Let’s be honest: there’s no single, sacred date etched into a stone tablet. The switch-on dates are as varied as the fake Santas on Oxford Street. Most major streets stagger their illuminations from early November, usually kicking off around the first or second week. Carnaby Street often leads the charge, while Regent Street and Oxford Street follow suit like the cool older cousins who know how to make an entrance.
Why the chaos? It’s logistics, basically. Imagine trying to organise a surprise party for eight million people. One street needs a new fuse, another is waiting for a giant reindeer delivery, and some poor soul is probably untangling the lights on Bond Street with a single cup of tea. It’s a miracle they all work at all, honestly.
