The 2025 Harry Potter Christmas tree at London’s King’s Cross Station
A highlight of a visit to London at Christmas time 2025 was the 31 foot ( 10m) Harry Potter Christmas tree decorated with 800 scarlet and gold baubles and an owl topper. At the amazing tree’s base were beautifully themed shops found in Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, with detailed shopfronts including
- Ollivander’s wand shop,
- Tomes and Scrolls bookshop,
- Gladrags Wizardwear and
- Owl Post.
Unfortunately you can’t go inside any of these businesses, but there was a Honeydukes kiosk where you could pick up wizarding sweet treats, including Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans, Chocolate Frogs, Butterbeer cookies and bottled Butterbeer. It was an amazing spectacle and worth every minute to walk around the tree, peaking into each window and seeing all the detail. You could of course then visit Warner bros store to complete your visit with a new wand or Gryffindor scarf. And of course this is the location of Platform 3/4 – where you can line up for a magical photo with your trolley of suitcases.
Christmas Experiences for your city centre
Some key insights from visiting the tree
- This wasn’t a static tree, it offered visual, physical and commercial experiences. Allowing visitors to discover the theming or “easter eggs” as the walked around the tree and then move into a monetary transaction if they wanted. Allowing visitors to benefit at all levels of participation in the experience
- We all agree Harry Potter spans generations. The themed tree installation was on trend with a return to our childhood filled with nostalgia for us all and was recognisable to a global audience. It did appeal to all age groups. Even critics who noted its commercial aspect acknowledged its strong public draw and photo appeal
- The installation ticked all the “Instagrammable” boxes, with the focal point – the themed tree, an Iconic backdrop (station departures board, Platform 9¾) and of course the detailed theming with the shopfronts. This turned commuters and visitors into content creators, amplifying reach organically.
- The Honeydukes kiosk embedded retail into the experience. While some saw it as too commercial, it did extend dwell time, created revenue and still reinforced the theme authentically. It did feel part of the Harry Potter story being told
- Increasing dwell time in a entertaining manner is no mean feat in a train station, and the display did do that. It felt festive and in the Christmas spirit and it also felt very much part of the British / London culture. Not something stolen from Hollywood. And it made the station a destination not just a thoroughfare
- It was also great for London as a world class city to visit at Christmas time. Adding to the amazing displays commercial and local around the city and beyond. Christmas is now a reason to visit London during the cold months and it definitely creates amazing memories (as we can attest to after our visit)
Photos from Susan’s phone taken with her special visit to London for Christmas 2025.
