If you take a stroll along York’s famous street, The Shambles, you will be greeted by two picture worthy nutcrackers upon entrance to the shop. If you’re in need of some home décor, or merely to feel Christmassy, there are two full floors filled with all things Christmas. From baubles to personalised decorations, your Christmas tree will be thankful after you have left The Nutcracker Christmas Shop. It’s a perfect shop to visit on a family day out and for choosing a stocking filler or small gift for loved ones. 

From the creators of The Yorkshire Soap Company, The Imaginarium is an interior utopia, filled with expertly designed, low-cost delights for you and your house this Christmas. This lifestyle shop is styled after a Victorian curiosity shop and stocks work from the brightest and most inventive artists and craftspeople. This year, the Imaginarium’s Christmas collection is sprinkled with a fairy woodland feel, along with their whimsical Santa’s and magical Christmas room, you are bound to find some stocking fillers or Christmas gifts for family and friends. 

Open every Thursday night until 7pm until Christmas, HEIMA invites you into their hardware and homeware shop with their beautiful Christmas window display. In this window display, you will see HEIMA’s stunning Paper Star Lamp Shades shining brightly. These eye-catching potential Christmas presents are the perfect gift to bring some brightness into yours, or friend’s homes this Christmas. HEIMA also sells really useful products, so if you know a family member or friend in need of necessities for their home, grab a shopping basket and explore this affordable shop. 

The gift of jewellery at Christmas is truly something special. With a new Christmas range, Palenque is offering sparkling, shining jewellery ideal for a memorable Christmas gift for your loved ones. Palenque’s new Tanzanite Dream collection is a wintry combination of luxurious micro-pearls and crystals is the perfect sparkle needed for you to feel elegant this Christmas. Palenque has a diverse range of jewellery, ideal if you’re struggling to think of a main gift idea for someone special in your life. 

Does your home smell of the warm and spicy Christmas scents yet? If not, take yourself on a visit to Born of Botanics. With candles, essential oil blends, mists and bath time essentials, your home is bound to smell delicious. For extra gift ideas, Born of Botanics sells a Bone China Candle, a trio of mini candles, Colourful Enamel Candlestick Holders, and you can even make your own gift box! Plus, they have a beautiful acorn themed Christmas tree to match the shop’s aesthetic. 

Rafi’s Spice Box have brought back their Christmas Leftovers Rescue Kit! Everything you need to easily serve a Boxing Day curry is contained in a little box. Rafi’s has prepared Christmas Leftover Curry for your turkey and leftover vegetables, the Bombay Potato for an incredible combination of roast potatoes and Indian spices, and the Brussel Sprouts and Ajwain Spice combo – for all of the sprouts haters to re-evaluate their dislikes. Finally, there’s Pilau Rice to bind the whole meal together. Visit Rafi’s for unique stocking fillers and buy for you’re the chef of your household, to guarantee a great meal for yourself on boxing day.

Do you want to spice up your desk space in the new year? Avorium provides bookmarks, coasters, diaries, mouse pads, phone stands, notebooks and more. If you have a friend, family member or significant other who has an office job, why not brighten their work day with desk essentials that will remind them of you through the new year. The gifts can be personalised, and all products are vegan, carbon offsetting and FSC approved. 

Belle Blooms are dedicated to creating customised floral arrangements made with fresh flowers, for all occasions. Whether you’re looking for a ‘traditional’ wreath, a ‘rustic’ wreath or a ‘vibrant’ wreath, Belle Blooms can hand make all of this for you from scratch for you to hang proudly on your door. All wreaths are for a reasonable price of £45, and each different wreath will include foliage, dried fruits, tasteful baubles or ribbons.

Do you know a cat lover? Or perhaps you are one! The Cat Gallery is a shop in York devoted entirely to all things cats. This family run business is a great place to stop by for Christmas gifts, stocking fillers and even gifts for your feline friends. For humans, the shop sells cat jewellery, bags, clothing, accessories and gifts. There is even the option to buy some cat homeware, collectables and artwork to show your appreciation for the animal even more. If you feel like your cat has behaved this year, this shop sells cat toys, furniture, health and hygiene, food, treats and even things to control your cat’s unwanted behaviours. 

Pyramid Gallery is a privately owned shop and gallery in the heart of York City Centre. Pyramid has one of the best selections of British-made modern crafts, jewellery, and original prints in the country, making it the best place to go for abstract and unique Christmas presents made by leading designers who work in glass, ceramics, metal and wood. In their ‘Art To Wear’ selection, you can find beautiful jewellery pieces that are quite literally a piece of art. 

Country Traditionals are the UK’s largest importer of handcrafted Polish pottery, and there is a shop in York open seven days a week. This Christmas, you can buy a pottery Christmas Tree for just £39.95 to decorate your table in the most beautiful way this Christmas. Or, if you know someone who likes a lot of gravy on their Christmas dinner, Country Traditionals’ Gravy Boat with Saucer could be the perfect gift. 

Family run businesses are always great for last minute Christmas shopping, because they have unique gifts that not many others would find for presents. Freckleface Home Fragrance creates ethical, luxury hand poured products for yours and others’ homes. Bring the season’s warming scents into your home or business this Christmas with the Winter Nights, Mistletoe, Christmas Star and Evergreen Soya Wax Melts. If you prefer oils, the Christmas Star Fragrance Oil is a great smelling stocking filler, for only £12.50! 

Photos: York Christmas Market, Born of Botanics, Belle Blooms, Country Traditionals