Christmas in London 2015 begins here with the first episode of Roberts London’s Vlogmas series. Published on 1 December 2015, the film opens at home before moving into a festive montage of illuminated shops, market stalls and fairground rides.
The original title asks whether to call the series Vlogmas or Vlogcember. Either way, this opening episode introduces the December films and sets the scene for a month of Christmas outings and preparations.
Vlogmas or Vlogcember?
The first part of the video is a piece to camera in the flat. Barry introduces the Christmas series in an everyday setting, with the room still looking much as it would at any other time of year.
That domestic opening gives the episode a different rhythm from a location guide. It is the beginning of the series: a chance to introduce the idea before the Christmas imagery takes over.
A festive London montage
After the introduction, the film changes pace. Seasonal title cards lead into short nighttime scenes, with bright shopfronts and warm wooden market huts replacing the quiet interior.
Visitors pass the illuminated stalls, and the camera records the glow of decorations against the dark sky. These brief scenes work together as a festive introduction rather than a detailed account of each stop.
Harrods and fairground lights
One of the most recognisable views is Harrods after dark. Its name is visible on the building, with rows of lights tracing the façade and traffic passing in front.
The montage then brings in the brighter colours of the fairground. Rides and illuminated structures fill the night sky, while the surrounding stalls keep the Christmas-market atmosphere in view.
Christmas stalls and a carousel
Closer views show stalls decorated with evergreen garlands, lights and star ornaments. People move through the market, browsing the small wooden huts beneath the festive decorations.
A lit carousel adds another familiar winter-fairground image. The contrast between its warm bulbs and the darker walkways is part of the appeal of these evening scenes.
The sequence is a snapshot of the season as it appeared in the 2015 film. It preserves the lights, crowds and details without turning them into present-day opening information.
St James’s Church and the final scenes
Later shots move past a church entrance and market canopies marked with the name St James’s Church. The camera takes in the stalls, surrounding buildings and street activity after dark.
A church tower and strings of lights appear near the end, before the closing invitation to subscribe. Together, the montage’s shopfronts, markets and fairground scenes give this first episode its festive London setting.
For the archive, this is the starting point of the 2015 Vlogmas run: the introduction before the tree shopping, food tastings and December outings that follow.
Watch Vlogmas day one
Archive note: this film was originally published on 1 December 2015. The scenes shown belong to that archive video.
