alike.
Age: Family | Price: From £5 | Book

🎭 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 & Location: 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: 5-12 years | Price: from £12.5 | Book

🎭 A Christmas Carol @ The Old Vic
Date & Location: until Jan 4th, Waterloo
A magical retelling of Charles Dickens' classic tale, where the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge embarks on a transformative journey through past, present, and future with the help of three ghosts, rediscovering the true spirit of Christmas.
Age: 8+ | Price: from £10 | Book

🎄 Glow in the Angel
Date & Loc: Nov 23rd, Islington
Angel Islington BID’s Glow in the Angel will once again be lighting up Islington Green, with plenty of music, crafts and festive entertainment – including a taste of King’s Head Theatre’s joyful Christmas pantomime Cinderella.
Age: Family | Price: Free | Info

🎭 Wimbledon WinterFest
Date & Loc: Nov 23rd, Wimbledon
A festive family day packed with holiday cheer! Meet Father Christmas, snap a photo, and share your wish list. Enjoy street performers and festive selfie spots, like Santa’s sleigh—perfect for a magical family photo!
Age: Family | Price: Free | 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 | Book

🎭 The Lightning Thief @ Other Palace
Date & Loc: Nov 22nd - Mar 2nd, Victoria
Musical! When New York City teenager Percy Jackson discovers that he is the half-blood son of the Greek god, Poseidon, his life takes a dramatic turn as he is plunged into a world much bigger than he could possibly have imagined.
Age: 8+ | Price: from £26 | Book

🎬 The Enchanted Cinema @ Horniman
Date & Loc: Nov 22nd – 24th, Dulwich
The Enchanted Cinema is coming to the Horniman! Use instruments, hands, and voices to help create the soundtrack to well-loved animated films, expertly guided by The Enchanted Cinema’s musicians.
Age: Everyone | Price: £6 | Info

🎭 The Snowman @ Peacock Theatre
Date & Location: Nov 23rd-Jan 4th, Holborn
This winter family favourite is the timeless tale of a boy and a snowman who comes to life. Back for it’s 26th year, The Snowman is a magical stage adaptation of the much-loved picture book by Raymond Briggs and the film directed by Dianne Jackson.
Age: Everyone | Price: from £18 | Book

🧞‍♂️ Aladdin @ Lyric Hammersmith
Date & Loc: Nov 16th – Jan 5th, Hammersmith
Buckle up for a whirlwind ride above the streets of Hammersmith as Aladdin and Jasmine embark on a hilarious, high-flying adventure packed with magic, mayhem, and mischief.
Age: 6+ | Price: From £15 | Info

🎭 Father Christmas @ Lyric Hammersmith
Date & Loc: Nov 20th - Dec 28th , Hammersmith
Join Santa as he awakes from a dream of sun, sea and sand only to find it is the busiest day of the year: Christmas Eve.
Age: Under 6 | Price: from £14 | Book

🌳 Glow @ RHS Garden Wisley
Date & Loc: Nov 22nd – Jan 5th, Woking
Enjoy an enchanting festive trail at these beautiful RHS gardens. Brand new route; Christmas stalls and festive music.
Age: Everyone | Price: from £11.75 | Book

🎭 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 | Book

🎄 A Christmas Journey @ Old Mac Donald’s
Date & Loc: Nov 22nd – Dec 24th, Brentwood
Enjoy a roaming Santa, singing princesses, Christmas arts & crafts, a Christmas parade, train rides, and more festive activities.
Age: Everyone | Price: From £22 | Info

🎭 Free: Explore Hampton Court Gardens
Date & Loc: Nov 23rd, Surrey
Free of charge this weekend. The world-famous gardens of Hampton Court Palace include 60 acres of spectacular formal gardens and 750 acres (304 hectares) of parkland, all set within a loop of the River Thames.
Age: Everyone | Price: Free | Info

⚓ Sea Shanty Festival @ Royal Museum
Date & Loc: Nov 23rd, Greenwich
Visit Cutty Sark for a fantastic day of sea shanty performances and workshops in celebration of the tea clipper's 155th birthday. The event will feature the vocal talents of bands and artists from across the UK and beyond.
Age: 4-8 | Price: from £10 (under 4 free) | Book

🎭 The Wolf, the Duck and the Mouse @ Aurora
Date & Loc: Nov 23rd, King’s Cross
Join a duck and a mouse on an adventure inside a wolf, as Aurora brings Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen’s much-loved children’s story to musical life.
Age: 4-8 | Price: from £15 | Book

🎭 Live Toy Theatre @ Museum of the Home
Date & Loc: Nov 24th, Hoxton
Two shows! Dick Whittington and Cinderella. Pollock’s Live Toy Theatre is a captivating miniature cardboard theatre performance that brings enchanting stories to life through intricately crafted sets and live narration.
Age: Everyone | Price: £12 | Book

🎄 Cannizaro House Christmas Market
Date & Loc: Nov 24th, Wimbledon
Come along the Christmas festive market held on the front garden of Cannizaro House. Over 25 stalls selling a range of gift items ranging from jewellery and crafts to gifts for your dogs, cakes, chilli jams and lots more!!
Age: Everyone | Price: Free | Info

🎭 Movie & Art Workshop @ Czech Embassy
Date & Loc: Nov 24th, Kensington
Catch Tony, Shelly, and the Magic Light (screened in Czech with English subtitles), followed by a creative art workshop. Afterward, enjoy a stroll through the stunning Kensington Palace Gardens.
Age: 6+ | Price: £8 | Book

🎨 Studio Workshop @ Burlington Gardens
Date & Loc: Nov 24th, Mayfair
Make a sculpture inspired by friends or family members at this workshop for families. Families will be invited to use card, foam and tissue paper to make their own mini sculptures to take home. No booking required.
Age: Everyone | Price: Free | Info

🔥 Mars in the Painted Hall @ Naval College
Date & Loc: Nov 23rd - Jan 20th, Greenwich
Luke Jerram’s astonishing installation Mars is coming to the Painted Hall this winter. Measuring seven metres in diameter, this spellbinding artwork features detailed NASA imagery of the Martian surface recreated to scale.
Age: Family | Price: from £16.5 | Book

🎄 Christmas Tree Installation @ V&A
Date & Loc: Nov 25th - Jan 5th, South Kensington
All Lit Up! by artist and designer Anna Lomax is a celebratory site-specific work for this year’s Christmas tree installation. Taking the columns in the V&A’s Dome as inspiration.
Age: Family | Price: Free | Info

🎭 Where’s Mrs Ladybird @ New Wimbledon
Date & Loc: Nov 25th-27th, Wimbledon
Moon On A Stick bring their signature style to this popular title, combining puppetry with mesmerising music in an interactive adventure. (One show for 0-18m & one for 18m-3y)
Age: 0-3y | Price: from £11 | Book

🎅 Festive Celebrations @ Claremont Park
Date & Loc: Nov 27th, Brent Cross Town
Join the celebrations at Claremont Park for a fun, festive start to the season. There will be a 35ft Christmas tree, festive lights and decorations, live music from Oompah Brass, and Santa will be in attendance with one of his elves!
Age: Family | Price: Free | Info

🎅 Meet & Greet Santa and his Elf @ Merchant Square
Date & Loc: Nov 28th, Paddington
Create unforgettable memories as little ones share their Christmas wishes, take photos, and receive a special treat from Santa himself. No need to book.
Age: Family | Price: Free | Info

🍸 Mayfair Christmas Market @ Novikov!
Date & Loc: Nov 28th-30th, Mayfair
Carol singers, roving minstrels, DJs and Santa Claus make Mayfair Christmas Market a merry and magical celebration for all.
Age: Everyone welcome | Price: Free | Info

✨ Fulham Palace Light Display
Date & Loc: Nov 28th – Dec 22nd, Fulham
Hertfordshire’s biggest Christmas light trail. Experience an enchanting evening with 20+ magical light displays.
Age: Everyone | Price: From £6.95 | Info

🎭 Sparkle in the Park
Date & Loc: Nov 28th-Dec 1st, Greenwich
The Royal Borough of Greenwich’s festive light trail, Sparkle in the Park, is back for a fifth year this Christmas. No need to book.
Age: Family | Price: Free | Info

⛸️ Epsom on Ice
Date & Loc: Nov 28th – Jan 1st, Surrey
Ice skating for the whole family with fun guaranteed!
Age: Everyone | Price: From £10 | Info

Ongoing events:

🎄 Kingston Christmas Market
Date & Loc: ongoing, Kingston
Get into the festive spirit at Kingston Christmas Market, one of the most magical Christmas markets in London.
Age: Family | Price: Free | 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 | Book

⛸️ 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 | Book

❄️ Hogwarts in the Snow @ Warner Bros
Date & Loc: ongoing, Hertfordshire
Celebrate a very magical festive season with Hogwarts in the Snow at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter.
Age: Family | Price: from £56 | More Information

🎄 Christmas @ Blenheim Palace
Date & Loc: ongoing, Blenheim Palace
The magical Christmas light trail returns, featuring Neverland® in the Palace and The Great Skate.
Age: All | Price: From £40 | Info

🎄 Winter Market @ South Bank Centre
Date & Loc: ongoing, Southbank
Stroll along the Thames under twinkling lights and sample indulgent drinks and scrumptious street food from our traditional alpine-style chalets.
Age: Family | Price: Free | Info

🎅 Magical Christmas @ Bocketts Farm
Date & Loc: Nov 21st – Dec 24th, Fetcham
Hop on board the Santa Express to meet Father Christmas in his traditional workshop. Enjoy a Christmas trail, reindeer food, craft corner, and a giant snowglobe!
Age: Everyone | Price: £10-£45 | Info

🐧 The Penguin Parade @ Fleet Street Quarter
Date & Loc: ongoing, Fleet Street
A winter sculpture trail of a dozen penguins created in partnership with WWF and Wild in Art.
Age: All | Price: Free | Info

Coming up later this month, open for booking:

📚 The Holly King & The Oak King @ Battersea Arts Centre
Date & Location: 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 | Book

🎁 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) | Book

✨ Ashridge House Illuminated
Date & Loc: Nov 29th – Jan 1st, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire’s biggest Christmas light trail. Experience an enchanting evening with 20+ magical light displays.
Age: Everyone | Price: From £12 | 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 | Book

🎭 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 | Book

🍭 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 | Book

🍣 Sticks ‘n’ Sushi Kids Masterclass
Date & Loc: Nov 30th, Shoreditch
Kids aged 8-12 learn to make sushi and other fun dishes in this interactive masterclass.
Age: 8-12 | Price: £40 | Book

SANTA’S GROTTOS

Special Edition: Where to meet the Big Guy?

Loads of chances to meet Santa across London. Yes, choice overload is real (trust me, I’ve curated this list after sorting through hundreds), but you can’t go wrong. Most spots charge for kids, with adults sneaking in free or for a token fee (same for babies under 1). Btw, many sell out quickly!

🎅 Santa's Grotto at Fuji House
Date: Nov 15th - Dec 24th, Covent Garden Price: from £30 | Book

🎅 Santa’s Grotto at Ealing Broadway
Date: Nov 16th - Dec 24th, Ealing Broadway Price: £7.50 | Book

🎄 Santaland @ Winter Wonderland
Date: Nov 21st - Jan 5th, Hyde Park Price: Free (with ticket to WW) | Book

🎅 Victorian Santa's grotto at London Museum’s Docklands
Date: Nov 22nd - Dec 23rd (selected dates), Canary Wharf Price: from £14 | Book

🎄 Christmas at London Zoo
Date: Nov 23rd - Dec 24th (selected dates), Regent’s Park Price: from £17.50 | Book

🎅 The Spirit of Christmas at Eltham Palace
Date: Nov 23rd - Dec 24th (selected dates), Greenwich Price: £25 | Book

🎄 Christmas at the London Transport Museum
Date: Nov 23rd - Dec 23rd, Covent Garden Price: £18.50 | Book

🎅 Santa's Grotto @ Brewdog!
Date: Nov 23rd - Dec 23rd, Waterloo Price: £16 | Book

🎄 Dulwich College Christmas Fair
Date: Nov 24th, Dulwich Price: Free | Book

🎅 Breakfast with Santa at Fenwick
Date: Nov 30th - Dec 24th, Kingston Price: £22.50 | Book

🎄 Storytelling with Santa at Chiswick House
Date: Nov 30th onwards, Chiswick Price: £14 | Book

🎅 Father Christmas Storytelling at Chelsea Physic Garden
Date: Nov 30th - Dec 22nd (selected dates), Chelsea Price: £11 | Book

🎄 Santa Grotto at John Lewis
Date: Nov 28th - Dec 24th (selected dates), Oxford Circus Price: £22 | Book

🎅 Father Christmas Storytelling @ National History Museum
Date: Dec 1st - Dec 15th, South Ken Price: from £13.50 | Book

🎄 Father Christmas at Kenwood
Date: Dec 1st - Dec 24th (selected dates), Hampstead Price: from £9.5 | Book

🎅 Father Christmas at Marble Hill House
Date: Dec 1st - Dec 24th (selected dates), Twickenham Price: £9.5 | Book

🎄 Vauxhall City Farm
Date: Dec 1st - Dec 22nd, Vauxhall Price: from £9 | Book

🎅 Santa’s Grotto at Camden Market
Date: Dec 2nd - Dec 23rd, Camden Town Price: £5 | Book

🎄 Breakfast with Santa at Selfridges
Date: Dec 2nd onwards (selected dates), Oxford Street Price: £60 | Book

🎅 Father Christmas at Gunnersbury
Date: December weekends, Ealing Price: from £15 | Book

🎄 Winter Market at Brixton Windmill
Date: Dec 8th, Brixton Price: Free | Book

🎅 Father Christmas in Bishop Sherlock’s room
Date: Dec 14th - Dec 15th, Fulham Palace Price: from £25 | Book

Thinking of turning your Santa visit into a weekend getaway?

🎄 Lapland UK, Ascot More info
🎄 Santa Breaks at Aviemore Resort, Aviemore, Scotland More info
🎄 Father Christmas at the Eden Project, Cornwall More info
🎄 Santa's Zipmas Grotto, North Wales More info
🎄 Santa in the Sky at Brighton i360, Brighton More info

CASUAL EINSTEIN

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

Two cool facts to help you sound like the smartest parent on the playground:

Fun Fact: The number four is the only number to have the same amount of letters as its value.

London fact: The London Eye has 32 capsules, and each can hold up to 28 people. Altogether, it can carry 896 people at once — that's the same as 11 double-decker buses!