Historic festive pictures show 100 years of Christmas in London

Christmas in London has always been a magical time with the city’s streets lit up with sparkling Christmas lights and lavishly decorated Christmas trees.

Every year ice rinks and chalet-lined markets pop up all over the capital bringing to the magical mood, while shoppers head to Oxford and Regents Street to pick up gifts for their loved ones.

While festive staples like Winter Wonderland may not have been around 100 years ago, a lot of London’s festive traditions have remained the same.

For example Christmas displays lighting up the streets of London aren't only a modern phenomenon. 

Extravagant and elaborate window displays at Christmas time have been a tradition at Selfridges since 1909, when the founder Henry Selfridge first lit the shop windows at night for passers by to see goods on sale.

Going to see a Christmas pantomime has also been a favourite London pastime for over a century, while gift giving and carol singing has been a regular fixture.

We’ve taken a look back at Christmas in London over the last century to see how traditions have either changed or stayed exactly the same.