Live updates from Celebrating Christmas with The Salvation Army 2025

Lauren Westwood shares updates from backstage at the Royal Albert Hall for The Salvation Army's annual carol concert.

• A recording of tonight's concert will be released on Wednesday 10 December at 7pm on The Salvation Army’s YouTube channel.
• Follow @SalvationistUKI on Facebook for more backstage content – plus official photos and reports coming soon!

10pm

And with a stirring rendition of ‘O Come, All Ye Faithful’, accompanied by the International Staff Band and the Royal Albert Hall's organ, the concert has finished!

Join us on YouTube next Wednesday at 7pm, and don’t forget to vote in the Salvationist Christmas Top 10!

In the meantime, if you’re looking for more Christmas content, visit salvationist.org.uk/christmas – we’ve got articles, podcasts and resources to help you reflect on the love that came down at Christmas.

Thank you, and goodnight!

9.40pm

What a sound! While 'O Holy Night!' rings around the Royal Albert Hall, we’re backstage and asking people their favourite carols.

For Mia, it’s ‘Away in a Manger’, while Andrew loves ‘See Amid the Winter’s Snow’ and Gillian picks ‘Good Christian Men, Rejoice’.

How about you? Have your say and vote for your favourite Christmas carol in Salvationist Radio’s Christmas Top 10.

9.20pm

Territorial Leader Commissioner Paul Main shares an invitation to consider God’s gift of love, clearly seen in the arrival of Jesus Christ.

‘Christmas at its core is about love. Love that came down to Earth,’ explains Commissioner Paul. ‘This love pursues us, draws us in with kindness, not force... God’s love has no beginning and no end. It’s always reaching out. It’s always inviting us in.’

• Coming soon: An Advent message from Territorial Leaders Commissioners Jenine and Paul Main. Follow @SalvationistUKI on Facebook to stay up to date.

9pm

We’ve just seen incredible energy from Clapton Dance Group as they performed a choreographed routine to ‘Troika’, supported by the Salvation Army Big Band.

The group is made up of young people who are connected to Clapton Salvation Army. They mostly dance to Afrobeat and hip-hop, but they are incredibly versatile. If they connect with a song, they’ll find a way to dance to it!

Before the performance, when asked if she was feeling excited or nervous, group member Amariah said: ‘I’m feeling both! I’m really excited to dance with Clapton, and dance for God and the crowd, but I’m still really nervous because there’s a lot of people!’

8.15pm

The concert has started! The International Staff Songsters set the tone with a beautiful presentation of ‘Love Came Down at Christmas’.

Inspired by Christina Rossetti’s poem and much-loved carol, the territorial Advent and Christmas theme Love Came Down reminds us of God’s incredible gift to the world – his Son, Jesus Christ.

7.45pm

Rehearsals and soundchecks have finished. Final preparations are happening backstage. The concert is about to start!

As audience members find their seats, join us in praying for those who will hear the good news of Jesus tonight at the Royal Albert Hall.

7.30pm

Excitement is building backstage!

Lieutenant Karen Barber (Clapton and Stoke Newington) has been busy filming behind the scenes with our special guests for the YouTube broadcast next Wednesday (10 December) at 7pm.

4.45pm

Hello from London! I’m Lauren and I work in the Salvationist.org.uk team.

I’m backstage at the Royal Albert Hall, where the cast and crew of Celebrating Christmas with The Salvation Army are making their final preparations for the territory’s annual carol concert.

If you can’t be with us in London tonight, don’t worry! I’ll be keeping you informed with live updates from the event, and you’ll be able to watch the concert on The Salvation Army’s YouTube channel next Wednesday (10 December) from 7pm.

Keep an eye on this page for behind-the-scenes photos and updates from performers, or follow us on Facebook for even more backstage content.