If you’ve devoured everything in sight at London’s best Christmas markets, from the Square Mile to the West End, it’s time plan the Christmas carol services you’ll be attending throughout this month and into December.
Some in the Square Mile and some beyond, here is our pick of the Christmas carols and services to book this year. Some traditional, some more modern, all with plenty of mince pies and mulled wine.
The Ned
The winner of City AM’s new cultural award ceremony’s best members’ experience is hosting carols with choirmaster Gareth Malone. Expect sing-a-longs and festive classics performed on The Nickel Stage at the heartcentre of the spectacular building, an old banking headquarters.
7, 14 and 24 December; tickets for a three-course meal or standing are available at thened.com
Fleet Street
St Brides church on Fleet Street, formerly the home of the newspaper industry, was the seasonal meeting spot for journalists once upon a time. These days the church extends a “very warm welcome” to local businesses, residents and visitors for its annual carol service, and the music features a brass quintet and performances from the church’s professional choir.
18 December, midday, free to attend, with doors open 30 minutes before the event, stbrides.com
O Come all ye Faithful! Many Christmas carols and services and concerts are free to attend
St Bartholomew the Great
This will be more of a traditional service with readings from the bible programmed inbetween choir pieces. Mince pies and mulled wine will be available after the service.
30 November, 5pm, free, greatstbarts.com
St Stephen Wallbrook
Christmas carols sung by the ten-strong professional choir with plenty of opportunities to get involved, followed by mince pies and festive drinks. Expect a wide variety of music and other festive refreshments, and the service to include the traditional blessing of the crib.
17 December, 6pm, ststephenwallbrook.net
St Dunstan in the West
Carols will be performed and the service is free to enter at this beautiful church, not to be confused with St Dunstan in the East church gardens.
30 November 6.00pm, 17 December at 1.00pm
Rick Astley
The Never Gonna Give You Up singer has had something of a resurgence of late, and Christmas feels like the perfect time for his uplifting, cheesy music. Katie Melua and Matt Goss of ‘80s band Goss are also performing at this charity carol concert, featuring readings and reflections on “the power of music to heal, connect and inspire.”
9 December, 7pm, £60, St Luke’s & Christ Church Chelsea
Local Londoners
Choirs are often oversubscribed, especially in the capital, so auditions can be part of the signing up process. That isn’t the case for London City Voices though, who are proudly no-audition to help people get into singing who may not have a musical background. Expect a pop playlist and high energy performances of everything from “old favourites to new wintry classics.”
7 December, 4.30pm and 7.30pm, £20, go to londoncityvoices.co.uk
On the Strand
The St Clement Danes Church in the West End will host an evening of classic Christmas carols including The Holly and the Ivy, Good King Wenceslas and a selection of “jazzy carols” to spice things up a bit. Also special for the evening will be an improvised organ medley.
11 December from 7pm, tickets from £15, go to eventbrite.co.uk
In aid of veterans
The Veterans Aid charity hosts a concert at St Botolph-without-Bishopsgate church in the Square Mile. The church’s own choir will perform and mince pies and mulled wine are included for all attendees.
3 December, 6.30pm, £25, vacarolservice.eventbrite.co.uk
St Paul’s Cathedral
Kate Winslet, Judi Dench, Dominic West and Tom Hiddleston are some of the actors who’ve performed at this annual St Paul’s concert, which features “surprise” celebrity guests. Expect performances, readings, and plenty of carols. In past years the show has raised over £6million for charity and this year money raised from ticket sales will support Cancer Research UK.
16 December; £25, stpauls.co.uk
Free at St Paul’s
Go to the St Paul’s website tomorrow to enter a ballot for free tickets to the Cathedral’s ‘celebration of Christmas’ event. It will feature celebrity guest readings as well as performances of Christmas carols from the Cathedral Choir and City of London Sinfonia for “a glittering evening of words, music, meditation and laughter” alongside the traditional carols.
9 December at 630pm; ballet opens tomorrow at stpauls.co.uk
Oxford Circus
All Souls Church is just a minute or two north of Oxford Circus, right outside the BBC Television Centre. The venue has a variety of free-to-attend choir services throughout December that are particularly suited to all ages. Alongside a live choir and orchestra Londoners are invited to “belt out the nation’s most loved carols, bathe in the bold splashes of colour, and feast on towering trays of mince pies and overflowing hot Christmas punch — all free of charge!”
Between 13 – 21 December; go to carolservice.com