Free And Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 9-15 December 2024
Things to do for a fiver or less.
Budget-friendly things to do in London this week for £5 or less.
Looking for more free things to do in London? Here are 102 of em! We've also compiled this epic map of free stuff in London.
Gets stuck into some free comedy
Every Monday evening the Betsey Trotwood in Farringdon hosts Jester Jesters, where comedians perform short stints at the mic, and (with luck) get your week off to a mirthful start (despite being on a Monday, JJ can whip up quite an atmosphere). It's free, although you can reserve a seat for £3, and donations are always welcome.
Free/donation encouraged, 9 December.
Join in with carols under the Trafalgar Square tree
From this Monday through to Christmas Eve, a roster of choirs will congregate beneath the Trafalgar Square tree, to sing carols. They'll be sung every day in one-hour slots from 4pm-9pm on weeknights and 2-6pm on weekends. Anyone can show up to listen (or join in is you wish). Choirs will be collecting money for their chosen charities.
Free, 9-24 December.
View artworks by a former Maudsley Hospital patient
The work of late artist Charlotte Johnson-Wahl (also the mother of Boris Johnson) goes on display at Bethlem Museum of the Mind in Beckenham from Wednesday. Specifically, the exhibition showcases the art she produced while a patient at the Maudsley Hospital in 1974, depicting hospital life, her illness and treatment.
Free, 11 December-29 March.
See objects relating to the Silk Roads
See the British Museum's current Silk Roads exhibition yet? On Thursday there's a chance to hear about three specific objects in the exhibition, as chosen by experts.
Co-curator Dr Sue Brunning FSA, discusses a shoulder-clasp from the Sutton Hoo ship burial in Suffolk, containing purple-red Indian garnets, and orange-red Czech and Sri Lankan gems. Associate Prof Dr Sven Kalmring tells the story of a figurine of the Buddha, made in what is now northwest Pakistan, but found thousands of kilometres away on a tiny island in Sweden. Mélodie Doumy discusses manuscripts, documents and artworks that were found in the Library Cave, a Buddhist cave complex in China.
The event takes the form of a free online livestream via Zoom.
Free, 12 December. Note that there's a charge to visit the exhibition itself.
View photos of the Relics of Old London
The London Archives in Clerkenwell (formerly London Metropolitan Archives) offers a talk about the Society for Photographing Relics of Old London, and its striking collection. Between 1875 and 1899, the organisation created an architectural record of buildings, comprised of 120 images of buildings under the threat of demolition in a rapidly changing city.
£5, 12 December.
Attend People's Question Time Wandsworth
No Fiona Bruce at this version of Question Time, but the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan — plus members of the London Assembly — will be in Wandsworth, to answer questions about transport, policing, housing and other such important issues. People's Question Time is free to attend, but you'll need to register.
Free, 12 December.
Delve into the roots of White Christmas
Thursday's Gresham College lecture — the organisation's last event before the festive break — is suitably Christmassy. Professor Dominic Broomfield-McHugh, Visiting Professor of Film and Theatre Music, explores the unusual roots of Irving Berlin's hit Christmas song, White Christmas, and how it became one of the first commercial Christmas songs. Did you know it was originally released in the summer? Head along to Conway Hall or watch online to learn more.
Free, 12 December.
Hear the stories behind your favourite Christmas carols
You can't move without hearing Christmas carols at the moment, but how much do you know about the stories behind them? On Friday evening Southwark Cathedral hosts conductor and lecturer Andrew Gant to reveal the history of Christmas carols, including some surprising facts. Organist James Gough plays snippets of the tunes being discussed.
Free, 13 December.
Make your own glowing lantern
Take the family along the Foundling Museum for a festive workshop where you can make your own glow lanterns. Artist Laura X Carlé shows you how to create a twinkly Christmas lantern, which you can then show off in a procession through the museum galleries (and take home, of course). Aimed at 5-12 year olds.
£5, 14 December.
Learn about the history of African Remembrance Day
London Museum Docklands offers a free talk about African Remembrance Day. Speakers Onyekachi Wambu and Esther Xosei discuss how ARD came about, when 100 people gathered on the White Cliffs of Dover on 1 August 1995 to remember the millions who perished during enslavement and to demand justice for them. They also talk about why it took so long for victims of slavery to be acknowledged and remembered in this way in the UK.
Free, 14 December.
Be enchanted by the story of the Snow Queen
Storytelling duo Vanessa and George of London Dreamtime offer a free, family-friendly retelling of seasonal fairytale the Snow Queen, at St John the Baptist in Shepherd's Bush. Dress warmly, and bring a blanket (and fairy lights, if you like) to settle down and watch. Hot chocolate is available — lovely!
Pay what you can, 14 December.
Get caught in a snow flurry
Covent Garden's already looking rather spectacular for Christmas, but now, flurries of snow have been added to the mix.
Every day, hourly between 12pm and 9pm, 'snow' falls on the Piazza area where the towering Christmas tree stands, making the scene even more festive and offering ample opportunities for Christmas selfies and Instagram shots. Once that's got you in a merry mood, why not take some time to visit the rest of London's Christmas lights and decorations.
Free, every day, hourly 12pm-9pm.
Experience Christmas in London for free
Overwhelmed by how expensive this time of year can be in London? We hear you, which is why we've put together a guide on free things to do in London at Christmas. Soak up the capital's festive atmosphere and see it at its finest without parting with a penny. Merry Thriftmas!