London in December is mild by northern European standards but often wet, and the light goes early. The challenge isn't extreme cold. It's going between drizzly streets and very warm Tubes, shops and theatres several times a day.
That makes London ideal for a light capsule: thin layers you can take off, one good waterproof coat and boots that won't mind a puddle. Everything here fits the 40 × 30 × 20 cm free bag on Ryanair and Wizz Air.
The weather in London in December
Shoulder months for comparison
| Station | November | December | January |
|---|---|---|---|
| London (St James’s Park) | 11.6 °C / 6.1 °C53 °F / 43 °F · 66 mm | 9.0 °C / 3.9 °C48 °F / 39 °F · 59 mm | 8.6 °C / 3.5 °C47 °F / 38 °F · 58 mm |
Source: WMO 1991–2020 climate normals, published by NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI accession 0253808). Stations: London (St James’s Park) (WMO 3770). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Sunrise, sunset and daylight are calculated for the 15th of the month in 2026 (local time). °F and inches are converted from the metric figures. “n/a” means the station doesn’t report sunshine in this dataset.
- Mild but damp. Average highs are in high single figures and nights stay a few degrees above freezing.
- Around 11 days in a typical December get at least 1 mm of rain. Expect frequent light rain rather than downpours.
- Daylight is under 8 hours in mid-December, and the sun sets before 16:00, so evening plans start early.
This week in London
The outfit plan in this guide is built from 30-year averages for December. This panel is the real forecast for the next 7 days, turned into packing tips for a cabin bag.
The live forecast needs JavaScript. Everything else in this guide works without it, and the climate-based plan above covers any December trip.
Weather data from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0), adapted into packing tips.
What locals actually wear
Everything below is a summary of, or a quote from, the linked source. We don’t make up “local” style tips.
- A waterproof coat, ideally hooded or a trench with a hood, is the base of a London winter wardrobe.Source [1]: Emma, That Travel (a Londoner of 12 years)
- Wear thin layers rather than one thick jumper, because the Tube gets hot.Source [1]: Emma, That Travel (a Londoner of 12 years)
- Wear waterproof boots. Avoid suede, and save heels for evenings rather than days of walking.Source [1]: Emma, That Travel (a Londoner of 12 years)
- Carry a compact but sturdy umbrella.Source [1]: Emma, That Travel (a Londoner of 12 years)
- Christmas jumpers are part of December in London. Bulky snow boots and ski jackets are overkill, and smart-casual is fine for the theatre.Source [1]: Emma, That Travel (a Londoner of 12 years)
3 outfit formulas
Sightseeing in the drizzle
- Hooded waterproof coat or trench
- Long-sleeve tee plus a fine knit
- Dark jeans
- Waterproof ankle boots
- Wool scarf
Tip: Two thin layers beat one chunky jumper when you go from rain to hot Tube carriages.
Theatre night, smart-casual
- Satin or knit midi skirt, or black trousers
- Silk-feel blouse or fine cashmere crewneck
- Black tights
- The ankle boots, polished up
- Coat and scarf
Tip: Smart-casual is plenty for the theatre, so there's no need to pack heels.
Festive day out
- A festive jumper (buy it there if you like)
- Thermal top underneath
- Jeans
- Waterproof boots
- Beanie and gloves
Tip: A Christmas jumper is a fun London souvenir, but it's bulky. Wear it home on the plane.
Swatches are a colour guide for each formula, not product photos.
Day to night in London
Same capsule, evening version: keep the base, swap one or two pieces. Every swap below stays cabin-bag friendly. How day-to-night swaps work →
01Sightseeing in the drizzle → theatre night
- Base (stays the same)
- Waterproof ankle boots (polished up)
- Hooded coat and wool scarf
- ☀ Day add-ons
- Dark jeans
- Long-sleeve tee and a fine knit
- ☾ Evening swaps
- Midi skirt or black trousers instead of jeans
- Silk-feel blouse
- Black tights
Pieces added to your bag: 0, nothing: every piece is already in the capsule.
02Festive day out → pub dinner
- Base (stays the same)
- Jeans
- Waterproof boots
- ☀ Day add-ons
- Festive jumper over a thermal
- Beanie and gloves
- ☾ Evening swaps
- Cashmere crewneck instead of the festive jumper
- Statement earrings and a small crossbody
Pieces added to your bag: 2, earrings and a small crossbody, if you want them.
Preview note: placeholder links to each shop’s normal pages, with no affiliate tracking yet.
The free-baggage packing list
Your bag: 40 × 30 × 20 cm
Planned for 4 nights, using a soft backpack of about 20–24 litres made to the 40 × 30 × 20 cm size. The rule that makes it work: wear your bulkiest items on the plane. The dotted outline is easyJet’s bigger free bag.
Wear on the plane worn
In the bag 12 items
- Snow boots and ski jackets
- Suede shoes
- Heels for daytime
Liquids: going vs coming home
UK airports vary. Heathrow, Gatwick, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Belfast International, Belfast City, Bournemouth, Southend allow containers up to 2 litres; most others, including Manchester, Stansted and Luton, are still 100 ml.
- 2 litresLondon Heathrow (T2, T3, T4, T5) (LHR)
- 2 litresLondon Gatwick (North & South) (LGW)
- 100 mlLondon Stansted (STN)
- 100 mlLondon Luton (LTN)
- 100 mlLondon City (LCY)to re-check
Pack your liquids to 100 ml for the whole trip.
Check your room first
Read the hotel, Airbnb or hostel listing, or message the host, and ask whether they provide:
- Iron or steamer
- Hairdryer
- Toiletries: shampoo, shower gel (conditioner often isn’t supplied)
- Towels, plus beach or pool towels
- Washing machine or laundry service
- Plug adapters or USB sockets
- Kettle, tea and coffee
- Slippers and a robe
- A safe
Hostels often don’t provide towels or padlocks.
Every item they provide is one you don’t carry.
No-iron packing
Pick fabrics that don’t crease. Woven cotton and linen crease; knits, merino, jersey and most polyester blends barely do.
- Hang creased clothes in the bathroom while you shower.
- Pack a small crease-release spray under 100 ml (it counts as a liquid).
- Roll clothes, and keep crease-prone pieces in a packing cube on top, not in a vacuum bag.
- Check whether your hotel or Airbnb has an iron.
Buy it there?
Adding a checked bag typically costs around £60–80 return on a budget airline. So if your bag is full, buying bulky or liquid items when you arrive is often cheaper.
Think sun cream, full-size shampoo, insect repellent, a beach towel or flip-flops.
Yes in this destination: Anything you forget is easy to buy, at normal UK prices.
Tick items off as you pack (your ticks aren’t saved). Liquids rules depend on your departure airport and change from time to time. Check your airport’s current security rules before you decant your toiletries (see liquids rules by airport).
Flying there on Ryanair, easyJet or Wizz?
- Ryanair and Wizz Air give you 40 × 30 × 20 cm under the seat. This list fits a 24 L backpack if you wear the coat and boots.
- easyJet's free bag is 45 × 36 × 20 cm, enough for the list plus a second pair of shoes.
- Flying Jet2? Its standard allowance also includes a 10 kg hand bag of up to 56 × 45 × 25 cm, so you'll have room to spare.
Duty-free bag: Ryanair: extra bag allowed · easyJet: extra bag allowed · Wizz Air: extra bag allowed. It still has to fit under the seat or in a locker, and gate staff decide. Duty free and your free baggage →
Sizes come from each airline’s official page (see our free baggage reference for links). Rules change, so check your booking before you fly.
Baggage picks
The ticks compare each bag’s stated outer dimensions with each airline’s free-bag size. A struck-through name means the bag is too big for that airline. Soft bags squash a little; hard cases don’t. We haven’t tested these bags ourselves yet.
Want to fit more in? Compression cubes and packing cubes that store more in a free bag →
Pieces that fit the formulas
- QuinceWeatherproof oversized rain jacket
- ASOS · searchWaterproof Chelsea boots (ASOS search)
- QuinceAustralian merino wool half-zip sweater
- QuinceCotton modal relaxed long-sleeve tee
- QuinceWashable stretch silk dolman-sleeve blouse
- SHEIN · searchThermal base layers (SHEIN search)
- Amazon · searchCompact windproof umbrellas (Amazon UK search)
- Amazon · searchTouchscreen gloves (Amazon UK search)
Preview note: these are placeholder links to each brand’s normal product or search page. They carry no affiliate tracking yet, and we don’t show prices because they change.
Sources
- What to wear in London in winter, Emma, That Travel (a Londoner of 12 years)
Airline free-bag sizes: see the free baggage reference. Climate: WMO 1991–2020 normals (NOAA NCEI). Live forecast: weather data from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0), adapted into packing tips. Photos: Unsplash, credited on each image and on the photo credits page. Last checked October 2026.
