Holy Trinity Clapham's Carols on the Common is Sunday 6 December, gates 5.30pm. Carols by Candlelight is 13 December at 3pm, 5pm and 7pm, with free tickets.
This page has the dates and times of the big Clapham carol services for Christmas 2026, all from Holy Trinity Clapham’s own Christmas page, plus what is still unannounced elsewhere. The two to know are Carols on the Common on Sunday 6 December and Carols by Candlelight on Sunday 13 December.
The quick answer
- Carols on the Common: Sunday 6 December, gates open 5.30pm, outside Holy Trinity Clapham on Clapham Common North Side, SW4 0QZ. Carols and Christmas songs in the open air.
- Carols by Candlelight: Sunday 13 December, at 3pm, 5pm and 7pm, inside Holy Trinity. Orchestra, choir and readings. Free, but you need a ticket for every seat, booked online. The 3pm is for all ages; 5pm and 7pm are for ages 8 and over only.
- Christmas Eve: Christingle at 3.30pm and 5pm, Midnight Communion at 11.30pm. Christmas Day: a one-hour service at 10am.
- St Paul’s, Rectory Grove has not listed its 2026 services yet. In 2025 it held an Advent carol service on 30 November and Nine Lessons and Carols on 21 December, both at 6pm.
Carols on the Common, Sunday 6 December
Holy Trinity’s page, headed “Christmas 2026”, invites people to “grab your friends and join us outside church” for Carols on the Common, singing carols and Christmas songs. The church gives the date as Sunday 6 December and says gates open at 5.30pm. It does not give a finish time.
The page lists no ticket or price for this one. The free tickets it links to are for Carols by Candlelight, below. It is outdoors on the edge of the Common in December, so dress for the cold and the ground; the church does not say what happens if it rains.
Holy Trinity stands on the Common itself, on Clapham Common North Side where Rookery Road meets it, a short walk from Clapham Common station on the Northern line.
Carols by Candlelight, Sunday 13 December
This is the indoor, ticketed service. The church describes it as “the glory and wonder of the Christmas story in an awe-inspiring setting”, with readings and traditional carols from an orchestra and choir. The details on its ChurchSuite booking page:
| Service | Who can come | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 3pm | All ages; children and babies 7 and under welcome | Free |
| 5pm | Ages 8 and over only | Free |
| 7pm | Ages 8 and over only | Free |
- Every adult and child needs their own ticket. Add each one with “add additional ticket”.
- If a time is missing from the booking form, it is full. All three times were still bookable when we checked on 9 November.
- Buggies: there is a covered outdoor buggy park at the 3pm. Only prams with a sleeping child are allowed inside; all others stay in the buggy park.
- Questions go to christmas@holytrinityclapham.org.
Family services and Christmas Eve
Holy Trinity’s other Christmas services, from the same page. It does not say tickets are needed for any of these.
- Family Carols: Sunday 20 December, 10am. An all-age retelling of the Christmas story. Come in nativity fancy dress; there is a Christmas cafe.
- Behold, a Christmas worship service: Sunday 20 December, 5.30pm. Readings and carols led by the church band.
- Christingle: Thursday 24 December, 3.30pm and 5pm. A Christmas Eve service for everyone, with carols and candles.
- Midnight Communion: Thursday 24 December, 11.30pm. A traditional communion with music and carols to see in Christmas Day.
- Christmas Day: Friday 25 December, 10am. A one-hour service for everyone.
Normal Sunday services pause in December. The church lists 8am Communion on 6, 13, 20 and 27 December, plus 9.30am on 6 December and 10am on 27 December.
Other Clapham churches
St Paul’s, Clapham (Rectory Grove, SW4 0DZ) has not published its 2026 Christmas services on A Church Near You yet. Last year it hosted the Churches Together in Clapham Advent carol service on Sunday 30 November, 6pm, and Nine Lessons and Carols on Sunday 21 December, 6pm. If it follows the same pattern, expect Sunday evenings at the start and end of Advent, but treat those as last year’s dates until it confirms.
We will add other churches when they publish their 2026 dates. If yours is missing, see the note at the end of this page.
Getting there and parking
Holy Trinity is on Clapham Common North Side, a short walk from Clapham Common station. The church lists no visitor parking: our parking in Clapham page explains the controlled zones and when they are free, and the roadworks and travel page carries closures in force that week. For trains over Christmas, see Clapham Christmas travel.
More for Christmas in Clapham
- What’s on in Clapham this month, including the Clapham and Croydon choirs’ concert at the Grand on 13 December
- Clapham Christmas lights switch-on, Friday 27 November
- Santa’s grottos near Clapham
- Clapham Christmas markets
- Clapham pantomime and Christmas shows
Frequently asked questions
When is Carols on the Common 2026?
Sunday 6 December, with gates opening at 5.30pm, outside Holy Trinity Clapham on Clapham Common North Side.
Do I need a ticket for Carols by Candlelight at Holy Trinity Clapham?
Yes. The service is free, but every adult and child needs a ticket, booked on the church’s ChurchSuite page. There are three services on Sunday 13 December: 3pm for all ages, 5pm and 7pm for ages 8 and over.
Can I bring a baby or toddler?
Yes, to the 3pm Carols by Candlelight, Family Carols on 20 December, or Christingle on Christmas Eve. The 5pm and 7pm candlelight services do not admit children under 8.
Is there a midnight service in Clapham on Christmas Eve?
Holy Trinity’s Midnight Communion starts at 11.30pm on Thursday 24 December.
Send us your service
Running a carol service in Clapham, Brixton or Stockwell? Email hello@claphamnews.co.uk with the date, time, venue and whether people need a ticket, and we will add it here and to our What’s On diary.
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