What to buy in London, 5 british gift ideas
Are you lucky enough to be in London this Christmas? Would you like to to take something back for your loved ones and looking for some ideas? Well, you’ve come to the right place because here are so fabulous British gift ideas, just guaranteed to please. Whether you’re looking for some festive food, some typical British sweet treats, or something a bit more ´up market` we’ve got just the thing for you so you have no excuse whatsoever to return from your holidays empty handed, or with the habitual pair of Christmas socks donning Rudolph the red nose reindeer (shameful, truly)… So, check out our following suggestions which may be of interest to you.
Festive British beverages – Whiskies and English tea
As is always the custom at Christmas (or whatever the time of year), we British believe that tis’ the season to drink lots and be merry, so why don’t you take away a bit of that festive spirit with you by purchasing some traditional, and very typical British beverages. Our suggestions include QC cream fortified wine that you can buy in any supermarket or store in London, and the wide range of top Scottish and Irish whiskies available. The Whisky Shop in particular offers a large range of top quality Scottish and Irish whiskies ranging from 10 to hundreds of pounds, in addition to gift sets, and accessories. Last but certainly not least we suggest that you get some traditional English teas which you can purchase in the specialised tea shops such as Whittard, in addition to their accessories such as teapots, tea strainer, infusers, etc. If you’re not sure what you’re looking for then ask for advice from the shop attendants who are sure to make some very helpful suggestions. Cheers!
Luxury chocolate gifts – Thorntons and Hotel Chocolat
Thorntons has to be most definitely one of our favourite chocolate stores ever! With their huge range of luxury chocolates, sweets, and treats, as well as their gift ideas such as hampers, continental ranges, photos on chocolate boxes, chocolate mugs, and their chocolate fountain including their free personal ice-me service, all at relatively reasonable prices, a stop-off at this store is a must. Yum yum!
Another to die for destination is Hotel Chocolat, which again sells the most delicious range of luxury chocolate goodies and gifts, perfect to give at Christmas (or keep). You will find a large range of gift ideas such as hampers, stocking fillers, chocograms, gift bags and boxes, chocolate slabs, hot chocolate, and advent calendars, as well as some lovely little gifts and treats making this another definite stop off during your Christmas shopping time in London.
China and ceramics – Royal Doulton and Charles Rennie Mackintosh
If you’re looking for something a little more up market, and would like to spend a bit more then we recommend Royal Doulton, an English company producing high quality and elegant tableware and collectables. They offer a large range of top quality articles from crystal and glassware, figurines and collectables, to tableware, Royal Albert articles, giftware, and all sorts of Christmas collectables for a really elegant and special Christmas gift.
Alternatively, and if you‘re looking for something unique and interesting with a distinctive and individual design then we would suggest the Scottish Charles Rennie Mackintosh collection. Products on offer range from homeware, stain glass, crystalware, jewellery, lamps, furniture, mirrors, and much more all bearing Art Nouveau designs characteristic of the designer himself, and what we would consider an excellent gift to give to your loved ones. You can find them in stores specialising in ceramics and glassware, in addition to some jewellery shops.
Luxury body products – Bodyshop and Lush
Body products are just the perfect girly gift for Christmas and there are some stores in London that offer a perfect range of luxury body items. One of them is Bodyshop which sells products ranging from body scrubs, and body butters, to aromatherapy products, skin care products, and much more. For Christmas they sell gift bags and boxes, stocking fillers, and fragrances etc. combining some of their best and most popular products for an excellent gift idea. Another one our favourites is Lush, which is a store that sells fresh handmade cosmetics that you can smell all the way down the street. All their products and body range are made from fresh, organic fruit and vegetables, the finest essential oils, and safe synthetics. They invent their own products and fragrances, make them fresh by hand using little or preservative or packaging, using only vegetarian ingredients and they even tell you when the product was made making this excellent store a definite stop-off during your Christmas shopping trips in London.
Children’s gifts – Chelsea Toys , Bear Factory
In London there are an abundance of toy shops for children but we would like to recommend a little hidden gem located on a quiet side street, and which sells an array of traditional, and beautifully crafted wooden toys ranging from cars, trains, planes, helicopters, trucks, puzzles and building blocks. It is simply called Chelsea Toys, and you are guaranteed to be delighted with their beautiful castles, musical boxes, and classic dolls and teddy bears like Winnie the Pooh and Peter Rabbit, a complete change from the plastic, battery powered playthings that you can buy today.
Our other suggstion comprises build-a-bear bear factory and other fuzzy creations in the build-a-bear workshop to give to your little treasures at Christmas. You actually make your own stuffed animal, and from the moment you enter the bear factory you are greeted by a bear-building associate who will guide you through the fun and exciting bear-making process. It involves, choosing the bear, recording your own message or choosing a song, heading to the stuff-me station to get your furry friend stuffed, stitching him up, giving him a spa treatment and comb, naming him and creating a personalised birth certificate, dressing him, and finally taking your fuzzy friend home.
