How do you feel about Christmas shopping. Do you relish the crowded high streets? Do you love the sound of piped Christmas music in busy shopping malls? Once upon a time this was me. When I first moved to London I loved nothing more than a whole day trawling the shops of Oxford and Regent Street when I would try and do all my shopping in one big frenzy on a single day. This was often in the week before Christmas, in a time before online shopping (imagine that!), and when I worked full time shifts so time was more limited. This was also a time before my extended family had grown to the size it is today so there was less shopping and spending to be done.
Today, I will mostly avoid the big shopping centres as much as possible, although I will always make an exception for Fortnum and Mason and Liberty. They are a Christmas treat for all the senses, and not to be missed.
Over the years I have learned about different, calmer and generally more pleasing ways to shop so that Christmas Shopping has (mostly) become a pleasure rather than a chore.
Plan Carefully
Some of you reading this will have your Christmas Shopping all sewn up already. If that’s you, congratulations and you are now free to enjoy a December filled with eggnog and mince pies! Others may not have started at all, and many like me, will be somewhere in the middle. If you are in either of the last two groups, then I would suggest planning is key.
I have a list that I carry over each year with the name of everyone I buy gifts for. I will spend some time thinking about the sorts of gifts they might like to receive, request wish lists where appropriate, and then think about where I need to shop for them and, when I will be able to do it.
I love filling in the names and ticking them off as gifts are bought. There is a sense of achievement and it helps me keep abreast of where I am up to with my shopping. All of this helps me feel much calmer with my Christmas shopping.
Shop Local
Supporting your local high street, particularly if it has lots of lovely independent stores is a great way to shop. Chances are you will be visiting anyway, so why not use this as an opportune way to do some Christmas Shopping too. Even most small towns will have a book shop and a gift shop these days. Often these shops will be filled with things from local producers which is always a rewarding way to shop and support local businesses.
Look out for local pop up stores featuring the wares of local makers and crafters. This can be a very personal way to shop as you will likely meet the creator of the gifts you purchase.
Think about What You Could Make
However lacking we might feel we are in creative skills, I am sure there are things we can all make that others would love to receive. One of the easiest things to do is to create a gift hamper. Covering a box in pretty paper or recycling an old basket or other suitable container and filling it with delicious edible goods is a lovely gift for foodie friends. I have received these as gifts myself in recent years and have always loved them. Making something such as fudge or granola or even chutney is easy and relatively cheap to do and when all packaged together can look fabulous.
You could also put together other themed hampers or gift boxes. A self care box might include a lovely book (2nd hand is fine), some calming teas, a candle or bath salts. Or what a about a box for the book lovers in your life filled with 2nd hand books, and a selection of tea and biscuits. There are many options.
Support Small Independent Businesses
I will never not shop at Marks and Spencer, but I also love to support the smaller independent businesses if possible and Etsy is a great way to do this.
Etsy is perfect if you want to avoid the larger shops and a particular line American Multinational retailer.
Another way to do this to visit local Christmas fayres and markets or even smaller market towns which have pretty arcades or shopping streets filled with interesting shops. Visiting these kinds of places can be great sources of inspiration and be perfect for getting you into the Christmsassy mood. A prettily decorated bookshop with displays of books piled high never fails to calm me.
Museum and Gallery Shops
If you are fortunate to live somewhere that has museums or galleries, these can be wonderful places to shop. The range of gifts is usually interesting and slightly different to that you might find on the high street. If
London is filled with fabulous museum and gallery shops but, It will come as no surprise to regular readers that the shop at the Victoria and Albert Museum is one of my favourites. Apart from gifts related to exhibitions past and present they have a wonderful selection of books, jewellery and tote bags.
If you don’t live close enough to visit a museum or gallery, most of them have great online shopping options.
As we are about to start the advent count down to Christmas, you may feel that shopping time is short. However, I hope that this has assured you, there are still many ways that your Christmas shopping can be calm, creative and even enjoyable rather than chaotic and fraught. So, why not pour yourself a large cup of tea, have your first mince pie of the season and begin that list.
You may also enjoy reading Quiet Christmas Shopping in London, and Giving Thoughtful Book Gifts.