Christmas in London 2010: Carols & Services

There are few better ways to get into a festive mood than singing carols
around the Christmas tree or in one of London's famous churches and
cathedrals. To make sure you know when and where to go this Yule, read our
feature on all the best carol singing, Christmas services and festive concerts in
the capital - including the popular Midnight Masses at St Paul's and
Westminster.

St Paul's Christmas Carols & Services

St Paul's Cathedral, EC4M 8AD
28th November 2010 - 6th January 2011
Few places are better for traditional Christmas services and carols than St
Paul's, the spiritual home of Great Britain. To meet the increasing demand,
this year St Paul's hosts a series of concerts throughout the month of
December peaking with the excessively popular Midnight Mass service and
carol concert. St Christopher Wren's great dome, which dominates much of
the City, fills with the sound of the Cathedral Choir for a large part of the
month and the most special services and concerts are free and available to all.
The cathedral formed the centrepiece of the reconstruction of London after
the Great Fire of 1666 and miraculously went on to survive the Blitz in World
War Two when most of the surrounding area was flattened by German
bombing raids. It consequently acted as an inspirational symbol of British
strength in the nation's darkest hour and is now an icon of resurrection and
rebirth - a potent symbol of all that is associated with Christmas. The festive
season kicks off with the dramatic Advent Procession on the last Sunday of
November, with words and music focusing on the theme of life and death,
heaven and hell, time and eternity, judgement and healing.
Full programme
Sun 28 Nov & Mon 29 Nov, 6pm: The Advent Procession
Wed 8 Dec, 6.30pm: Handel's Messiah
Sat 11 Dec, 5pm: Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britten
Thurs 16 Dec, 6.30pm: Celebration of Christmas
Sat 18 Dec, 1pm: Family CarolsSun 19 Dec, 6pm: La Natavite du Seigneur by
Olicier Messiaen
Thurs 23 Dec, 4pm: Christmas Carol Service
Fri 24 Dec, Christmas Eve, 4pm: Christmas Carol Service
Fri 24 Dec, Christmas Eve, 11.30pm: Midnight Eucharist
Sat 25 Dec, Christmas Day, 8am: Holy Communion
Sat 25 Dec, Christmas Day, 11am: Sung Eucharist
Sat 25 Dec, Christmas Day, 3.15pm: Festal Evensong
Sun 26 Dec, 10.15am: Choral Mattins
Sun 26 Dec, 11.30am: Sung Eucharist
Sun 26 Dec, 3.15pm: Choral Evensong
Mon 27 Dec, 5pm: Music and Readings for Christmas
Tues 28 Dec, 5pm: Music and Readings for Christmas
Thurs 6 Jan, 12.30pm: Sung Eucharist for The Epiphany
Thurs 6 Jan, 5pm: Sung Eucharist for The Epiphany
You are encouraged to arrive early to the services on 16th December, the
afternoon of Christmas Eve and the Midnight Eucharist. Services and events
are open to all, free and un-ticketed (except Messiah, for which you must
apply for free tickets in advance). For more information please visit
www.stpauls.co.uk.
Venue: St Paul's Cathedral
Address: St Paul's Churchyard, EC4M 8AD
Phone: 020 7236 4128
Date: 28th November 2010 - 6th November 2011
Time: Various times
Pricing: FREE
Nearest Station: St Paul's Tube

St Paul's Christmas Carols & Services - Information

Southwark Cathedral Carols & Services

Southwark Cathedral, SE1 9DA
28th November 2010 - 25th December 2010
Southwark Cathedral's popular candlelit carol services take place on the
Sunday and Tuesday before Christmas but there are a host of other festive
services open to the public throughout December. For the Cathedral Carol
Service, the bulk of the singing is done by the boys, girls and men of the
Cathedral Choir. The congregation will get a chance to join in and sing some of
their favourites while the festive music will be interspersed with readings
taken from St Matthew's account of the birth of Jesus. Be sure to arrive early
because the annual Sunday evening event is hugely popular. Located besides
the wonderfully odoriferous Borough Market, Southwark Cathedral has
gained something of a cult status in recent years following a peculiar incident
involving its bishop, Dr Tom Butler, in 2006. Following a Christmas drinks
event at the Irish Embassy, the eccentric bishop was found, allegedly tipsy, in
the back of a silver Mercedes, throwing children's toys out of the window.
Rumours that he was filling his sack for his cathedral's Christmas tree were, of
course, firmly denied - but it did get people talking about the church in the
build up to Christmas, that's for sure.
Full programme
Sun 28 Nov, 6.30pm: Cathedral Advent Procession
Wed 1 Dec, 5.30pm: Choral Evensong (with the lighting of the tree)
Tues 2 Dec, 7pm: Mercy Ships Carol Service
Sat 4 Dec, 7.30pm: The Merbecke Choir: Christmas Concert
Tues 7 Dec, 7.30pm: NSPCC Carols by Candlelight
Thurs 9 Dec, 7.15pm: Marie Curie Cancer Care: Carols in the City
Sat 11 Dec, 12pm: Finnish Church Christmas Concert
Mon 13 Dec, 7pm: GLA Carol Service
Fri 17 Dec, 7.30pm: Cathedral Christmas Concert
Sun 19 Dec, 7.30pm: Cathedral Carol Service
Wed 22 Dec, 6.30pm: Cathedral Carol Service
Fri 24 Dec, Christmas Eve, 11.30pm: Midnight Mass
Sat 25 Dec, Christmas Day, 9.15am: Eucharist with Carols
Sat 25 Dec, Christmas Day, 11am: Christmas Day Choral Eucharist
Venue: Southwark Cathedral
Address: London Bridge, SE1 9DA
Phone: 020 7367 6700
Date: 28th November 2010 - 25th December 2010
Time: Various times
Pricing: Free
Nearest Station: London Bridge Tube

Southwark Cathedral Carols & Services - Information

Westminster Abbey Midnight Mass, Christmas Carols & Services

Westminster Abbey, SW1P 3PA
28th November 2010 - 25th December 2010
Pack inside one of London's most famous landmarks for an old-fashioned
service to take you right through to Christmas Day. Westminster Abbey has
been at the centre of royal and religious life in Britain since the time of
William the Conqueror who was crowned here on Christmas Day 1066,
following the successful Norman invasion of the British Isles. It's easy to lose
sight of what Christmas is all about in the sea of commercialisation, but sat in
the majestic history of the Abbey's nave will help remind you of the religious
message. These awe-inspiring surroundings provide a striking backdrop for an
evening of lessons and carols.
There are services at the Abbey on:
Sun 28 Nov, 4pm: Advent Liturgy
Tues 14 Dec, 7pm: Christmas Concert supported by John Lewis (Tickets
required: £10-£30)
Thurs 23 Dec, 6pm: Service of Lessons & Carols (tickets required: free)
Fri 24 Dec, Christmas Eve, 12noon: Crib Service
Fri 24 Dec, Christmas Eve, 4pm: Service of Lessons & Carols (tickets required:
free)
Fri 24 Dec, Christmas Eve, 11.30pm: First Eucharist of Christmas & Blessing
of the Crib
Sat 25 Dec, Christmas Day, 10.30am: Sung Eucharist
Sat 25 Dec, Christmas Day, 3pm: Evensong
Check www.westminster-abbey.org for full details and ticketing information.
Venue: Westminster Abbey
Address: Dean's Yard, SW1P 3PA
Phone: 020 7222 5152
Date: 28th November 2010 - 25th December 2010
Time: Various Times
Pricing: Free
Nearest Tube: Westminster / St James's Park Tube

Westminster Abbey Midnight Mass, Christmas Carols & Services -

Information
St Martin-in-the-Fields Christmas Carols & Services
St Martin-in-the-Fields, WC2N 4JJ
28th November 2010 - 25th December 2010
St Martin-in-the-Fields is a perfect venue for any kind of service or concert -
especially when candlelit and on a cold winter's night - but it is really quite
extraordinary during the festive period when it comes into its own with a
generous dollop of Christmas carols and services. Located almost in the
shadow of the towering Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree, St Martin-in-the-
Fields offers a seasonal glow throughout December with a range of services
and carols that would get even Scrooge singing O Come, All Ye Faithful!
Full programme
Sun 28 Nov, 6.30pm: Advent Carol Service
Wed 1 Dec, 7pm: Friends of Columbia Carols
Thu 2 Dec, 6pm: Carol Singing & the Lighting of the Christmas Tree in
Trafalgar Square
Sun 5 Dec, 2.30pm: Salvation Army Carol Service
Sun 5 Dec, 5.30pm: Blessing of the Crib in Trafalgar Square
Sun 5 Dec, 6.30pm: Advent Taize
Tue 7 Dec, 6.30pm: Evelina Family Trust Carols
Wed 8 Dec, 7pm: Transport for London Festival of Carols
Sun 12 Dec, 6.30pm: Advent Meditation
Tues 14 Dec, 7.00pm: Livability Carols
Wed 15 Dec, 6.30pm: Royal Commonwealth Society Carols
Sun 19 Dec, 6.30pm: Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
Tues 21 Dec, 6.30pm: Community Carols
Fri 24 Dec, Christmas Eve, 2.30pm: Crib Family Service
Fri 24 Dec, Christmas Eve, 2.30pm: 6.30pm: Parish Carol Service
Fri 24 Dec, Christmas Eve, 2.30pm: 11.30pm: Midnight Mass
Sat 25 Dec, Christmas Day, 10.30am: Eucharist
Sat 25 Dec, Christmas Day, 2.15pm: Communion Service in Mandarin and
Cantonese
Venue: St Martin-in-the-Fields
Address: Trafalgar Square, WC2N 4JJ
Phone: 020 7766 1100
Date: 28th November 2010 - 25th December 2010
Time: Various times
Nearest Station: Charing Cross Tube

St Martin-in-the-Fields Christmas Carols & Services - Information

Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree and Carols

Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DS
2nd December 2010 - 5th January 2011
Since 1947, stately Trafalgar Square receives a majestic Christmas Tree as an
annual gift from the people of Oslo, thanking Britain for its support and
friendship during World War Two. The enormous tree is a popular seasonal
tourist attraction, particularly from Tuesday 7th to Wednesday 22nd
December, when each evening (from 5pm to 9pm), a different choir gathers
there to sing carols and raise money for a range of voluntary or charitable
organisations. All the places have been booked well in advance - applications
for the 2011 Christmas program will be available from September 2011 - but
passers-by are welcome to come and listen to the carols in the square, and
even join in the festive cheer. Nelson's Column is decorated with Norwegian
white lights and the tree is illuminated from noon until midnight until the
Twelfth Night of Christmas in early January. The tree actually goes up on 29th
November if you want to see it in all its naked evergreen glory. This year, the
lighting of the Christmas Tree (preceded by some carols) takes place on
Thursday 2nd December and the blessing of the crib on Sunday 5th
December.
Venue: Trafalgar Square
Address: Central London, WC2N 5DS
Phone: 020 7983 4750
Date: 2nd December 2010 - 5th January 2011
Time: Tree lights 12noon-12midnight | Carol singing approx 5pm-9pm, times
vary
Pricing: FREE
Nearest Station: Charing Cross Tube

Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree and Carols - Information

Christmas Carols & Services at Temple Church

Temple Church, EC4Y 7HL
2nd December 2010 - 25th December 2010
If the renowned author Dan Brown staggered through the vaulted archway of
any grand London place of worship to sing carols this Christmas, it would
surely be the Temple Church, between Fleet Street and the Thames. The
Temple Church was built by the Knights Templar - made famous by Brown's
The Da Vinci Code - and was used in the filming of the subsequent movie,
starring Tom Hanks as the forty-year-old Professor Robert Langdon with the
arrestingly deep voice, and the strong, carefree smile of a collegiate athlete
(who had a haunting phobia of enclosed spaces). Jokes (and best-selling
literary assassins) aside, the Temple Church's range of carol services are a true
delight and will certainly get you in the mood for Christmas celebrations.
Located in a picturesque courtyard between the Middle and Inner Temples,
the famously round church is a popular spot for carol singing so be sure to
arrive in good time - not just so you can amble around the nearby squares and
gardens, but so you can grab a seat in the nave with a good view of the choir.
For more information go to www.templechurch.com and for bookings go to
www.templemusic.org.
Full programme
Thurs 2 Dec, 6.45pm: A Ceremony of Carols
Mon 6 Dec, 6pm: Advent Christmas Service
Sun 12 Dec, 11.15pm: Christmas Carol Service
Mon 13 Dec, 6pm: Christmas Carol Service
Tues 14 Dec, 1.15pm: Christmas Carol Sing-Along
Wed 15 Dec, 6pm: A Christmas Celebration: Service of Carols & Readings
Friday 17 Dec, 1.10pm: Lunchtime Carols, sung by The Temple Singers
Fri 24 Dec, Christmas Eve, 11.15pm: Midnight Choral Communion Service
Sat 25 Dec, Christmas Day, 11.15am: Choral Mattins
Venue: Temple Church
Address: Inner Temple, Fleet Street, EC4Y 7HL
Phone: 020 7353 8559
Date: 2nd December 2010 - 25th December 2010
Time: Various Times
Nearest Tube: Temple Tube

Christmas Carols & Services at Temple Church - Information

Westminster Cathedral Christmas Carols, Concerts & Services

Westminster Cathedral, SW1P 1QW
7th December 2010 - 25th December 2010
London's principal Roman Catholic Church is running its annual Christmas
Celebration concert on the Tuesday and Wednesday before Christmas.
Performed by the Westminster Cathedral Choir and Orchestra and conducted
by Martin Baker, the event also includes some festive readings by familiar
faces and celebrities (£10-£40; 0844 847 1524). Earlier in December, the
Cathedral will play host to the annual Cancer Research UK Christmas
Carols & Readings event (£25-£100; 020 7638 8891). On Christmas Eve
there will be a Vigil Mass at 6pm and the annual Midnight Mass at
11.30pm, while on Christmas Day there will be Christmas Mass at both
10.30am and 12noon. The Archbishop of Westminster will lead both the
Midnight Mass service and the first Mass on Christmas Day. London's only
example of neo-Byzantine architecture, Westminster Abbey boasts a
magnificent campanile that emerges 274 feet into the sky. While 12 million
burnished terracotta coloured bricks adorn the exterior, parts of the interior
remain poignantly bare - a potent reminder of the lack of funding which
plagued construction in 1895. Plain walls and simple candlelight form a stark
contrast to the colourful mosaics and marbles, and Eric Gill's nave detailing
the fourteen Stations of the Cross.
Programme:
Tues 7 Dec, 7pm: Cancer Research UK Christmas Carols & Readings
Tues 21 Dec, 7.30pm: A Christmas Celebration
Wed 22 Dec, 7.30pm: A Christmas Celebration
Fri 24 Dec, Christmas Eve, 6pm: Vigil Mass
Fri 24 Dec, Christmas Eve, 11.30pm: Midnight Mass
Sat 25 Dec, Christmas Day, 10.30am & 12noon: Christmas Mass
For more information go to www.westminstercathedral.org.uk.
Venue: Westminster Cathedral
Address: 42 Francis Street, SW1P 1QW
Phone: 020 7798 9055
Date: 7th December 2010 - 25th December 2010
Time: Various Times
Pricing: Mass: Free | Cancer Research UK Carols £25-£100 | A Christmas
Celebration £10-£40
Nearest Station: Victoria Tube or Rail

Westminster Cathedral Christmas Carols, Concerts & Services - Information

Carols by Candlelight at WWT London Wetland Centre

WWT London Wetland Centre, SW13 9WT
8th December 2010
Wrap up warm and enjoy a night in the courtyard for the annual candlelit
Christmas Carol Celebration at the Wetland Centre. Join staff and volunteers
of the Barnes nature reserve for a celebration of the festive season, with carols,
candles and plenty of Christmas spirit - plus a special visit from Father
Christmas himself. The event is free and there will be hot food and drinks
available, including mulled wine and mince pies. Proceeds from candle sales
will be split between Churches Together in Barnes and WWT London Wetland
Centre. Carols by Candlelight is the first of a range of festive events at the
Centre, which include a Winter Wonderland Weekend (11-12 Dec) and a
Christmas Pantomime, Vole in the Woods (18-21 Dec). For more information
please visit www.wwt.org.uk.
Venue: WWT London Wetland Centre
Address: Queen Elizabeth Walk, SW13 9WT
Phone: 020 8409 4400
Date: 8th December 2010
Time: 6pm (doors), 6.45 (carols start)
Pricing: Free
Nearest Station: Hammersmith Tube or Barnes Rail

Carols by Candlelight at WWT London Wetland Centre - Information

Christmas concerts at the Southbank Centre

Southbank Centre, SE1 8XX
9th December 2010 - 19th December 2010
While there is no repeat of last year's Classics for Christmas concert at Royal
Festival Hall, there is a hefty schedule of festive fun at the Southbank Centre
and on the South Bank over the Christmas period. On 9th December, Harry
Christophers and The Sixteen perform their annual Christmas concert of
music celebrating the Christmas message at Queen Elizabeth Hall. The
evening ends in The Front Room foyer with the ever-popular sequence of
carols, when the audience (and other members of the public) is invited to sing
with The Sixteen. On 11th December Handel's magnificent choral
masterpiece, Messiah, is performed in full period costume in an evocative
candlelit-style setting at Royal Festival Hall, while throughout the day on 19th
December the public is invited to join the Centre's Voicelab for some gospel
classics in their Christmas Songfest. Besides the strong musical
programme (which also includes Pop-Up Christmas Chorals from a range
of groups and singers in The Front Room) there are plenty of festive events
taking place on the South Bank, including the Cologne Christmas Market (19
Nov- 23 Dec), Santa's Secret Village (until 23 Dec), the London Eyeskate (until
5 Jan), the Real Food Christmas Market (3-5 Dec) and the Christmas
Chocolate Festival (10-12 Dec). For more information go to
www.southbankcentre.co.uk/christmas-2010.
Thurs 9 Dec, 7.30pm: The Sixteen - The Angel Gabriel
Sat 11 Dec, 7.30pm: Messiah by Candlelight
Sun 19 Dec, 11am-6.30pm: Voicelab's Christmas Songfest
Venue: Southbank Centre
Address: Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX
Phone: 0844 875 0073
Date: 9th December 2010 - 19th December 2010
Time: The Sixteen: Thurs 9 Dec, 7.30pm | Messiah: Sat 11 Dec, 7.30pm |
Voicelab: Sun 19 Dec, 11am-6.30pm
Pricing: The Sixteen: £8-£36 (Post concert carols: Free) | Messiah: £14-£39
| Voicelab Christmas Songfest: Free
Nearest Station: Waterloo Tube / Rail

Christmas concerts at the Southbank Centre - Information

Christmas Carols & Concerts at the Royal Albert Hall

Royal Albert Hall, SW7 2AP
12th December 2010 - 24th December 2010
The climax of the Royal Albert Hall's Christmas carols programme is this
dimly lit traditional Christmas celebration, Carols by Candlelight, mixing sing-
along carols with readings from Dickens (A Christmas Carol) and the Bible
(The Birth of the Infant Jesus). The name is a bit misleading - there are no
actual candles lighting the hall, just an 'evocative candle-lit style setting' - but
the performers are all in eighteenth century costume, and the hall splendidly
decorated to create a thoroughly festive atmosphere. The Mozart Festival
Orchestra will perform a medley of seasonal classics, including Handel's
Hallelujah Chorus, Vivaldi's Gloria and Mozart's It came upon a midnight
clear, while everyone will be invited to join in the extensive carol programme,
which includes The First Nowell, Good King Wenceslas, O come, all ye
faithful, Away in a manger, O little town of Bethlehem, Once in royal David's
city, and a rousing Hark! The Herald angels sing. Check
www.royalalberthall.com for full details.
Carols by Candlelight performances:
Sat 18 Dec - 8pm
Wed 22 Dec - 7.30pm
Thurs 23 Dec - 7.30pm
Fri 24 Dec - 2.30pm & 7pm
The Royal Albert Hall also hosts a flurry of other Christmas concerts,
including:
Christmas Carol Singalong: Sat 18 Dec 1.30pm & 4.45pm, Mon 20 Dec & Tue
21 Dec 2.30pm
Messiah: Sun 12 Dec & Fri Dec 7.30pm
Royal Choral Society Christmas Carols: Mon 13 Dec 7.30pm
The BT Christmas Concert: Tues 14 Dec
The Glory of Christmas: Wed 15 Dec 7.30pm
Christmas Classics: Thurs 16 Dec 7.30pm
White Christmas: Sun 19 Dec 1.30pm & 4.45pm, Tues 21 Dec 7.30pm
Classic Carols: Sun 19 Dec 8pm
King's College Choir: Mon 20 Dec 7.30pm
Santa's Christmas Cracker: Wed 22 & Thu 23 Dec 2.30pm
Venue: Royal Albert Hall
Address: Kensington Gore, SW7 2AP
Phone: 020 7838 3109
Date: 12th December 2010 - 24th December 2010
Time: Carols by Candlelight: 18 Dec - 8pm, 22 & 23 Dec - 7.30pm, 24 Dec -
2.30pm & 7pm
Pricing: £11.50-£46
Nearest Station: South Kensington Tube

Christmas Carols & Concerts at the Royal Albert Hall - Information

Canary Wharf Carols & Candles Service

East Wintergarden, E14 5AB
14th December 2010
With bankers' bonuses almost back to pre-credit crunch levels, you'd expect
the workers of Canary Wharf to have a modicum of goodwill to spread this
season so this could be a good one for the diary. Members of the public are
invited to join a choir made up of Canary Wharf tenants - including HSBC,
FSA and Morgan Stanley - for the annual candlelit carol service at the East
Wintergarden. It's the highlight of the Canary Wharf festive season - which
also includes the popular ice rink - and there are no expenses spared with a
post-service supply of mince pies and mulled wine on offer following the
traditional seasonal song sing-along. This year the Carols & Candles Service is
supporting the international charity Mercy Ships and local charity Neighbours
in Poplar. To register for tickets (max four per person),
email carolsandcandles@canarywharf.com.
Venue: East Wintergarden
Address: 43 Bank Street, E14 5AB
Phone: 020 7418 2725
Date: 14th December 2010
Time: 5.30pm
Pricing: Free
Nearest Station: West India Quay DLR

Canary Wharf Carols & Candles Service - Information

Midnight Mass at St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, EC4M 8AD
24th December 2010
Built by Sir Christopher Wren after the fire, St Paul's is viewed by many as the
spiritual home of Great Britain. It's also a very popular place to experience the
more traditional side of Christmas and escape the mad rush that threatens to
overtake us all as December 25th approaches. Demand is so great that St
Paul's puts on a series of Christmas celebrations throughout December but the
high point has to be the Midnight Mass service. The cathedral's famous dome,
which peaks over the top of London's skyline from miles around, fills with the
soaring sounds of the Cathedral Choir. In candlelit, majestic surroundings in
the middle of the city, this is the perfect place to usher in Christmas Day
before wrapping up warm and making your way home through the magically
deserted streets. All you need is a fresh coating of snow to settle...
Venue: St Paul's Cathedral
Address: St Paul's Churchyard, EC4M 8AD
Phone: 020 7236 4128
Date: 24th December 2010
Time: 11.30pm
Pricing: FREE
Nearest Station: St Paul's Tube

Midnight Mass at St Paul's Cathedral - Information