It’s one of the festive period’s great ironies that nothing is less likely to foster goodwill to all men than Christmas shopping.
Unless, of course, you swerve all the mayhem of the high streets, and instead visit one of London’s wonderfully festive Christmas markets, where – aside from perusing interesting stalls selling one-of-a-kind gifts that you actually want to give (and more importantly, someone actually wants to receive) – you can actually enjoy the festive build up with cheery live music; Christmassy snacks and some warming winter grog.
So as an early present to you, we’ve put together a list of London’s best Christmas markets this year (which we’ve taken the liberty of arranging chronologically). If you’re in the market for a little Christmas shopping, read on…
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Christmas Shopping Wednesdays at Spitalfields
There’ll be over 50 independent makers hawking their wares at Old Spitalfields Market every Wednesday between now and the big day, with mulled wine stands, mince pies, street food, and twinkling canopies of lights adding to the festive air. You can even sign up to the odd wreath-making workshop, or attend a Santa life drawing class (you’ll be relieved to hear he will not be naked).
Details: Wednesdays from 15th November, 1-5pm | Old Spitalfields Market, 16 Horner Square, E1 6EW | Free entry
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Kingston Christmas Market
They say you are what you eat. And if you’re a fan of German sausage, that officially makes you the wurst.
But it also means you’ll have a whale of a time at the Kingston Christmas market, where German street food will be served up alongside mulled wine, live music, curling lanes, and a sprawling village of market stalls selling handcrafted wares.
Details: 16th November – 7th January | Kingston Market Place, Kingston-Upon Thames, KT1 1JS | Free entry
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Canopy Market
Decking its Victorian steel and glass hall with dozens of star lanterns, Canopy Market will be running almost every day for in the month-long run-up to Christmas. You can expect live music; mulled cider & wine; and over 50 hand-picked independent businesses hawking food, drink and handmade goods.
Details: 23rd November – 22nd December, Tues-Sun (plus Mon 18th Dec), 12-7pm | West Handyside Canopy, N1C 4BH | Free entry
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Merry Maltby
Maltby Street Market is a pretty wondrous sight during the day… but at night the Ropewalks’ Victorian railway arches are beautifully festooned with lights, there are carollers providing a little ambient festiveness, and some barrels of mulled wine adding a little warmth. If you want to get some fancy food & drink for the special people in your life this Christmas, look no further.
Details: 1st, 8th & 15th December, 6-9pm | Maltby Street Market, SE1 3PA | Free entry
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Hampton Court Palace Festive Fayre
You’d be hard pressed to find a more extravagant setting for a Christmas market than Hampton Court Palace – and this year they’re filling the courtyard with festive food and drink, dozens of stalls selling seasonal gifts, a bandstand with live music, and jousting. Tickets aren’t cheap, but you’ll get to explore inside the palace and its atmospheric gardens while you’re there – and you could always indulge in a little ice skating too.
Details: 1st-3rd & 8th-10th December | Hampton Court Palace, Hampton Court Way, KT8 9AU | £26.30
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Mexican Christmas Market
Christmas list lacking pizzazz? Head to Coal Drops Yard where Casa Pastor is hosting a Mexican market, featuring Mexican traders, piñatas, live mariachi bands, hot chocolate and churros.
Details: 1st-3rd December, 11am-8pm | Casa Pastor, Coal Drops Yard, N1C 4DQ | Free entry
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Turning Earth Ceramics Christmas Market
London’s preeminent pottery studios always put on a smashing Christmas market. Some 110 independent ceramics makers will showcase their wares in Turning Earth’s airy Highgate workshop, and there’ll be all the usual live music, demos, mulled wine and street food to put you in the festive mood.
Details: 2nd & 3rd December | Turning Earth Highgate, Summersby Road, N6 5UH
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Pexmas
Peckham’s blessed with a bounty of interesting small businesses, and you’ll conveniently find 100 of them under one roof at Pexmas (alongside mulled wine, Christmas music and street food).
Details: 2nd & 3rd December | Copeland Gallery, London, SE15 3SN
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Studio Pottery at Eccleston Yards
This year Studio Pottery is taking over the Christmas market in the secluded Eccleston Yards, where you’ll be able to browse over 20 stalls loaded with unique ceramic gifts while sipping spiced mulled wine. Let’s hope you don’t smash your Christmas shopping.
Details: 2nd & 3rd December | Eccleston Yards, 21 Eccleston Place, London SW1W 9AZ
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Cockpit Makers Market
Jacob Monk
Over 160 amazingly talented craftspeople are in the driving seat at Cockpit – and over two weekends this winter you’ll be able to browse everything from millinery to Moroccan Zouaq art, while meeting the artists themselves.
Details: 2nd – 3rd December, 12-6pm | 18-22 Creekside, London SE8 3DZ | £8 advance
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Beautiful & Useful Craft Fair
The Garden Museum’s Christmas fair takes its inspiration from William Morris, who famously said you should only own things you either know to be useful or believe to be beautiful. Which basically means you’re going to score a home run with whatever gifts you buy here, from hand-woven baskets to sustainably made knitwear.
Details: 3rd December, 10am-4pm | The Garden Museum, Lambeth Palace Road, London, SE1 7LB | £5
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The Illustrators’ Festive Fair
Picture this: over 120 talented illustrators and artists hawking their beautiful wares, from zines and T-shirts to wall prints and gift wrap, in the vast canalside playground that is Granary Square in King’s Cross. And once you physically can’t carry any more bags? Take a load off at The Drop or Dishoom.
Details: 9th December, 11am-5pm | Granary Square, N1C 4AB | Free entry
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DIY Art Market
If you’d like to get someone a gift that’s heartfelt, handmade and one of a kind, but lack the time or abilities to actually DIY, head to the DIY Art Market instead. They’ll be filling the vast warehouse in Peckham’s Copeland Park with over 150 stalls from up-and-coming and established arts working in print, ceramics, jewellery and more. Oh, and it’s all eminently affordable.
Details: 9th December, 11am-5pm | Unit 8, Copeland Park, 133 Copeland Rd, London SE15 3SN | £2 entry
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So Last Century Winter Vintage Market
So Last Century runs some of the city’s most popular vintage markets all year round, and come the festive season they’ll be hosting a winter vintage (wintage?) market in the palatial setting of Beckenham Place Mansion. There’ll be 40 hand-picked traders catering to every budget, from sideboards to bric-a-brac like antique maps and quirky ceramics.
Details: 9th & 10th December, 10am-4pm | Beckenham Place Mansion, Beckenham Hill Road, BR3 1SY | Free entry
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The AntiXmas Fayre
Know someone who doesn’t like Christmas? Then here’s the perfect place to find them something for Christmas. This alternative market has dozens of left-field vendors slinging banned books, taxidermy, creepy curios, vintage jewellery, posters, prints, badges, patches and so much more… including some lovely vegan street food.
Details: 10th December, 12-6pm | Elektrowerkz, 7 Torrens Street, EC1V 1NQ | £4 entry
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Borough Market’s Evening of Cheese
Borough Market is getting spruced up (quite literally) with Christmas trees and garlands for the festive season, dozens of stalls selling fancy food & drink gifts, and pop-up mulled wine bars. And it’s also cutting straight to the chase with what everyone really wants from a Christmas market, by hosting a night dedicated entirely to cheese, with pairing tips, tastings, and mulled wine.
Details: 13th December, 6pm-9pm | Borough Market, 8 Southwark Street, SE1 1TL | Free entry
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The Oval Christmas Market
New for this year, The Oval Christmas Market promises to be one of the best… around. Taking place in Hackney’s old Oval Space, it’ll feature appearances from Popham’s, Kricket and PINCH (with their insanely good cruller donuts) alongside more than twenty independent market stalls – and in the evenings, there’ll be DJs and mulled wine to fuel your late-night shop.
Details: 15th December (4-9.30pm), 16th (10am-9.30pm), 17th December (10am-5pm) | LOCK Warehouse, 29-32 The Oval, London E2 9DT | £4+
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Crafty Fox Markets
As present-giving D-Day draws ever nearer, you’re going to need the DJs and bars at the Crafty Fox Markets to see you through. Popping up at Granary Square in King’s Cross, Crafty Fox showcases a motley crew of independent designers, artists and makers selling everything from unique illustrations to pottery and textiles.
Details: 16th & 17th December | Granary Square, N1C | Free entry
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Hackney Flea-Mas Market
Give festive cheer from yesteryear with the eclectic array of vintage goods – from clothes and accessories to atomic age electronics and mid century furniture – on offer at the Hackney Flea-Mas Market (then reward yourself for being so generous with a slap-up brunch at Esters).
Details: 16th & 17th December, 11am-5pm | Abney Public Hall, 73A Stoke Newington Church Street, N16 0AS
Looking for even more festivity? Check out our guide to Christmas in London 2023