my walthamstow gift guide: shopping local and independent
I moved to Walthamstow from South London just a few weeks before lockdown 1.0, and loved getting to know the local area on my single permitted daily walk, and then getting to know local business once we were released from our homes over summer.
Once again, many local shops are closed, and at what is usually their busiest time of year. Many are turning to online storefronts and are relying on our orders to keep them in business. So, in the name of practicing what I preach and shopping small and local, I have put together a little gift guide of my favourite local finds. Please remember that small businesses sometimes take a little longer to prepare, pack and ship your order and are reliant on extra-busy postal services. So shop small, local and also shop early to avoid a guilty Amazon spree on Christmas Eve (we've all been there).
The Every Space
The most gorgeous shop, filled from floor to ceiling with houseplants of all shapes and sizes. They also stock a delightful range of home and stationery gifts, as well as children's gifts. I have my eye on their glass plant mister and miniature watering can to level up my plant care game.
Make and Create
Lots of delicate gold jewellery, candles and - my personal favourite - a kit to make your own plastic free, customisable, recyclable Christmas crackers - filled with sustainable miniature gifts and funny jokes (or write your own!).
St J’s
A five minute walk from me for the best almond croissants in London. They stock a range of beautiful, sustainable products in every gifting category - I especially love their ceramics.
The Mapmakers
A walthamstow based design studio selling personalised world and city maps in an abundance of creative designs.
Buller + Rice
My hairdresser Buller + Rice create their own hand and body products, and I can confirm that they smell absolutely divine.
Word Store Ldn
This is your store for sustainable gifts for little ones, new parents and parents-to-be: from organic kids clothing, handcrafted wooden toys, and big story books for little people.
Creative Biscuit
Safe to say lockdown has brought out the amateur crafter in a lot of us - and I love these at home pottery kits from Creative Biscuit. You can pick your ceramic (from mugs and plates to mermaids and christmas baubles) and pick your paint colours, and they will deliver your kit to your door and then collect it again to fire it for you.
Phlox Books
A local bookshop in neighbouring Leyton, which goes by the mantra ‘books. booze. coffee’ and offers a range of fiction, non-fiction and children’s books with nationwide delivery. If you’re gifting for a bookworm, why not buy a book subscription service where Phlox will arrange a chat to gather reading preferences and then send carefully selected monthly books.
The Pure Scent
Non-toxic, natural, long lasting soy candles in the most beautiful packaging. I love the large three-wick candles in a special edition festive scent for the Christmas table.
Lancasters
For your green-fingered friends, or anyone who dabbled with a bit of gardening in the lockdown heatwave, this is the shop for you. A gorgeous local garden centre who delivered us heaps of soil, plants and herbs over lockdown. I love their flower arranging kits for creative ikebana flower displays in saucers, bowls or dishes.