This the season for gingerbread lattes, red berries on sticks, trees, and getting white-girl-wasted at the company Christmas party (four checkmarks for this chick so far)– and it’s also, apparently the season for giving!

Now as a personal rule, I do not purchase from UK Amazon for a variety of holier-than-thou reasons, and as a result I’m always on the lookout for some interesting and different places to shop.

Blogger and designer Cassie McDaniel did a great list recently of alternate good-for-the-world places to buy Christmas gifts, which you can read here, and now I’d like to share some of my top picks for where to buy cool, clever, and unique Christmas gifts this year.

There’s a catch for my criteria- and it’s a big one- and that is that all the people who I’m singing the praises of on this post are friends of mine- very talented friends, that is. So I’m biased, but really I just have good taste in friends.

Some are global, some are local and  something here should be inspiring to someone!

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Beautiful things to wear and hold

A mixture of clothing, accessories, and homeware items

Boo & Pancake

Gorgeous hand-knitted scarves and hats

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 Nikita and Vesper

 One-off vintage finds, and wonderfully made bags. I  have their giraffe Hidden Babe bag and it’s the best  work bag ever.

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Painted Fabrix

 Very bright colourful clothing – most of which is from handpainted designs printed onto fabric!

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 Mrs.Peterson Pottery

 Earthy and stunning pottery and jewellery from Australia

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 Coffee and PlanB

 Handmade and poured candles in china tea cups.

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Perhaps something nice for your walls?

Here’s some photographers and graphic designers (who sell their work*) to check out.

*There’s a scary amount of photographers and designers I know without webshops. Scary.

 Becca Beeston – Unleash the Beest

 Vibrant and eye-catching prints, illustrations and  patterns.

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 Becky Liddiard

Colourful and energetic illustrations and prints. 

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Clare Misselbrook

Eco-artist making sculptures, prints, and stunning cards with as many found materials as possible.

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Mathilda Holmqvist

Illustrations and lovely graphics with a Swedish twist. She’s also selling lovely Christmas cards in her shop.

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Matthew Butterfield

Clever and beautiful landscapes and travel photography.

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Morgane Parma 

Illustrations and designs from her travels around the world, as well as stunning geometric designs.

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Happy shopping! And if I forgot or missed anyone – let me know right away!

xx

PS – I’m on twitter @makingthemarrow