Get ready for Christmas in Highgate

By LiseS | Sunday, November 28, 2010, 22:00

It's just two months to Christmas, and if you're anything like us now's the time you start seasonal shopping in earnest! (My Christmas pud is already sorted). Whether you're playing Santa this year for your family, treating friends and loved ones, or just making sure there's a dinner on the table this Christmas, check out our local shopping recommendations for a merrier Christmas.

Tree, baubles, and presents to go under it - all sorted in Highgate this season.
Highgate Bookshop is one of many local recommendations for Christmas gifts

Many readers have suggested Highgate Bookshop for Christmas gift-giving. As well as all the usual fiction, non-fiction and travel books you'd expect from an independent book retailer, Highgate Bookshop also stocks beautiful art and photography books - perfect for the art-lover in your life. Friendly staff will be happy to recommend items or help if there's something unusual you wish to order

We're big fans of the quirky Nawar on the High Street with its beautiful Indian-inspired prints and fluid garments in luxurious fabrics - perfect for a friends and family who love the exotic. There's accessories for both wardrobe and home to be found here, too. Lovers of exotic bric-a-brac might also enjoy a gift from Baba on Swain's Lane. This unusual gift shop stocks jewellery, homeware and "unexpected items" from all over the world, and has been particularly recommended for its rug selection. Packaging your gift isn't a problem either - Baba also sells giftwrap and cards.

It's worth checking out the regular arts and crafts fairs at Lauderdale House if you're looking for truly unique gift ideas - local artists and artisans regularly exhibit prints, paintings, woodwork and jewellery. There are fairs on 30 October, 13 and 27 November, and 3 and 11 December from 11am to 6pm - look out for handmade cards and wrapping paper on sale as well as interesting gifts to put inside them.

Need a tree to tuck all the presents under? Look no further than Highgate Garden Centre in Townsend Yard at the north end of the village. Their cut trees start at around £30 for a cut Norway Spruce, and go up to £96 for a large premium Nordman Fir. The garden centre also sells pot-grown trees, tree stands, and holly and mistletoe to deck your halls. We also love Pines and Needles, the all-in-one tree specialists who will deliver, install, decorate and even recycle your tree for you. Prices start at £23.95.

Have we missed any of your favourite festive retailers? Let us know below!

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Comments

I do know what you mean - traffic everywhere seems to be increasing year on year, and it really shows in places with narrow roads such as Highgate. Good call on the parking on the Hill - perhaps a new traffic flow system would help? The historic nature of the village probably means it will be hard to get planning permission for substantial changes, though.

By LiseS at 11:12 on 29/11/10
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I appreciate what you are saying and it is such a great little village but, really, the fundamental problems need to be solved. Parking on the upper part of Highgate Hill needs to be prohibited so buses can freely move and some of those buses need to be diverted altogether. Plus, not an easy problem to solve but with the Highgate School and The Channing School being in town, the traffic going through the village to work for me in the morning takes me 25 minutes to pass through. It really has gotten too unpleasant to tackle every morning, frankly.

By bredakellner at 10:58 on 29/11/10
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I usually head up on the bus to be honest - they're regular and quick and it's usually possible to get a seat. Whether this works for Christmas shopping largely depends on what you're buying, but if you have a long list it might be worth asking about local delivery. Even small businesses usually offer this for large purchases. Does anyone have any parking tips?

By LiseS at 10:52 on 29/11/10
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Its just such a pity that parking and traffic prevents in Hghgate is ridiculous! Its just no fun anymore to go up there because the jam up with cars, buses and students just causes a bottle neck at all times of the day. And forget about shopping -- how to get everything home if I dont bring my car to town? Someone needs to revisit the urban planning and structure up there and do something about it.

By bredakellner at 10:44 on 29/11/10
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