Keep up to date with all things festive on our Christmas 2026 in London page, and see when the rest of London’s Christmas lights are switched on this year.
Eyes to the skies in London this Christmas, as the Shard’s festive illuminations transform the skyscraper into a giant Advent calendar.
Every evening from 1 December, a new Advent design featuring bespoke animations will be revealed in the lights at the top 20 storeys of the skyscraper. It’ll be shown every 15 minutes from 4pm throughout that evening. The following day, a different design will be unveiled, every day until 24 December.
Once Advent is over, the Shard will continue to light up over the 12 days of Christmas (25 December-5 January), as the festive animations continue without the Advent countdown.
With the right conditions, the sky-high lights could be seen from up to 40 miles away. However, if the fog we’ve had recently continues, the lights may not be visible from the ground. In other words, the Shard Advent calendar’s days might be… numbered.
In 2018, Londonist went behind the scenes to see how the Shard’s Christmas lights are set up.
The Shard Christmas lights run from 1 December 2026-5 January 2027.
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