You can’t always count on a white Christmas in the UK – except in London’s Covent Garden, where fake snow showers have reliably ushered in the  festive season for over five years.

Nestled in the heart of the West End, there’s plenty to love about Covent Garden’s Christmas Market – bustling tourists, the smell of chestnuts and mulled wine and a brightly lit smorgasbord of shops and stalls.

The shopping hub has already kicked off its festive programme, with a towering Christmas tree, huge bow-laden bells and giant baubles already serving as a backdrop to the Winter Warmer Festival, serving up hot chocolate and mulled wine from vendors dotted around the area until December 1, MyLondon reports.

The real fun will begin next month, however, when visitors can expect to be treated to daily dustings of snow in the West Piazza. While details of this year’s display haven’t been confirmed, previous years have seen the flakes fall between 12pm and 9pm each day until the beginning of January.

Once-weekly choir performances, spreading cheer through lively carol renditions, also began this month and a brand-new canopy of lights has also been unveiled above Seven Dials, with a whopping 150,000 bulbs lighting up the dark and often drizzly night.

While most of the country has already seen a dusting of snow – alongside heavy rain and wind – Covent Garden’s light flurries, backlit by its festive decorations, will make sure this Christmas is a white one, no matter what the forecasts say.

The market’s ‘Festive Thursdays’ have also returned this year, with special offers on retail and dining including discounted drinks at some of its 100 restaurants and bars including La Goccia and The Petersham Wine Bar and Deli. Live entertainment and a special Christmas menu will also be available at popular events venue STEREO.

And, if that wasn’t enough, a festive sleigh is back at the West Piazza South Hall, giving visitors a chance to pose on the traditional carriage, handpainted by British artist James Gemmell, for free.

Unsurprisingly, the celebrations have once again proved a hit with tourists on TripAdvisor, who describe Christmas the best time of the year to stop by Covent Garden, thanks to its wide range of seasonal attractions.

One person said the “always buzzing” spot looked even better decked out in Christmas garb, adding that the 55ft tree added to a “magical” atmosphere.

Another described the market as “enlightening and joyful”, sweetly claiming that “every face is happy”.