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Top Five Hidden(ish) Christmas Shopping Streets

Everyday this week we’re bringing you our tried and tested top-fives to help you feel a little more festive in the lead up to December. On this chilly Wednesday we have our top five favourite Christmas shopping streets in London. Less than obvious by comparison to the typical destinations of Oxford Street or Covent Garden, we have five streets brimming with amazing gift ideas this Christmas.

1 – Lambs Conduit Street

A haven for fans of independent fashion and homewares, and somewhat of a Mecca for designer menswear. With the Likes of Oliver Spencer, J.Crew, Folk, and Universal Works having stores here, if you are looking for a wearable christmas gift for a man in your life, you will certainly find it here(my top pick would be some of the amazing Knitwear produced by independent designer Oliver Spencer at No. 62!)

Nearest station – Holborn
While you’re here you should also visit – The British Museum

2 – Cecil Court

Cecil Court is a magical(wait for it) little street located in between St Martins Lane and Charing Cross Road. This is THE place for book lovers, with almost all of shops on the street specialising in antique books(Marchpane being my personal favourite), beautiful and unfortunately often gasp-inducingly expensive first editions of classics such as Harry Potter and Alice In Wonderland, rare and unusual literature, and a couple of shops selling beautiful curiosities such as antique maps and peculiar pieces of wartime memorabilia. The fronts for most of these shops have not been altered for over a century and it’s weird and wonderful wares and hundred year old appearance is famously the direct inspiration for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter stories!

Nearest station – Leicester Square
While you’re here you should also visit  – Mr Foggs Tavern

3 – Camden Passage

Camden passage is a little hidden Islington gem traditionally famous for being an antiques market. While there certainly are some great finds to be had if antiques are what you’re looking for, it has now opened up in recent years to a more eclectic mix of retailers(the sort of street you can go to without knowing what you want to buy, but to come away with a gift or stocking filler to be proud of), from designer baby and children’s clothes to chic ceramics and kitsch kitchenwares.

Nearest Station – Angel
While you’re here you should also visit – The Earl Of Essex (Look I know I also mentioned a pub close to Cecil Court, but this place is arguably my favourite pub in London, so trust me on this one)

4 – Redchurch Street

This 0.2 mile stretch of shoreditch seems like it has almost been curated by the archetypal young professional hipster. The offering of both mens and womens fashion, incredibly trendy homeware stores, and topped off with a superb espresso bar(Allpress) to enjoy while you decide which shop to enter next and an amazing burger restaurant to treat yourself with after you’ve ticked some presents off your list, it is the one stop destination for your cool and curated christmas gifts. A real highlight being Monologue, sourcing superb items from emerging and conceptual designers and all manor of scandi-inspired homeware goods.

Nearest Station – Shoreditch High Street
While you’re here you should also visit – Patty & Bun

5 – Hanbury Street 

Lastly we have Brick Lane’s smaller and lesser known cousin. I am focussing on two particular shops here, and one of them is London Undercover. London Undercover was established in 2008 and with the London Undercover umbrella, the brand aimed to return the accessory to its former glory as a bonafide fashion piece. a couple of years ago my Dad bought me one, and I had never anticipated what a brilliant gift it was. The perfect balance of craftsmanship, fashion, and practicality. Secondly, Libreria. Libreria is a unique and fascinating place that will ensure you leave with a book you didn’t know you wanted to read, and that sentiment is easily transferred to buying for others. Due to the way the place is curated you can find a title you know a friend or loved one would love to receive this christmas, look a little down the shelf and find a perfect yet unsuspecting book for them. “At Libreria we curate our books to maximise serendipity. Our shelves are arranged according to broad themes like ‘Wanderlust’, ‘Enchantment for Disenchanted’ and ‘The City’, so you’re constantly encountering titles you might not have come across otherwise.”

Nearest station – Liverpool Street
While you’re here you should also visit – Paradise Slice

We hope you find some out of the ordinary christmas gifts in these somewhat out of the ordinary festive shopping locations!

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