Christmas lights on Regent Street in London’s West End
© Taka Wu/Alam
Lighting up London. From ‘drab’ to fab
It's the most wonderful time of the year on Regent Street, renowned for its dazzling display of lights during the festive season. The tradition began in 1954, prompted by an article in The Daily Telegraph which criticised London for looking 'drab' at Christmas. This sparked the retailers and businesses that made up the Regent Street Association into action, as the street became the first central London location to introduce Christmas lights. Due to a recession, the display took a break for several years in the 1970s, but the lights have been switched on for every Christmas since 1978. The lights in our photo, inspired by the heritage of watchmaking on the street, were put up in 2015.
Related Images
Cherry blossoms over the Meguro River, Tokyo, Japan
The catalogue and enquiries stall at the Women's Exhibition, London, May 1909.
Christmas lights in Carnaby Street, London
For Science Fiction Day, inventor Nikola Tesla and his ‘magnifying transmitter’
Blue walls of Chefchaouen, Morocco
New York City’s Empire State Building is seen lit up before Earth Hour in 2011
The Crown of Light installation at Durham Cathedral, during the 2013 Lumiere Durham festival
At the Arch of Septimius Severus in the Roman Forum for the Ides of March
Bing Today Images
A pine forest in Alsace, France
Dec 07, 2025
Stonehenge, Wiltshire, England
Dec 07, 2024
Verdon Gorge, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
Dec 07, 2023
Fountains Abbey cellarium, North Yorkshire
Dec 07, 2021
Los Alcornocales forest, Málaga, Spain
Dec 07, 2019
Bath Christmas Market, Somerset, England
Dec 07, 2016
