The countdown begins: Christmas lights switch-on dates

The countdown to Christmas is officially on, especially for those in London, as their Christmas lights will be the first in the UK and Ireland to be switched on later on today.

The first of this year's Christmas lights to turn on is Oxford Street's in London, from today, November 2nd. This year will have more of a sustainability focus, with reduced operating hours and LED lights combining to use two-thirds less energy than last year.

Next up is Covent Garden and Carnaby Street, which has a different theme each year. This year, Carnaby's tagline is 'expect the unexpected', where 2022 will be a compilation of the best themes from the past 25 years, incorporating elements of 14 different themes.

Regent Street and St James's Christmas lights will take centre stage next, with the switch-on scheduled for November 9th. Other parts of London will then follow suit with Marylebone on November 10th, and Bond Street on November 17th.

The rest of the UK and Ireland will generally see their Christmas lights switch on from mid-November onwards too. Be sure to send in your Christmas lights snaps if you take a trip to see any!