As everyone knows, Santa Claus is coming to town!

Christmas is all over the place and Londoners are getting ready to celebrate the end of the year, by getting together with family and friends.

Apart from thinking about choosing the right presents for your loved ones, this time of year also means you need to be aware of the opening hours of some shops, bars and restaurants. Some major tourist attractions are often closed on bank holidays, and public transport operates at a reduced capacity.

On Christmas Day, London is as quiet as you will ever see it, with shops and public transport all closed.

The day after, Boxing Day, is also a bank holiday in the United Kingdom. St. Stephen’s Day, as it is known to Catholics, has become synonymous with football – all the UK’s professional teams play on this day.

This is also the day when commercial establishments start their traditional January sales, with special offers and low prices throughout their stock.

New Year’s Day is another traditional bank holiday. This year it will be on a Sunday, so the public bank holiday will be transferred to the Monday, 2 January.

Now that you are clued up regarding the UK’s end-of-year bank holidays, you can get yourself ready for the coming celebrations. Merry Christmas!