- Eerily festive pictures have blended London’s Christmases of past and present to produce haunting artwork
- One depicts a group of men dressed as Father Christmas while they are waiting for a bus at Holborn in 1960
- Perhaps the most striking is a man dressed Father Christmas at Regent Street during Second World War
These eerily festive pictures have blended London’s Christmases of past and present to produce some haunting works of art.
The images have been masterfully altered to showcase the holiday season in the capital from nearly a century ago and into the 1950s and 1960s.
One depicts a group of men dressed as Father Christmas while waiting for a bus at Holborn in 1960 — while a modern-day scene buzzes around them.
Another shows Christmas turkeys strung up by their feet at Smithfield Market in 1968 against a backdrop of a very different-looking city today.
Perhaps the most striking is an image of a man dressed Father Christmas walking up Regent Street during the Second World War in 1940.
While London has changed immeasurable throughout the years, these pictures shows the city has always pulled out all the stops for the festive season.
A group of children gather round a man dressed as Father Christmas arriving at the Arding and Hobbs store on November 2, 1926
![A glamorously-dressed mother and her son look out for Father Christmas inside Selfridges during the Second World War in 1939](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/12/05/15/4701323100000578-0-image-m-7_1512487093299.jpg)
A glamorously-dressed mother and her son look out for Father Christmas inside Selfridges during the Second World War in 1939
![The statue of Lord Beaconsfield at Parliament Square in 1938, compared to a picture of the famous spot today and Big Ben half-covered in scaffolding](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/12/05/15/4701341B00000578-0-image-m-11_1512487117003.jpg)
The statue of Lord Beaconsfield at Parliament Square in 1938, compared to a picture of the famous spot today and Big Ben half-covered in scaffolding
![A group of men take their pick from a group of dozens of Christmas turkeys at Watling Street in 1923. The nostalgic scene contrasts heavily with the picture of contemporary London around them](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/12/05/15/470132BE00000578-0-image-m-14_1512487138583.jpg)
A group of men take their pick from a group of dozens of Christmas turkeys at Watling Street in 1923. The nostalgic scene contrasts heavily with the picture of contemporary London around them
![Taken at the height of the Second World War in 1940, a man dressed as Father Christmas walks up Regent Street hauling a large sack and wearing a helmet](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/12/05/15/4701321B00000578-0-image-a-39_1512487974822.jpg)
Taken at the height of the Second World War in 1940, a man dressed as Father Christmas walks up Regent Street hauling a large sack and wearing a helmet
![An image of Regent Street in 1955, showing the delicate snowflake-shaped Christmas lights of the time next to today's Angel-shaped versions](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/12/05/15/4701339C00000578-0-image-m-20_1512487275251.jpg)
An image of Regent Street in 1955, showing the delicate snowflake-shaped Christmas lights of the time next to today’s Angel-shaped versions
![Christmas turkeys have been strung up by their feet at Smithfield Market in 1968 against a backdrop of a very different-looking city today](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/12/05/15/4701343200000578-0-image-m-23_1512487296007.jpg)
Christmas turkeys have been strung up by their feet at Smithfield Market in 1968 against a backdrop of a very different-looking city today
![Two policemen regard London's 64ft Christmas tree, a gift from Norway, illuminated in Trafalgar Square, in front of the National Gallery on December 1, 1948. The nostalgic shot has been masterfully blended into a shot of the tourist hot-spot today](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/12/05/15/470132EC00000578-0-image-m-26_1512487464548.jpg)
Two policemen regard London’s 64ft Christmas tree, a gift from Norway, illuminated in Trafalgar Square, in front of the National Gallery on December 1, 1948. The nostalgic shot has been masterfully blended into a shot of the tourist hot-spot today
![Stable companions appear in 'Song of the Drum' at Drury Lane Theatre at Endell Street on December 30, 1933](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/12/05/15/4701328500000578-0-image-m-29_1512487496821.jpg)
Stable companions appear in ‘Song of the Drum’ at Drury Lane Theatre at Endell Street on December 30, 1933
![A group of people dressed as Santa Claus wait for the bus in December 1960 at Holborn](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/12/05/15/4701328900000578-0-image-m-32_1512487516351.jpg)
A group of people dressed as Santa Claus wait for the bus in December 1960 at Holborn
![Students of King's College sing Christmas carols outside the Old Curiosity Shop, as immortalised by Charles Dickens on Portsmouth Street on December 12, 1956](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/12/05/15/4701323900000578-0-image-m-35_1512487544020.jpg)
Students of King’s College sing Christmas carols outside the Old Curiosity Shop, as immortalised by Charles Dickens on Portsmouth Street on December 12, 1956
![Selfridges Department Store on Oxford Street is lit up by Christmas decorations in December 1935, as shoppers today make their way through the capital below](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/12/05/15/4701317100000578-0-image-m-38_1512487628551.jpg)
Selfridges Department Store on Oxford Street is lit up by Christmas decorations in December 1935, as shoppers today make their way through the capital below