ELECTRIC TREE: See this electric Christmas tree made of car parts by Gary Card at King's Cross Filling Station. Photo: David Parry/PA
END OF THE WORLD: Relive the Apocalypse, with the Futureshock production This is a Reconstruction, at Camden People's Theatre.
CHESS: The London Chess Classic comes to Olympia, with 10 days of hardcore pawn. £15 per day, prebook
FILM: Catch a movie at the Feminist Film Festival, screening at Hackney Picture House.
TYPOGRAPHY: Fans of lettering and fontage should get to the Chocolate Factory in Hackney, where all things typographic will be for sale.
EXHIBITIONS: New shows include art from Russia, Black Xmas and Antony Gormley.
CHRISTMAS MARKETS: Go shopping at the Monocle Christmas Market (Midori House, Dorset Street), or see the giant LEGO advent calendar in Covent Garden.
ICE SKATING: Try one of the capital's many ice rinks, including Hampton Court Palace, which opens this weekend.
Saturday
CRAFT: Learn to make a hand-sewn Christmas stocking with a crafty class at Ray Stitch in Islington. £42, prebook, 10.30am
CHRISTMAS FAIRS: Check out the Christmas fairs at Battersea Arts Centre, The Social on Little Portland Street, the Water Poet in Spitalfields and the Albert in Queen's Park.
WORDS: John Hegley leads a session of wordsmithery at the Southbank Centre aimed at families. Free, just turn up, 11am
MORE CRAFT: Head along to Tooting Tram and Social to make gifts, cards and other Christmas treats with Crafty Pint. £5, prebook or turn up, noon-6pm
CHARITY FAIR: On World AIDS Day, head to MC Motors in Dalston for an afternoon fair, auction and DJ set, all in aid of the Avert charity. £2, just turn up, 2-8pm
DANCE: Fresh is an evening of outstanding dance at The Place. £12/£9, just turn up, 6.15pm
FILM: Exploding Cinema takes over St James's Hatcham church in New Cross, with 10 rooms of video, music and mingling. £5, just turn up, with your own booze, 6.30pm
Sunday:
GARDENY CHRISTMAS: The Garden Museum in Lambeth holds its first ever winter fair, with plenty of gift ideas for the green-fingered. £2, just turn up, 10am-6pm
CHRISTMAS SHOPPING: Elizabeth Street and Pimlico Road get festive with Belgravia Christmas Sunday. Shopping and carol singing ahoy. Free, just turn up, 11am-4pm
ART DECO CHRISTMAS: The wonderful Eltham Palace has a Christmassy day playing on the art deco stylings of the 1930s portion of the house. £9.60, just turn up, 11am-4pm
SATURNALIA: Guildhall Art Gallery celebrates winter in the style of the ancient world, with themed activities and entertainment. Free, just turn up, 12-4pm
HUGE TART: Borough Market will make a massive mince tart to an Elizabethan recipe...including beef. Free, just turn up, 12-4pm
Other good stuff:
- What's on stage and art reviews
- Booky and spoken word happenings
- Events for curious-minded Londoners
- Things to do for a fiver or less
- Live comedy in London
- Free things to do in London
- What's on in the big Museums and Galleries
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