Christmas Shopping in London
London is one of the most famous shopping destinations in the world and London shopping is at it’s most fabulous at Christmas. If you are planning a move to the UK, or if you are already living in or near London, this list of shops in the shopping capitol of the world will guide you at Christmas and any time of the year.
Department Stores
London’s world famous department stores are one-stop shops but before you walk through the grand entrances, be sure to walk past the window displays. The effort and expense that goes into Christmas windows along the famous shopping streets is worth seeing even if you do all your Christmas shopping online.
A department store with a bit of everything, all the major as well as up-and-coming beauty labels, most fashion brand names, fantastic items for the home, Selfridges even has a bookshop—all in all a very good one stop shop.
Like a giant boutique, the website calls it the ‘quintessential English emporium’ and this is exactly what it is, a department store that doesn’t have as much variety as Selfridges or John Lewis, but it has bags more eclectic interest than all the department stores in London put together.
Another good one stop shop, with branches across the UK. Peter Jones is John Lewis with a different name. John Lewis is also a reliable source of haberdashery.
Although not a department store, Hamleys is as large as most department stores and it sells only toys. Great fun for an experience but Hamleys has crazy high prices for the same items you can buy elsewhere.
Eight floors of shopping heaven: lovely fashion, beauty and home collections with restaurants and food hall.
Harrods is only good for buying Harrods branded items for souvenirs, everything else is very expensive—the exact same items can be purchased in Selfridges or John Lewis for half the price, or less. However, the displays, especially in the Food Hall, are certainly worth seeing.
Chain stores, Independent shops and Boutiques
Beyond the department stores are all the other shops and boutiques that can be found across the city but most densely populated in these areas:
Oxford Street Selfridges and John Lewis along with many other chain stores.
Regent Street Liberty and Hamleys along with many other chain stores.
Bond Street This is where you’ll find some of the most expensive shops in London; designer clothes, perfumes, art and antiques.
Covent Garden Large selection of shoes hops as well as many chain and independent shops.
Picadilly and Jermyn Street Menswear, antique jewellery, and Fortnum and Mason.
Marylebone and St Christopher’s Place Specialist women’s outfitter as well as many other shops and cafes.
Kings Road Peter Jones, small independent clothing and shoe shops as well as contemporary furniture stores.
Knightsbridge Harrods and Harvey Nichols as well as big-name fashion labels and smaller boutique shops.
Kensington All the usual high street shops but often less busy than Oxford Street.
Fulham Road Antique dealers and specialist furniture shops.
Camden Town Vintage clothing, arts and crafts, antiques and street fashion.
Portobello / Notting Hill The weekend market is famous for bric-a-brac, clothes, antiques and collectables.
Queensway Whiteleys Shopping Mall and a huge number of tourists.
Islington Antique shops and market, as well as an exhibition centre where many Christmas fairs are held.
Brick Lane Famous Sunday market, interesting immigrant history, and a new selection of arts and fashion influences.
Food Halls
Go have a look at the lovely food from all over the world, specialty food, hard to get food, unusual food. London’s food halls offer unique gifts and special gift hampers delivered to the recipient’s door.
Museum shops
Don’t forget the museum shops, which will often offer interesting specialty games, books, and jewellery that can’t be found anywhere else.
Fairs and Markets
The Christmas Fairs in London start in November but there are still plenty going strong through December.
Greenwich Christmas Market: 2-6, 9-24, 27, 30-31 December 2009
Christmas Fair at the O2: 21 November 2009 to 3 January 2010; an indoor event so you can visit whatever the weather. From 1 December, the kids can meet Santa!
Columbia Road: 5-9 pm every Wednesday from the 2nd to the 23rd, and on Sundays 9-3pm.
Somerset House ‘Super Christmas Market’: Friday 19 December 6-9 pm, Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 December 10-6 pm. Many items are made exclusively for the market, and most are under £10. Buy truly original Christmas gifts from the UK’s best and most innovative designers including students from the Royal College of Art and Camberwell.
Christmas Lights
The sun goes down before the shops shut but the Christmas lights will enchant you as you make your way to the last of the shops on your list and then home to wrap your presents!
Possibly the most unusual Christmas lights in London are being set up in Covent Garden this year, making the area look especially festive.
The annual Trafalgar Square Christmas tree lighting ceremony takes place on Thursday 3rd December in which a tree given by the people of Norway is lit in an enchanting, historic ceremony. This year, Trafalgar Square will once again be a haven of Christmas spirit throughout the season with lights, decorations and free carol singing, taking place throughout December 2009.
The Marylebone Christmas lights transform Marylebone High Street into a winter wonderland.
The Oxford Street Christmas lights are among the most famous in the world, always a highlight of Christmas shopping in London.