London Christmas Lights Tour 2025

Staying with the Christmas themed blog updates, last weekend we went to London to explore Camden Market and then head over to Bond Street to start the Christmas Night Lights Walking Tour. For the last 2 or 3 years this has become a bit of a regular event for us at Christmas which we all look forward too. Unfortunately no Joshua this year as he was on an early start at work and was just exhausted. Instead we did have an extra person to take with Brandon's girlfriend, Maia.

Camden Market was really cool. I had forgotten just how colourful and vibrant Camden is and how diverse the food court is. You can pretty much get anything you want to eat at Camden. After Camden we jumped back on the tube to head to Bond Street which was the scheduled start point for our Xmas Lights Tour of London.

The lights were amazing as you can see from the pictures. I guess it must have taken us maybe 3 or 4 hours to walk, but that included stopping off in various shops and also coffee stop off etc. Our walking tour finished in Covent Garden where we watched a knife juggling uni-cyclist street performer before heading over to South Bank for some festive food and a mulled wine to warm up our insides.

Sweet treats in Camden.

Maia, Brandon and Holly tucking in.

I think she likes the Nutella.

Starting our London Christmas Lights Tour.

Looks like the King's crown.

Montblanc shop lights.

Anabel's at Berkeley Square.

Is this my Xmas present all wrapped up?

Holly and Maia at a Xmas tree in New Bond St.

The two girlies.

Sherwood St did the 12 days of Xmas decorations.

Three French Hens.

Nearly the end of 2025.

Advent calendar windows.

Regent St.

Some cool looking festive vehicles braving the London traffic.

Just a few lights.

The Xmas dinosaur - very festive!

Carnaby St never disappoints.

Rectangular shaped crackers and stars in Carnaby St.

Christmas Stars.

Pictures don't show how busy it was. Absolutely incredible the number of people visiting London just to look at the lights.

Maia and Brandon at the big tree in Covent Garden.

Pictures don't show how big this tree is.

Inside Covent Garden they have recycled the same decorations from last year. Still looks very good.

Knife juggling uni cyclist in Covent Garden.

Last little stretch of the walk heading over the river to the South Bank for some much deserved food and mulled wine.

Dairy Milk Chocolate House

 

Xmas is definitely in full swing now which means all the usual Xmas festivities and activities. Last year we bought the Dairy Milk Chocolate House kit but ended up not actually making it and just eating the chocolate. This year we were a bit more disciplined and Holly helped make the house yesterday before we actually started eating it! It was pretty straight forward to build, simply cutting a few bars of Dairy Milk and then melting some chocolate to use as glue to stick it all together. Holly then decorated with some chocolate buttons around the gables and a Flake across the top of the roof. Any guesses how many calories in that house? Next job is the actual Ginger Bread House for later today.

Using melted chocolate as glue to stick the Dairy Milk House together.

Festive bar with white chocolate Xmas trees for the roof panels.

Sticking chocolate buttons on to the gables.

The finished house including chimney.

School Xmas Dinner

Holly and Brandon had their school Xmas dinner earlier this week and Brandon was not impressed. In fact he sent us this picture saying he wants a refund!!!! Holly seemed to enjoy it though. I have to admit I hope my work Xmas dinner looks a little better than this next Thursday!

School Xmas dinner 2025 - spot the turkey!!

Holly's 12th Birthday - Wicked Musical

Believe it or not our youngest baby recently turned 12, hard to believe just one more year and she will be a teenager. This year really marked the end of the "toy era" for all of our kids as Holly's birthday list now comprises of clothes, make-up, perfumes and other grown up stuff. I think my days of walking the aisles of Smyths etc are now over. She also wanted a fascial and a manicure for her birthday treat!!!

Once Holly had finished school we had a nice birthday meal at the Honeypot over at Festival Leisure (luckily managed to get a voucher from Tina's work which at least saved us £20). Our waiter for the evening was really nice and without even asking he put a candle in Holly's chocolate brownie and came out with some other members of staff to sing her Happy Birthday.

On the Sunday after Holly's birthday we had a real special treat lined up for her as Tina had bought two tickets for Holly and her to go and see the Wicked show in London. Not quite my cup of tea and as the tickets were really expensive I thought it best to let the girls go on their own. Sounds like Holly thoroughly enjoyed the show and came home singing all the songs. 

Our little baby is 12.

No major present for her 12th birthday. Just lots of outfits and little bits that she wanted.

She is definitely following in Brandon's footsteps with her fashion / style.

Dinner time at the Honeypot.

Birthday brownie.

Mummy and daughter day out in London to watch Wicked the Musical.

Popcorn during the show.

Looks like they had great seats.

And Wicked drinks (yet more plastic cups to clutter our kitchen side!).

Looks like they both had a great time.

A very tired Holly tucking in to Pringles on the train home.

Simple chocolate cake for Holly's 12th birthday cake.

Huff and puff.

Cool little Stitch candles with a wax catcher at the bottom. No fun not having melted wax on your chocolate cake!