FAQs: Christmas services and events
FAQs: Christmas services and events
We look forward to welcoming you safely this Advent and Christmas. Here is some useful information about what to expect when attending one of our Advent and Christmas services or events.
Yes, throughout December, regular daytime opening hours and service times may vary. Please check our What’s on calendar and Service Schedule for details of services and sightseeing opening times.
Our in-house ticketed events in 2024 are Handel's Messiah on 4th December, A Celebration of Christmas on 12th December, and the Christmas Carol Services at 4pm on 23rd and 24th December.
The ticketed charity concerts are Age UK’s Love Christmas on 5th December, London's Air Ambulance Charity Christmas Concert on 10th December, and the Blood Cancer UK Carol Concert on 17th December.
All other Advent and Christmas services and events are unticketed and free of charge.
Please note that seating is unreserved for all these events. Please find more information on our Advent and Christmas page.
Tickets for Handel's Messiah are on sale now.
This year, tickets for A Celebration of Christmas and the 4pm Christmas Carol services on the 23rd and 24th December, will be distributed through a ballot system. Anyone can enter the ballot for each of these events and successful entrants will be given the opportunity to claim two tickets.
The ballot will open on 30th October at 9am and close on 20th November at 9am. Successful entrants will be notified by email after the closing date.
Over the past few years, our Christmas services have grown in popularity. Last year, there was unprecedented demand for tickets. We are grateful for feedback from members of the public and want to make attending our Christmas ticketed events fairer for all.
For our 2024 ticketed Christmas services: A Celebration of Christmas on 12th December, and our 4pm Christmas Carol services on 23rd and 24th December, we are opening a free ticket ballot to distribute tickets more fairly. The ballot system will allow anyone to enter and will choose successful entries at random, no matter when you entered.
We hope this will give everyone who enters a fairer opportunity to attend one of our ticketed Christmas events this year.
The free ticket ballot includes our ticketed Christmas Services: A Celebration of Christmas on 12th December, and our 4pm Christmas Carol services on 23rd and 24th December.
The ballots for each of these events will open on 30th October at 9am, and close on 20th November at 9am.
Links to enter the ballot can be found on each balloted ticketed event on the Advent and Christmas page between these dates and times.
Anyone can enter the free ballot for two tickets to our ticketed Christmas Services: A Celebration of Christmas on 12th December, and our 4pm Christmas Carol services on 23rd and 24th December
Links to enter the ballot can be found on each balloted ticketed event on the Advent and Christmas page from 30th October at 9am. There is a maximum of one ballot entry per event.
If your ballot entry is successful, you will receive an email after the ballot has closed on 20th November at 9am. Successful entrants will have seven days to claim two tickets.
Any unclaimed tickets by 27th November at 11.59pm will be made available for general release on 28th November with a maximum of two per customer.
Yes, any tickets unclaimed through the ballot system will go on general release on 28th November.
If your child is under two years old and will sit on a lap, they do not need a ticket. Children over two years old will need a ticket.
No, seating is allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Yes, for some of our Advent and Christmas services and events, queues may develop outside prior to the Cathedral doors opening. For this reason, we advise you to dress for the weather, including warm/waterproof clothing and bringing umbrellas.
Doors for all special services and events open one hour before the listed start time. For services for which you have a ticket, please arrive in good time and make sure you are seated 15-minutes before the service or event to guarantee your seats.
We understand that you may wish to save seats for friends and family, but to ensure seating is fair for everyone, we ask that groups attending together enter the Cathedral at the same time.
For those with access needs and their carers our accessible entrance is via the North Transept. Find out more on our Accessibility page.
For those who use walking aids or rollators and who have not booked a wheelchair user ticket at a ticketed event, please sit near to the closest pillar where there is room to keep your walking aid nearby. Please do not store walking aids in an aisle where they could block an exit.
Yes, toilet facilities will be available. Please ask a member of staff or a volunteer, who will signpost you to the nearest available facilities.
If you wish to keep your pram or buggy nearby during the service, we recommend sitting close to a pillar. Please do not place buggies or prams in an aisle where they could block an exit.
There are no cloakroom facilities at the Cathedral. We kindly ask that you do not bring bags unless necessary, and to keep all personal belongings to a minimum, as you will need to keep these with you at all times.
If you do need to bring a bag with you, please be aware that the maximum size permitted is 450 x 300 x 250mm.
The safety and security of all our worshippers, visitors, staff and volunteers is of the utmost importance to us. We have a variety of security measures in place to keep you safe and work closely with the City of London police and other security partners. Security screening and bag checking will be in operation at all times. Our friendly and approachable staff will be on hand to help you during your visit.
Find out more on our safety and security page.
For copyright reasons, and to protect the privacy of others, filming and photography are not permitted during any of our services and events.
We kindly ask that you do not bring opened food and drink to the service or event.
Advent and Christmas
Find information about all the services and concerts taking place at St Paul's Cathedral this Advent and Christmas.