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Struggling to finish your Christmas shopping? Look no further(Image: Brentwood Gazette)
Almost halfway through December, and still haven’t sorted out all your Christmas shopping? Maybe you’ve got the most stubborn character in the office for Secret Santa, or you just don’t know your sister’s new boyfriend well enough yet to know what he’d want for Christmas.
Have no fear – that’s why we’ve put together a list of the top last-minute gifts for the Londoner in your life who already has everything (or has no space left in their zone 3 studio.)
Whether your friend, loved one or colleague is a pub-lover or eco-warrior, drama queen (or king) or cyclist, we’ve got you covered. The best part is, none of these weird and wonderful gifts will leave your loved one with more rubbish headed for landfill.
For the cultured one – London Pass for some of the city’s top landmarks
It’s rare for us Londoners to get a chance to explore our city’s landmarks(Image: izusek via Getty Images)
Us Londoners are lucky to live in a city that boasts over 200 museums, as well as endless historical landmarks. But sometimes, it’s easy to take this wonderful city for granted and miss out on some of the incredible experiences it has to offer. That’s why the London Pass makes a great gift – with access to 95+ London attractions including the Tower of London, St Paul’s Cathedral, and London Zoo, it’s the perfect way to save money on some of London’s top tourist attractions – if you’re up for packing them all into a day or two. Valid for 1 year from the date of purchase, it’s flexible for when your recipient wants to use it, too.
Price: From £79 per adult for basic 1-day pass.londonpass.com
For the pub lover – City Stack’s independent pub discounts
CityStack offers discounts at some of London’s best boozers(Image: CityStack)
Love the pub? Yeah, us too. It’s hard not to when London has so many fantastic pubs to choose from, some dating back as far as the 16th century. If you know a pub-lover who is always dreaming of their next crisp pint, the CityStack London Independent Pubs collection could be the perfect gift. The neatly-packaged stack of beer mats gives the recipient £100 in discounts for some of London’s best independent pubs, as chosen by the CityStack team.
Price: £25 for a pack.www.citystack.co
For the eco-warrior – Name an animal with Citizen Zoo
Water voles are returning to London’s waterways thanks to the work of organisations like Citizen Zoo(Image: ©National Trust Images/Richard B)
Nature may not be the first thing that springs to mind when you think of London, but there’s plenty of it lurking amongst the city’s urban sprawl. Citizen Zoo is a charity helping to support the rewilding of London, by monitoring and reintroducing populations of animals like water voles, beavers and grasshoppers to the city’s green areas. There are many ways to support their work, but the most fun is probably to name a water vole or grasshopper. Why not let your nature-loving giftee choose the name for an eccentric Christmas gift?
Price: From £10 to name a pod of grasshopper eggs, or £25 to name a water vole.www.citizenzoo.org/get-involved
For the dramatic one – A day on the West End
Your loved one could be up on stage by next Christmas…(Image: PA Archive/PA Images)
Theatre tickets for the West End are always a winning gift idea for the musical-loving Londoners amongst us. But why not take it one step further, and get your loved one up on stage to be the star themselves? Okay, their name might not be up in lights just yet, but a theatre workshop could be just what’s needed to ignite their talent. A number of providers offer theatre workshops, including City Academy, who have a range of dates to choose from for their Musical Theatre Taster Class starting early next year.
Price: Starting from £20 for a one-off taster class.www.city-academy.com
For the cyclist – BackPedal membership to keep their wheels in safe hands
BackPedal’s team make it their mission to recover stolen bikes(Image: BackPedal)
Let’s be realistic – a lot of Londoners cycle, and despite best efforts, some of those bikes get stolen. According to the Telegraph, 6,721 stolen bikes were reported to the Met between January and June this year. Bikes are precious – so gift the cyclist in your life membership to a cycling scheme for peace of mind. BackPedal is one scheme that offers a unique recovery and insurance policy, which includes tracking equipment for your loved one’s bike and assurance that their 24/7 on-call recovery team will physically go out into the world to get your bike back if it’s stolen. Price: Annual protection from £153 (12.75 per month)backpedal.co
For the music aficionado – Roundhouse membership
It’s the perfect gift for music lovers(Image: PA)
London is a music lover’s dream, from massive outdoor festivals to intimate pub gigs. Our city is also home to some of the finest music venues the UK has to offer, playing host to an endless list of global stars. If you want to get your loved one a gift that will be music to their ears without having to brave an online ticket queue, why not get them membership for one of their favourite venues? The iconic and proudly independent Roundhouse offers membership packages that enable guests to take advantage of some of their exclusive facilities. With four different tiers, there’s bound to be one in budget, and some offer access to their members bar and cloakroom, as well as priority entry. It won’t just put a smile on your loved one’s face – you’ll also be supporting a vital musical institution.
Price: Tiers start at £35 for priority booking. Most popular ‘Champion’ tier is £275 a year, or £22 a month, which grants access to the member’s bar, free cloakroom and fast-track entry, as well as early booking.www.roundhouse.org.uk/support-us
For the baker – The Big London Bake experience
The business aims to make baking accessible for everyone (Image: The Big Bakes)
Christmas is possibly the best time of year for those of us with a sweet tooth. If you’ve got a keen baker in the family (or someone whose yule log needs a bit of work), The Big London Bake offers aspiring bakers an opportunity to compete against others to produce the perfect cake. There’s a new theme each month, and vouchers are valid for a minimum of 18 months, so you can wait until a theme takes your (fondant) fancy – and you obviously get to take your creations home.
Price: £119.99 for two bakers, or £239.99 for four.www.thebiglondonbake.com
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