Updated 30 May 2026 by Linda Garrould. A Christmas Countdown family favourite.
The London 2012 Olympics ran from 27 July to 12 August 2012, with the Paralympic Games following from 29 August to 9 September. Nearly a decade and a half on, they are remembered as one of the great British summers, and there are still lovely keepsakes and books to collect, which make thoughtful gifts for the sports fan in the family.
A John Lewis Christmas window on Oxford Street in December 2011, featuring a Union Jack Wenlock.
I came across this photograph of a John Lewis Christmas window from December 2011, with the Union Jack Wenlock taking pride of place, and it took me straight back. The build-up to London 2012 ran right through that Christmas, and by the following summer the whole country seemed to be glued to the television. Whatever you do, do you remember where you were for Super Saturday?
Who were the London 2012 mascots, Wenlock and Mandeville?
The two mascots were Wenlock, for the Olympic Games, and Mandeville, for the Paralympic Games. Their names were chosen with care: Wenlock is named after Much Wenlock in Shropshire, home of the Wenlock Olympian Games that helped inspire the modern Olympics, while Mandeville is named after Stoke Mandeville, the Buckinghamshire hospital widely regarded as the birthplace of the Paralympic movement. Each had a single large eye, said to represent a camera lens recording everything it saw. They divided opinion at the time, but they have aged into a fond piece of Games nostalgia, and the soft toys and figures are collected to this day.
The opening ceremony
The opening ceremony on 27 July 2012, directed by Danny Boyle and titled Isles of Wonder, is one of the most fondly remembered in Olympic history. From the green and pleasant land giving way to the Industrial Revolution, to the Queen appearing alongside James Bond, to a flight of NHS beds and Rowan Atkinson at the keyboard, it was a warm, funny and unmistakably British celebration that set the tone for the fortnight to come.
Super Saturday and Team GB’s golden Games
Saturday 4 August 2012 became known as Super Saturday, the night Jessica Ennis, Greg Rutherford and Mo Farah all won athletics gold inside about 45 minutes in the Olympic Stadium. It was the high point of an extraordinary home Games in which Team GB finished third in the medal table with 65 medals, 29 of them gold, the country’s best Olympic result in over a century.
Keepsakes and gifts worth collecting
If London 2012 holds happy memories for someone in your family, there are some genuinely lovely keepsakes still to be found, and they make excellent Christmas and birthday gifts:
- The Royal Mint’s London 2012 50p coins – a set of 29 designs, one for each Olympic and Paralympic sport, released into circulation in 2011. Completing the set has become a popular collecting project, and presentation albums are easy to find.
- Athlete autobiographies and biographies – the stars of the Games, and those who have come along since, continue to publish their stories, which make great reading for any sports fan.
- The official film and broadcast box sets – the highlights are still available on DVD and Blu-ray for reliving the best moments.
- Wenlock and Mandeville memorabilia – soft toys, figures, pin badges and programmes from 2012 turn up regularly and are surprisingly collectible.
Where to find them. Have a look for a London 2012 50p coin album, Team GB athlete autobiographies, the official London 2012 film on DVD or Blu-ray, or a collectable Wenlock mascot figure.
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Did you get any London 2012 keepsakes that Christmas? Tell us in the comments which moment you remember most.
London 2012 FAQs
When were the London 2012 Olympics?
The London 2012 Olympic Games ran from 27 July to 12 August 2012, followed by the Paralympic Games from 29 August to 9 September 2012.
What were the London 2012 mascots called?
The Olympic mascot was Wenlock, named after Much Wenlock in Shropshire, and the Paralympic mascot was Mandeville, named after Stoke Mandeville, the home of the Paralympic movement.
What was Super Saturday?
Super Saturday was 4 August 2012, when Jessica Ennis, Greg Rutherford and Mo Farah each won athletics gold for Team GB within about 45 minutes.
How many medals did Team GB win at London 2012?
Team GB won 65 medals, including 29 golds, finishing third in the medal table, its best Olympic performance in more than a century.
Looking for more gift inspiration and festive nostalgia? Browse our Christmas planning guides and our UK Christmas markets for days out with the family.
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