Turkey touting kicks off Christmas at famous London meat market Hoards of punters gather to bid on last-minute meats for their Christmas meal at an open-air auction at London's Smithfield Market. Those bidding for bargains and the butcher behind the auction say the 150 year-old tradition will carry on, despite reports that the historic market could be on the chopping block, after local authorities revealed plans to merge it with two other wholesale markets on a site outside the City of London.