How to get Christmas all wrapped up: where to shop to find the best last-minute gifts in London

Finding the perfect gift for someone ultimately takes time. Last-minute shopping and the pressure of choosing something both useful and thoughtful usually results in exactly the opposite: a panic-bought trinket or an unsuitable random object plucked off a display counter so ‘at least it’s something to unwrap’.

Now, the design team at John Lewis are stepping in to save us from getting it wrong. The retail giant has introduced a one-stop gift shop in 10 selected stores including London’s Oxford Street.

The premise is simple: head to the carefully curated corner of the store, select a gift, personalise it and walk out with a gift bag so impressive it will look as though you have planned it for months.

Prices range from £4 up to £75 for decorative homeware, tableware, glassware, ceramics, plants, jewellery and accessories sources from all over the world.

The in-house design team behind the collection have taken inspiration from the opulence and richness of materials being used across the globe, from the catwalk to the home.

There are candles and chocolate made in the UK and marble on candlesticks and drinks trays sourced from Agra, merely miles from India’s Taj Mahal.

“We wanted to provide a truly comprehensive gifting experience. It's not just about what we sell, but how we sell it. We can solve all your gifting requirements in one location - a specially selected gift, personalised, wrapped and we have even provided an exclusive card selection to complete the package, ” says Elaine Hooper.

And it’s not just John Lewis offering solutions to the gift shopping conundrum. There are a number of other stores around the city delivering carefully curated collections of gifts to help you find that perfect present – and fast.

FOR LONDON'S ETHICAL, LAST-MINUTE SHOPPERS
Just because you've left your shopping to the last minute, doesn't mean you can't still shop for stylish, sustainable gifts.

Ethical lifestyle website BICBIM has teamed up with some of the UK’s coolest conscious brands to host a Christmas pop-up shop at Old Street station from Monday 17 December until Saturday 22 December.

Open from 7am until 8pm each day, with late-night shopping until 10pm on Friday 21, the pop-up will have a mix of contemporary ethical fashion brands, beauty products, pet accessories, festive candles and gifts for coffee and chocolate lovers.

All items are available to pre-order online and can be picked up at the Old Street station pop-up shop.

Selfridges have transformed their entire fourth floor into a Christmas Shop. Complete with a wide variety of gifts – from Littlesmith's personalised necklaces to luxe toys from Teddy Mountain – the shop offers gift-wrapping services and stations where customers can personalise presents.

Not only that, but if you really can’t find what you’re looking for, you can recruit the services of an Elfridge – an in-store personal shopper who knows the shop inside out and can find you exactly what you’re looking for (when you didn’t even know you're looking for it).

For a truly unique selection of gifts – from homeware to jewellery, furniture and books – look to Oliver Bonas, the independent British lifestyle store.

Think stylish photo frames and artsy mugs, velvet footstools and contemporary lamps, credit card holders, illustrated cookbooks, novelty games, headphones and a whole lot more. Their selection of cards is fantastic, and they even do complimentary gift wrapping.

While it doesn’t have a dedicated gift shop as such, on the third floor of Fortnum & Mason you’ll find an area devoted to hampers. From the ‘Tea Basket’ complete with Fortnum’s famous tea and their very best preserves (£60), to the ‘Christmas Express Hamper’ with coffees, fine biscuits and nuts (£100), to the lavish ‘Family Christmas Hamper’ (with top class chocs, biscuits, preserves, wine and Champagne, all for £225) you are sure to find something to impress. Conveniently, their hampers are located next door to the gift-wrapping station too.

InSpitalfields

If you find yourself traipsing round Spitalfields Market not knowing where to turn, seek out the aptly named InSpitalfields. Founded in 1993, there’s a good reason that over 20 years on it's still going strong: with gifts and homeware from established brands to local designers, it offers truly unique (and stylish) pieces. From croissant bowls (yes, actually a bowl shaped like a croissant) to Blue Tiger Crumpled Paper wall panels, or a bento lunchbox. There’s something for every price range, and something for everyone.