Welcome to Things to Do in London, I’m Oly Bennett, your globe-trotting sports nut turned city scout, and today London is in full festive sprint mode. The air’s chilly, scarves are out in force, and the city’s buzzing with Christmas lights, mulled wine, and just enough chaos to keep it interesting.

Let’s kick off with what’s happening today. IanVisits highlights monthly guided tours of the Van Gogh House in Stockwell, a brilliant little cultural warm-up where you can literally step inside the artist’s old digs and geek out over his London chapter. Over on the South Bank, the Royal Festival Hall is hosting Christmas Classics at the Southbank Centre, a full-on orchestral singalong of carols and festive bangers with the London Philharmonic and London Youth Choirs – ideal for listeners who want to belt out Hark! the Herald without annoying the neighbours. Classical fans can double down late morning with Trio Goya at Wigmore Hall and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment at Kings Place, both part of London’s early music scene, according to Continuo Connect. And for families, the London Wetland Centre in Barnes is running Festive Family Fun Days with marshmallow toasting, gingerbread decorating, storytelling, and even a gospel choir popping up today, as listed by the WWT London Wetland Centre.

If you want pure nostalgia, Smith Square Hall’s Christmas Festival has The Snowman Live in Concert today, with the film and score performed live – basically a guaranteed dose of “I’m not crying, you’re crying,” reported by Sinfonia Smith Square. Later on, nightlife kicks in with New Age Collective playing at Venue MOT Unit 18 in south London, according to Bandsintown – an underground, high-energy way to burn off all that mince-pie guilt.

On the city update front, Londonist notes that light festivals are taking over major spots this week, from botanical gardens to parks, so expect crowds and camera-wielding pedestrians moving at glacial pace around places like Kew and other illuminated trails. DesignMyNight points out that Christmas markets and pop-up winter terraces are everywhere, especially around Covent Garden, Southbank, and Old Spitalfields Market, so factor in extra time if you’re hopping buses or Tubes near those hotspots. Usual London rule still applies: always check Transport for London before you travel, because a “good service” can turn into “surprise engineering works” faster than you can say Piccadilly Line.

My must-do playbook for today: start with a winter wander through Hyde Park Winter Wonderland for rides, food stalls, and some elite-level people-watching. Then head to the South Bank for riverside views, a hot chocolate, and that Christmas Classics concert. Families, you can swap that for the Wetland Centre’s Festive Fun Day or The Snowman Live and then hit the Christmas lights around Oxford Street, Carnaby Street, and Covent Garden. If you want a quirky twist, skip the usual pubs and hunt down one of the many Christmas pop-up bars or festive cinema experiences that Indy100 and DesignMyNight are shouting about – think themed cocktails, retro films, and extremely Instagrammable nonsense.

Local tip from your mate Oly: when the West End is jammed, walk. Soho to Covent Garden is about 10 minutes, Leicester Square to the South Bank is another 10 across the river. You’ll often beat the Tube, discover random side-street gems, and feel like you’ve unlocked “secret London” mode.

Tomorrow, London keeps the festive momentum going with more concerts, Christmas theatre, light trails, and seasonal markets gearing up for the final pre-holiday push. Tune in next time as we scout fresh gigs, family adventures, and maybe even a wonderfully weird sport or two hiding in the capital.

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