Last year the stars aligned miraculously and I got to spend Christmas in London. The 12-day solo adventure was my 5th annual #GrinchGetaway, where I escape my hatred for the holidays by going on an extravagant trip. The ironic part about traveling to avoiding Christmas is I usually end up loving the holiday-infused hype wherever I go.

And Christmas in London was no exception. Every inch of England was decked out. There were Christmas trees in every restaurant and hotel (even in every room of the Queen’s Windsor Palace!) and every street was draped in lights. It was so magical, even a Scrooge like me found it beautiful.

In case these stunning photos don’t convince you, here are 5 reasons to spend Christmas in London.

5 Reasons to Spend Christmas in London

Christmas trees in London. — Christmas trees at the Bath Cathedral, at Windsor Palace, and the Tower of London.

1. London Decks The Halls (and Streets and Tourist Attractions, and…)

Everything in London is completely covered in holiday decorations. The streets are covered in lights, entire pubs and shops have their storefronts covered with decorations, and there are Christmas trees everywhere. Every restaurant, hotel lobby, tourist destination, and even random streets have Christmas trees.

All of the holiday decorations put an extra oomph in sightseeing. London is iconic any time of year but seeing everything all dressed up was a beautiful bonus.

The Nutcracker at Royal Albert Hall in London.

2. London Really Celebrates the Holidays

If all the decorations weren’t an indication, there’s no shortage of holiday-themed things to do in London. The city is famous for its theater and they celebrate this time of year too. Christmas-themed plays and musicals (like A Christmas Carol) are all over the city. Here’s a list of performances.

And what would the holidays be without the Nutcracker? London has a whole handful of Nutcracker performances at different theaters. The English National Ballet performs at the London Coliseum while the Royal Ballet is at The Royal Opera House at Covent Garden. But I opted for the Birmingham Royal Ballet at the famous Royal Albert Hall and it was wonderful. One is worth checking out, even if it’s just to see inside the theater.

The Christmas Market near the Tower Bridge in London.

The ice rink at the Natural History Museum in London. — The ice rink at the Natural History Museum.

3. Christmas Markets and Ice Rinks are All Over London

Christmas markets pop up all over the city, too. Southbank, Leicestesr Square, Winterville and Greenwich all have them, with the biggest being a carnival-like market called Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park. My favorite was Christmas By The River near the London Bridge along the River Thames, with boutique shops and food stalls selling international cuisine.

Ice skating rinks are just as easy to find. The open-air ice rinks dot famous London landmarks like the Tower of London, Somerset House, Hampton Court Palace, and the Natural History Museum.

Completely empty streets in London on Christmas Day. — Walking along the completely empty streets on Christmas Day.

4. London Goes Silent on Christmas

Even though London is full of tourists during the holidays, most things shut down on the days surrounding Christmas. Parliament, Kensington Palace, the Tower of London, museums and even the Tube close on different days before/after/on Christmas. And Boxing Day (December 26th) is an official holiday for the United Kingdom so many things don’t reopen until the 27th.

While this can be seen as a downside, I actually used it to my advantage. One of the few things open on Christmas Eve was Windsor Palace but no one realized it so I got to see it nearly empty! The same thing happened on Christmas Day. Westminster Abbey is one of the few things open — but only for church services — so I stood in line to attend service. Even though I’m not religious, it was beautiful to hear the choir sing in the historical church.

The streets of London all decked out for the holidays.

5. You’re Already in London for New Year’s Eve

As one of the biggest cities in the world, London knows how to party. So New Year’s Eve in London is spectacular. Since you’re already in London for Christmas, you might as well stay to ring in the new year. There are parties throughout the city (even at the Natural History Museum!), fireworks over the River Thames, and more.

Since I was alone, last year I went to an extravagant dinner at Sketch. (I didn’t have the energy to repeat my solo night at the New Year’s Eve Ball at the palace in Vienna!) The two-Michelin starred restaurant is known for its food and cocktails but it was one of the worst meals I’ve had (and one of the most expensive). So whatever you do, don’t go there!

If you aren’t sold on London, you’re just a train ride away from one of the world’s biggest New Year’s Eve celebrations in Edinburgh. Called Hogmanay, the three-day celebration brings hundreds of thousands of people into Scotland’s capital city. There’s concerts, fireworks, and even a torchlight procession along the Royal Mile. Not to mention all the other great reasons to go to Edinburgh!