Christmas Is Getting Magical as “Harry Potter” Takes Over London’s Oxford Street

Christmas in London is already rather magical.

But this year, someone apparently decided it needed a little more Hogwarts.

Harry Potter is taking over London’s Oxford Street for the Christmas season as HBO Max and the New West End Company team up to transform the iconic shopping destination with illuminated designs inspired by the Wizarding World.

The special celebration will join Oxford Street’s famous star Christmas lights, bringing a little Hogwarts magic into the heart of London’s West End for shoppers, families, tourists and, naturally, any witches and wizards who happen to be passing through.

And the timing is certainly no coincidence.

The Christmas celebration arrives alongside the launch of HBO’s new “Harry Potter” television series, which begins by bringing “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” back to the screen as an eight-episode first season.

But watching Harry’s story begin again won’t be the only reason fans may want to make their own journey to Oxford Street.

The new Harry Potter Shop Oxford Street is also preparing to open its doors on November 4. Described as the largest official Harry Potter flagship shop in the UK, the store will give witches, wizards and Muggles another permanent destination to explore while visiting London.

Put all three together and Oxford Street is shaping up to become quite the stop for Harry Potter fans this Christmas.

You can explore the new flagship store, see one of London’s most recognizable shopping streets illuminated with Harry Potter-inspired Christmas designs and then head home to watch a new generation of Harry, Ron and Hermione begin their first year at Hogwarts.

Not a bad Christmas itinerary.

The Harry Potter additions won’t replace Oxford Street’s recognizable star lights. Instead, specially created illuminated designs inspired by the franchise will join the existing Christmas display, blending the annual London tradition with the Wizarding World.

Exactly what those designs will look like remains under wraps for now, which gives us plenty of room to wonder what might be glowing above Oxford Street.

Floating candles? Golden Snitches? Hogwarts crests? Hedwig?

We’ll have to wait and see.

More information about the Christmas program and the official light switch-on is expected to be revealed in the coming weeks.

The celebration also becomes another rather large piece of the growing Harry Potter revival surrounding HBO’s new adaptation. Instead of simply launching another television series, the Wizarding World is increasingly extending that moment into physical experiences where longtime fans and younger audiences preparing to discover Hogwarts can step a little closer to the story themselves.

And there may be few better places to do that than London at Christmas.

So, if you happen to find yourself walking down Oxford Street this festive season, remember to look up.

You might find a little magic glowing overhead.