Every year on Christmas Eve, a Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols takes place at King’s College Chapel in Cambridge. Broadcast to millions around the world, for many people this atmospheric service marks the traditional start of Christmas.

King’s College Cambridge, with the famous chapel in the centre

From the first notes of the opening carol, which is always ‘Once in Royal David’s City’, to the reading of the final lesson, the festival is an inspirational celebration of Christmas.

Set in the magnificent surroundings of King's College Chapel, the festival was first held on Christmas Eve 1918, shortly after the end of the First World War. The service has been broadcast by the BBC since 1928 and, with the exception of 1930, has been broadcast annually, even during the Second World War.

The service includes carols and readings from the Bible and, since the early 1980s, a new carol is commissioned each year for the service.

The chapel itself dates from the 15th Century and was commissioned by King Henry IV. It is considered to be one of the finest examples of late Perpendicular Gothic English architecture and boasts the largest fan vault in the world.

The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is broadcast live on BBC Radio 4 and then at various times on the BBC World Service. In the United States the service is broadcast by around 300 radio stations, including American Public Media and its affiliates.

The service is open to the public and each year there is a ballot for the much sought after tickets. Any tickets not collected by 2pm on the day of the service are reallocated to people in the standby queue, which tends to form from early morning on Christmas Eve.

“The annual festival of lessons and carols at King’s College Chapel is one of the highlights of Christmas for many of us in the UK,” says Janet Redler, Managing Director of Janet Redler Travel.

“For many visitors to these shores, attending the service is a once in a lifetime experience, and well worth taking the trouble to try and secure tickets. Luckily, for those unable to be there, the service is broadcast around the world.”

If you are planning a winter vacation to the UK & Ireland and would like to know more about visiting the chapel or attending the service, please do contact us and we will put together a tailor made tour to meet your needs.