Upgrade Your Christmas Shopping Game with our Alternative Festive Gift Guide

Your challenge? Find a meaningful gift they’ll truly love. The answer? Our St James’s alternative festive gift guide. 

Choosing gifts for people with unique interests can get tricky, so when it starts to feel less like seasonal fun and more like a test of your creativity, we’re here to help you think outside the box. This gifting guide features our top 10 alternative items brimming with character and heritage, many of which you’ll only find here in St James’s. Read on to secure your status as everyone’s favourite gift-giver. 

Gifts for Foodies 

1. A Chocolatey Treat from Prestat

With a heritage spanning back to 1902, chocolatier Prestat has been delighting tastebuds with signature flavours and seasonal specials ever since. This year, we’ve got our eye on the sharing hampers in their Christmas collection, like this Jolly Gingerbread edition, which turns a gift into a festive moment to be enjoyed with others. 

2. Subscription to the Paxton & Whitfield Cheese Club 

Sure to keep their mouth watering well into the new year, Paxton & Whitfield’s Cheese Club offers four tiers of membership, each offering a monthly delivery of artisanal cheeses to taste alongside especially paired biscuits. Perfect for that friend who knows the difference between a Stilton and a Stichelton. 

Gifts for Style Savants 

3. Made-to-Measure Shoes from John Lobb 

As bootmaker to the King, John Lobb’s wares come with a royal seal of approval. Create your own bespoke design, customising details from sole to leather, or explore the full range of expertly crafted footwear for a gift that goes the distance. 

4. Mongolian Cashmere Knitwear from Mandkhai 

Noted for her technical expertise and creative executions, designer Mandkhai Jargalsaikhan’s store in Princes Arcade houses knitwear pieces, accessories and homeware crafted from Mongolian cashmere. We love Mandkhai’s knitwear gift sets as Christmas presents for both adults and children. 

5. Grooming Accessories from Taylor of Old Bond Street 

Following the Taylor family’s long tradition of offering top quality products at an affordable price, the Jermyn Street store stocks all you may need to stay expertly groomed. With shaving accessories, fragrances and toiletries to choose from, why not opt for a Christmas gift set that combines them all? 

Gifts to Experience 

6. A Fragrance Customisation Experience at Floris 

This tailored service is specially curated for each guest, allowing you to create a personalised fragrance alongside an expert perfumer at the renowned artisanal perfumery. Consultations can take place either individually or for two, if you prefer a sharing experience. 

7. Afternoon Tea at The Stafford 

How better to welcome the new year than with the promise of an Afternoon Tea in one of London’s most storied hotels? Once used as a meeting place for American and Canadian World War II officers, it is now known for its culinary excellence, led by chef Michael Caines. 

Gifts for the Thoughtful Collector 

8. Something for their Bookshelf from Hatchards 

If your gift recipient loves nothing more than to curl up with a good read, Hatchards is home to a Christmas gift they’ll adore. Established in 1797, London’s oldest bookshop offers rare books, including exclusive and first editions as well as signed copies such as the The Life Trilogy by Sir David Attenborough. 

9. An Antique Frame from Rollo Whately 

The product of many years working with antique picture frames, Rollo Whately’s extensive collection contains something to suit all types of artwork. Pay a visit to his shop on St James’s Place and you’ll find a vast array of beautifully finished frames – perfect for turning a photo or painting from a gift to an heirloom. 

10. A Handcrafted Bicycle from Pinarello 

Heritage Italian brand Pinarello is an iconic name in cycling, offering a selection of bikes for purposes from racing to urban exploration. Though their St James’ store is currently closed for renovation until February, you can find their handcrafted bicycles – and even customise your own – in their online shop.  

We hope our gift guide has offered some festive food for thought this year. Pay us a visit in St James’s for all these and more, plus a few seasonal surprises throughout our stores. Wishing you a very happy Christmas – we hope your gifts go down a treat! 

Regent Street is going traffic-free for a day of festive fun! Join our neighbours on the 6th December - find out more here and explore the Festive Mile Map here.