From festive stuff to do for Christmas, to fun events and nights for families and friends, here are the best things to do in London, this December...

1 Ochre Rocks Nights, Trafalgar Square

Nestled in the National Gallery, Ochre Rocks is the Thursday party night at the relatively new resturant Ochre. The live music programme is soulful and jazzy, and comes with live DJ sets, dancing and late night dining and drinking.

Dates: Thursdays

Times: From 6.30pm

Address: National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DN

Website: ochre.london

2 Borough Market Evening of Cheese

It doesn't get any cheddar than this, does it? Head to Borough Market for tastings, advice and to pick up some top cheeses from Britain and Europe from the market's cheesemongers for your festive cheese board. Grab a drink from the market's drinks traders while you're at it. What a gouda idea. 

Date: December 15

Time: 6pm-9pm

Address: 8 Southwark Street, SE1 1TL

Website: boroughmarket.org.uk

3 Winter Horse Carriage Ride, Royal Bushy Park, East Molesey

Take a 25 minute horse drawn carriage ride around the leafy and wild Bushy Park, and enjoy a glass of mulled wine or something equally festive while you're at it. Proceeds go to supporting the park's conservation initiatives, so you're supporting a good cause too. 

Dates: December 17-26

Times: 10.30am

Tickets: £15 includes drinks and snacks

Address: The Pheasantry car park TW11 0EQ

Website: royalparks.org.uk

4 Mouth & Foot Painting Artist Christmas Workshops at KidZania, White City

Thomas Yendell, who was born without arms due to the effects of Thalidomide will lead a series of workshops at KidZania where children can make their own Christmas cards using their mouths and feet and learn about how disabled artists create their work.  

Dates: December 4

Times: 11.15am, 12.15pm & 2pm

Tickets: From £32

Address: Westfield London, Ariel Way, W12 7G

Website: kidzania.co.uk

5 Meet Santa at a Sleep Over at London Zoo

In another brilliant sleepover for families, animal loving kids and parents can soak up the zoo's magnificent residents after hours and meet Santa. The sleepover includes two days entry, dinner and breakfast, gift-making for the animals, zoo tours and the possibility of waking up in the morning to a lion's roar - amazing. 

Dates: December 16-23

Tickets: From £385

Address: Outer Circle, The Regent's Park NW1 4RY

Website: zsl.org

6 Christmas Carols at St Pauls

As a prelude to *the* Christmas Carol Service at St Pauls on Dec 23 (free, unticketed but get in early), the might cathedral plays host to two charity carol concerts - one for WaterAid and the other for the Guide Dog association. Enjoy stories, readings and carol sing-alongs and celeb spotting. If neither of those take your fancy, drop by any day of the week at 5pm (3pm on Sunday) for a moment of quiet reflection (or not) before listening to the Cathedral choir, who perform different choral works as part of each service. 

Dates: Nov 6 & 8 (WaterAid/Guide Dogs)

Times: 7pm-8pm

Tickets: From £20

Address: St. Paul's Churchyard, City EC4M 8AD

Website: stpauls.co.uk

7 Wildlife Photographer of the Year at the Natural History Museum, South Kensington

Always a stunning and mind-blowing exhibition, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition captures the natural world in all its magnificent, wonderous and fragile glory. In addition to the snaps, the exhibition includes short videos, comments from jury members and insights from scientists about how we continue to impact the natural world. A Behind the Lens tour lets visitors deep dive into the stories that didn't make the exhibition's cut. 

Date: Until July 2, 2023

Times: 10am-5.50pm

Tickets: £17

Address: Cromwell Road, South Kensington SW7 5BD

Website: nhm.ac.uk

8 Go to a Panto or Christmas Show

Pantos are warm and fuzzy weirdness that you're never to old for. Hackney Empire always put on a good one, this year it's Mother Goose (Until Dec 31). Lyric Hammersmith are putting on Jack and the Beanstalk (until Jan 7), which is also on at the London Palladium (Dec 10-Jan 15). If pantos are just not your thing, cool. What about Dolly Parton's Smokey Mountain Christmas Carol (Dec 8- Jan 8) or Elf (until Jan 7) as an alternative? 

9 Science Fiction Astronights at the Science Museum, South Kensington

Unfortunately, this one is only for families or those with access to children 7-11, because gosh it looks fun. Sleepover at the Science Museum in a night of exploring distant planets, secret organisations, new civilisations and the museum's latest exhibition, Science Fiction. It comes with workshops, shows and activities, as well as breakfast in the morning. Get in touch with the museum if you're after a SENsory Astronight instead. 

Date: December 10

Time: From 6.45pm

Tickets £70pp

Address: The Science Museum, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, SW7 2DD

Website: sciencemuseum.org.uk

10 Try lunch at Sparrow Italia, Mayfair 

New, showy and dramatic, Sparrow Italia is now open for lunch - just in time for truffle season, for the truffle piggies amongst us. Go three courses of the stuff if you like  - start with grilled focaccia with truffle ricotta, truffle honey and fresh truffle,m then move onto the truffle risotto comes with an additional musty kick with 36-month aged parmesan, and finish on a serve of chocolate mousse alongside some truffle ice-cream. 

Address: 1-3 Avery Row, Mayfair W1K 4AJ

Website: sparrowitalia.com

11 London Illustration Fair, Southbank

Whether you're perusing or purchasing, the London Illustration Fair is ideal if you fancy browsing through nice things. The annual artist-led fair showcases independant illustration, print and graphic design, and there's something to suit most budgets. 

Dates: Friday, December 1 - Sunday, December 4

Time: Fri & Sat 12pm-8pm; Sun 12pm-6pm

Tickets: From £10

Address: Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf, Bargehouse Road, Southbank SE1 9PH

Website: thelondonillustrationfair.co.uk

12 Horse Meat Disco's Severino at Caia, Notting Hill

A resident DJ of the legendary Horse Meat Music crew, DJ Severino will bring the disco and the party to this west-side wine bar and restaurant for one night. So head down for a cocktail or two over some small plates, and some really, really good tunes. 

Date: Friday, December 1

Time:From 9pm

Address: 46 Golborne Road W10 5PR

Website: caia.london

13 Yinka Ilori Pop Up, Shoreditch

After brightening up the streets of London with his colourful designs, a Design Museum exhibtion, an afternoon tea colab with the Bulgari Hotel in Knightsbridge, the designer and artist is hsoting his first pop-up which will stock his tableware and textiles, as well as stationary and games, all in his cheerful signature style which references his British-Nigerian heritiage. 

Dates: November 30-January 3

Address: 9 Club Row E1 6JK

Website: shop.yinkailori.com

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