Christmas time in London is fantastic when it comes to family activities and things to do with the kids. Though it’s also a pretty great time to do some things without them…Here are our top 5 picks.
Cuddle up in an igloo
The Coppa Club has installed eight heated igloos on their terrace for the festive period. They’re walk-in only, so one of the few festive experiences you don’t need to book months in advance. Right on the banks of the Thames, and made from transparent plastic, they’re the perfect place to sit back and watch the world go by.
And no kids banging on the door wanting to get in. Bliss!
Get drunk on sweets
Willy Wonka has grown up and invited us all to his crazy birthday bash.
If you’ve ever wanted to create alcoholic dib-dabs (& who hasn’t?), this pop-up at the Sanderson Hotel in Fitzrovia is for you. You can also taste alcoholic pastilles, spray yourself with edible perfume and drink cocktails that change in flavour and colour. In essence, it’s a highly Instagrammable way of getting drunk.
Book an adult-only panto
While the kids would never forgive you if you went to see Cinderella without them, you could definitely sneak off to one of London’s adult-only pantos without feeling bad. The bawdy humour and child-free space could be just what you need before the school holidays begin. If going to the theatre sounds like a bit too much effort, then just go see Bad Santa 2 at your local cinema instead!
Pop up to the John Lewis Roof Garden
Pretend to yourself – and your sitter – that you’re going Christmas shopping on Oxford Street, but instead make a beeline for the roof garden at John Lewis, where you can buy mulled cocktails & Highland-style food in a pop-up Christmas Tree forest while you look down over the madness of central London, feeling smug that you have actually done all of your shopping online this year. If you’re feeling fancy, you can hire a private lodge, complete with ‘hot toddy bell’. Squash any guilt about leaving the kids at home by heading into the store before you leave to buy them a limited edition personalised pot of PLAY-DOH (available only until Christmas Eve).
Check in to a gin hotel
There’s a new den of iniquity in town, and we can’t wait to give it a go.
The Distillery Hotel offers four whole floors of gin drinking, plus a gin museum, a ‘Ginstitute’ learning zone and an off-licence. If you have a free pass for the whole night, you can even stay over. There are three rooms available, each with a minibar of course.
Opens 16th December.
Don’t let not having a sitter stop you. Get the Bubble app and book a babysitter your friends trust.
