Christmas in Stoke Newington

If you’re all out of humbugs and ready to welcome in the festive season with all its sparkle, Stoke Newington is just the place.

From carol services and Christmas markets to panto at the Tower Theatre – there’s a whole heap of specialness on the menu here.

We’ve been doing some research to make sure you don’t miss a thing.

Family Fun with Panto and a screening of the Snowman in Abney Park

For the first time, Tower Theatre are bringing the magic of panto to Stokey, with the all-singing, all-dancing Rapunzel. There’ll be songs from Queen, Lady Gaga and more at this foot-stomping, family-friendly panto!  Performances take place from December 10^th until the 20^th.

The Enchanted Cinema and Film London is presenting a special interactive screening of The Snowman in Abney Park complete with musical instruments and singing on December 14^th (11.45am).

Channel your inner Aled for the unforgettable Walking in the Air sequence.  This event is perfect for children aged four and over and takes place in the Harriet Delph community room, next to the Sable café.

Festive Markets

Abney Hall is hosting the North London Makers’ Market on the weekend of December 13^th (10am-5pm) offering one-of-a-kind ceramics, homewares, jewellery and fashion.

On December 20th (11am-5pm) Thriftmas launches its first festive thrift market at Abney Hall with more than 60 independent traders selling everything from vintage to handmade jewellery, ceramics and more

Carols

On Sunday December 7th, The Old Church will host a Christingle service at 4pm.  There’ll be carol singing around the Pines and Needles Christmas trees outside St Mary’s Church at 5pm on Friday December 12^th and a carol service inside the church on December 14^th at 7pm.

St Paul’s Church on the High Street is holding candlelit carols at 6pm on December 14^th.

The Rose and Crown pub near Clissold Park is hosting Carols and mulled wine from 7.30pm on December 9^th.

Midnight Mass and Christmas Day services

St Paul’s is holding a midnight mass at 11pm on Christmas Eve, while St Mary’s is holding its mass at 11.15pm.

Both churches are holding their Christmas Day Services at 10.30am

Christmas Day food!

Eating out

Ditch the washing up and let a local business take the stress out of cooking.

Acoustic Brasserie will be serving up a three-course feast on Christmas Day. Whether you fancy roast turkey with all the trimmings or prefer something lighter, they have plenty of options to choose from. We love the sound of their apple and dried apricot crumble!

The Londesbrough Pub is also taking bookings for Christmas Day with a stunning menu that includes coffee crusted salmon, pork belly and a more traditional turkey.

Do it yourself

Meat N16 is taking orders for turkeys up until December 15^th.  Their offer includes duck, three bird roast (turkey, guinea fowl and pheasant) as well as goose and extras such as pigs in blankets, stuffing and goose fat.

Jaines & Son Fishmongers sells fresh, sustainably caught fish – shop here for fishy treats such as smoked salmon.

Check out Spence Bakery’s homemade mince pies. Amazing shortcrust pastry and filled to the brim with boozy mincemeat. The bakers here started making the mincemeat back in September and have been feeding it with rum and gently stirring ever since.

Luminary Bakery on Allen Road has stunning winter cakes – we love their orange, cardamon and pistachio cake and their sticky toffee cake.

Eating out before Christmas

The Clarence Tavern has a special festive evenings planned – the menu includes harissa roast carrots, duck and Toulouse sausage cassoulet and apple and mincemeat strudel (£45 for three courses).

The Three Crowns is offering a three-course festive meal in the run up to Christmas. The menu includes smoked salmon with horseradish cream and soda bread, roast turkey with all the trimmings and a pecan chocolate brownie for dessert. (£42 for three courses).

Ranked among The Guardian’s top 10 pubs in Britain, the Jolly Butchers is also offering a festive menu.

Harmonize Café is offering a vegan festive meal (three courses for £22), mulled wine and cocktails, karaoke and live Christmas music on December 12^th, 13^th and 14^th. Booking essential.

The Good Egg is celebrating 10 years in Stokey with a 10-course festive meal on selected Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays in December cooked by their executive chef Jooles O’Sullivan. The menu includes smoked haddock soup, confit chicken wing with rosemary, thyme and lemon zest and pretzel pecan pie.

Christmas wreath making at Search and Rescue

 Get Crafty

Learn how to make a beautiful, natural Christmas wreath using  sustainable materials at Search and Rescue on December 11^th, 12^th or 18^th.

The Acoustic Stokey Garden is also offering wreath-making on December 9^th and 10^th (7pm-9pm)

Know & Love has a beautiful selection of gifts

Shopping

We recommend starting your Christmas shopping stroll at the Growing Communities Farmers’ Market on Stoke Newington High Street – mooch there for fresh honey, delicious cheeses and organic fruit and veg grown locally.  Over the road The Ark is packed with beautiful gifts (from novelty socks to stunning bags and water bottles).   Make your way down via Gallo Nero Italian deli, Knit with Attitude, Stoke Newington Toys and Books, browse stunning vintage Chinese homewares in Rouge, visit Stoke Newington Bookshop and Ivory before you take a left down Church St. There you’ll find the fabulous Earlybird Cards, Metal Crumble jewellery shop and, for your furry friends. Dogsnug. Vintage clothes store Hilda is well worth a visit as are Array, Sonia Taouhid, Search and Rescue, Nook, Prep Cookware, Kitchen Provisions, Bless, What Mother Made and Know and Love.  And a whole heap more!  Head off the beaten track to the brilliant Everyday Sunshine for prints and gifts that will brighten any home.

Chances to give back

If the festive season has you yearning to help others, there are plenty of good causes to get behind.  

The Winter Toy Appeal is run by two Stokey businesses (The Local Buyers Club and Location Location estate agency) and collects new toys for children experiencing extreme hardship. December 15^th is the last day to donate Donate here.

The local fire station is also collecting new toys for local children in poverty.

Hackney Night Shelter is fundraising for a new women’s shelter and hopes to help over 100 women out of homelessness in the year ahead. Donate here. Earlybird Cards are selling a stunning range of Christmas cards to raise funds for the Night Shelter.

In their busiest weeks this winter Hackney Foodbank will help ensure around 1,000 people don’t go hungry. They’ve launched a Winter Appeal to raise much-needed funds. Donate here.