Two actors. One Christmas special. No cameras. That’s the premise behind The Christmas Thing, a chaotic blend of audience games, live music, roaming cameras and technical trickery from Fringe favourites Tom Clarkson and Owen Visser. Half the fun comes from taking part, half from watching other people get gently stitched up.

Seven Dials Playhouse, 1a Tower Street, Covent Garden, WC2H 9NP; until 20th December 

Visit SevenDialsPlayhouse.co.uk

For the first time, an ice rink is taking over the top of the Bussey Building. Set among Christmas trees, fairy lights and skyline views, the rooftop rink offers daytime skating, while DJs spin funk and disco on Friday and Saturday nights. After a session on the ice you can warm up in the heated bar with mulled wine, spiked hot chocolate, pizza and more.

Bussey Rooftop Bar, Roof B, Bussey Building, 133 Rye Lane, Peckham, SE15 4ST; until 1st January 2026

Visit BusseyRooftopBar.com

If you want something low-key before seeing in the new year at home, Canteen in Notting Hill is opening its doors for an early, Italian-leaning dinner. Head chef Jess Filbey has created a £100 set menu that starts with mozzarella, salumi and focaccia, followed by game agnoli with chestnuts and marsala butter. Mains feature slow-cooked ox cheek with polenta and parmesan, and you’ll finish with the restaurant’s signature chocolate mousse topped with olive oil and sea salt.

31 Kensington Park Road, Notting Hill, W11 2EU

Visit SevenRooms.com

Park Lane’s Mr Porter is going all out for New Year’s Eve with a glamorous masquerade complete with champagne on arrival and a decadent set menu of hits like grilled lobster and ribeye steak. From 9pm, the 360° bar becomes the centre of the action, with DJs, cocktails and a black-tie dress code accented with masks and flashes of gold or red. Expect high energy, late-night fun and a dose of mystery.

Hilton Park Lane, 22 Park Lane, Mayfair, W1K 1BE

Visit MrPorterSteakhouse.co.uk

After opening its doors this time last year, Jackson Boxer’s Dove is hosting its first New Year’s Eve dinner. The menu includes Isle of Mull scallop with black truffle, Cornish turbot with charred greens, and a flourless chocolate cake with coffee molasses. Doors open at 5pm, with final seating at 10pm; groups of up to 12 can take over the private dining room downstairs. Expect fizz at midnight and last orders at 12.15am, leaving you free to slip home at a civilised hour.

31 Kensington Park Road, Notting Hill, W11 2EU

Visit Dove.London

Kamara – the high-end Soho bar from Tasos Gaitanos and Alex Large – is leaning into the season with a new festive cocktail menu and an East Med-inspired New Year’s Eve party. The winter drinks list leans into warming, aromatic flavours: think spiced honey, Greek mountain tea, fig brandy and biscuit-infused bourbon. On 31st December the mood ramps up for a late-night celebration from 10pm to 2am, with DJs, atmosphere and a champagne-topped countdown. Tickets cost £35pp and include a welcome cocktail.

15 Poland Street, Soho, W1F 8PR

Visit KamaraBar.co.uk

Matthew Bourne’s new staging of Oliver! mixes the best moments of past productions into one big, exuberant, old-school musical. Expect the classics – ‘Food Glorious Food’, ‘Consider Yourself’, ‘I’d Do Anything’ – delivered with serious energy, pathos and charm. It’s big, bold, nostalgic family theatre at its finest.

Gielgud Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, West End, W1D 6AR

Visit OliverTheMusical.com

Soho’s Chateau Denmark is ringing in 2026 with a night of late-night glamour at Thirteen, its moody bar and restaurant known for immersive design and a sharply curated cocktail programme. From 9pm, DJ Jamie Moon takes over with funk, pop and disco. Premium tickets (from £48pp) elevate the evening with options like the Signature Salmon Platter – sashimi, nigiri, maki and spicy rolls with a welcome cocktail – or the Chef’s Taco Tasting Plate featuring lobster, wagyu and smoked duck, served with a cocktail and a glass of fizz at midnight. If you want to make a proper night of it, the hotel’s rock’n’roll rooms and apartments offer a stylish stay.

20 Denmark Street, Soho, WC2H 8NA

Visit ChateauDenmark.com

Chichester Festival Theatre’s revival of Top Hat lands at the Southbank Centre for the Christmas season. The story follows Broadway star Jerry Travers as he falls for model Dale Tremont after waking her during a late-night practice session. Cue misunderstandings, glamour and a stylish rom-com from the golden age of musicals.

Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, South Bank, SE1 8XX; until 17th January 

Visit SouthbankCentre.co.uk

Choose Love’s annual pop-up returns to Regent Street – and it’s the biggest yet. Open until Christmas Eve, the two-floor store stocks essential supplies for refugees, from warm coats to emergency bundles. There’s also Choose Love merchandise, a curated Choose Gifts section of discounted fashion and beauty, and a coffee shop with Allpress beans, where all profits support the charity’s work. 

245 Regent Street, West End, W1B 2EN; until 24th December

Visit Choose.Love

Sondheim’s fairytale is back, complete with curses, witches and the sort of moral lessons you only learn after being traumatised by a talking tree. Director Jordan Fein (Fiddler on the Roof) uses the flexible staging of the Bridge to bring the audience almost literally into the woods. Playful, dark and subversive, it’s a must-see for families with older children.

3 Potters Fields Park, Tower Bridge, SE1 2SG; until 18th April

Visit BridgeTheatre.co.uk

Winter by the River promises riverside Christmas fun at London Bridge. Browse festive stalls glowing with lights, pick up boutique accessories and artisan gifts, and enjoy street food and pop-up bars. The après ski-inspired Glasshouse Terrace and Pier Curling Bar add extra holiday entertainment.

London Riverside, London Bridge, SE1 2DB; until 4th January 

Visit LondonBridgeCity.co.uk

If you’re looking to upgrade your wardrobe before the new year hits, this three-day sample sale in Hackney is worth the detour. NN.07 is bringing effortlessly cool menswear and accessories from recent collections at up to 80% off – think clean silhouettes, premium basics and timeless staples. There’s also Japanese brand F/CE, known for its travel-inspired, functional designs. Expect backpacks, totes, outerwear and even camping kit in technical, hard-wearing fabrics, all at serious discounts. Entry is free, but you’ll want to book ahead if you’re aiming for first dibs on launch day.

The BOX, 4–6 Ram Place, Hackney, E9 6LT; 18th-21st December

Visit Chicmi.com