Christmas shopping in London: Where to go if you’re buying everything last-minute
Have you still not got round to doing most of your Christmas shopping? Join thousands of other Londoners who will be rushing around the shops today and tomorrow in search of last-minute inspiration.
But for everyone that's fallen behind this festive season, there's no room for getting it wrong – it's a race to beat the shops to closing time, and if you haven't got what you're looking for by the time the doors are locked, then, quite frankly, you're going to have a lot of explaining to do.
To help you on your quest to track down gifts, here is a list of some of the best places to go to ensure you don't come away empty-handed.
1. FORTNUM & MASON
Fortnum & Mason is best for luxury gifts (Source: Getty)
Not the cheapest on our list, but it's great for luxury gifts and food hampers. It has a whole range of beautiful handmade gift items, and is centrally located between Green Park and Picadilly Circus.
Pop in to the tea rooms to give yourself a treat afterwards, too!
2. BICESTER VILLAGE
Bicester village is a 45 min journey from central London (Source: Getty)
A little further afield than most of our recommendations – a 42 minute train ride from Marylebone station to be precise, this shopping centre is known to be full of great deals, especially on designer clothes.
It contains around 131 stores, and there's pretty much no mainstream brand you won't be able to track down here.
3. BENJAMIN POLLOCK'S TOYSHOP
Forget computer games – go for a traditional toy instead (Source: Getty)
If you have little ones as well as adults to buy presents for, nothing is quite as authentically Christmas as a traditional toy.
Benjamin Pollock's Toyshop in Covent Garden offers just this, specialising in “creative, theatrical and educational toys that nurture storytelling”.
4. LINA STORE
Would you say no to a slice of panettone (Source: Getty)
There are few people who would say no to a slice of pannettone or a glass of amaretto. If it's food, rather than gifts, that you're running low on this year, why not make a trip to the Lina store in Soho and give your Christmas an Italian twist?
Among the many condiments they sell are Christmas delicacies such as traditional cakes, biscotti and chocolates.
5. SELFRIDGES
Selfridges Christmas-themed windows (Source: Getty)
Slightly up the road from the main Oxford Street stores, Selfridges department store's spacious layout and easy navigation system offer some brief respite from the general shopping madness.
Mind you, there are so many luxury clothes brands here you might find yourself lost in a sea of cashmere sweaters and designer handbags.
But for those working with a lower price range, there's hardly anything this superstore does not sell, from stylish stocking fillers and knitted pudding decorations to cigar accessories.
6. TIFFANY & CO
The jeweller has a Christmas guide to help you find the perfect gift (Source: Getty)
In the 1961 hit Breakfast at Tiffany's, Audrey Hepburn told George Peppard that when she got the blues, the only thing that did any good was to jump in a cab and go to Tiffany's.
But the love of the jewellery brand extends far beyond the realms of Hollywood, and there are now stores in London, including on Old Bond street and Oxford Street.