It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas but if, like me, you have yet to start buying gifts then don’t worry, help is at hand! There are lots of places to go Christmas shopping in London and while the city can feel overwhelming at this time of year it is possible to find the perfect gift and return home in one piece – you just need to know where to look.
The following is my list of favourite shops, including some of London’s most iconic department stores, markets and independent boutiques, where you are guaranteed to find the perfect present.
Updated November 2026
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Quick picks: London’s best Christmas shopping at a glance
Table of Contents
- Best for luxury: Harrods, Knightsbridge. Go to the Food Hall for hampers and the Chocolate Hall to build your own truffle box.
- Best for foodie gifts: Fortnum & Mason, Piccadilly. Famous for its hampers but its tea boxes and biscuit tins also make lovely presents.
- Best for a gift that says “London”: Liberty, just off Regent Street. Look for Liberty-print notebooks, scarves and washbags.
- Best for window displays: Selfridges, Oxford Street. This year’s 12 windows celebrate Christmas in cities around the world.
- Best for independent shops: Marylebone High Street, for Daunt Books, V V Rouleaux and boutique fashion.
- Best for kids: Hamleys, Regent Street. Pick up an Arthur Bear, which you can only buy here.
- Best for teens: Carnaby Street, for Third Man Records and Sherry’s.
- Best for royal gifts: The Royal Mews Christmas Shop at Buckingham Palace, open 13 November 2026 to 4 January 2027.
- Best for festive atmosphere: Covent Garden, with giant baubles, a 30,000-light tree and colourful market stalls.
- Best Christmas market: Winter by the River, London Bridge City, open 12 November 2026 to 4 January 2027, with Tower Bridge as the backdrop.
- Best for enjoying London: The London with Kids guidebook.
See every shop on the map below.
1. Oxford Street & Regent Street
Best for: Big-name department stores, flagship shops and the famous Christmas lights.
Nearest tube: Oxford Circus, Bond Street, Piccadilly Circus
Truthfully, I find Oxford Street overwhelming at the best of times but throw in the Christmas crowds and it’s enough to make me want to hide in a café with a large hot chocolate. Still, it’s worth braving London’s most famous shopping street as this is where you will find Selfridges, then walking to Regent Street under the illuminated angels to Liberty and Hamleys.
Where to shop:
- Selfridges – One of my favourite department stores, Selfridges is a great place to go Christmas shopping in London with everything from designer fashion to a dedicated Christmas shop. For 2026 its 12 Oxford Street windows are themed “Christmas and the City”, with scenes inspired by New York, Paris, Tokyo, Bangkok, Rio, Lagos and London.
- Liberty London – Just off Regent Street, this Tudor-revival store opened in 1875 and was built from the timbers of two ships. Liberty-print notebooks, scarves, washbags and dressing gowns make classic London gifts.
- Hamleys – The multi-storey Regent Street toy shop receives millions of visitors a year. It’s extraordinarily busy but unique to London, and it’s the only place to buy the Arthur Bear, dressed in a red waistcoat and tartan bow tie.
Local tip: Avoid weekends if you can: weekdays are still busy in November and December but they are less frantic than on Saturdays and Sundays. Skip Oxford Circus station and get off at Bond Street instead.
2. Carnaby Street & Soho
Best for: Teens and music lovers
Nearest tube: Oxford Circus, Piccadilly Circus
The birthplace of Swinging London, colourful Carnaby Street is a good choice for Christmas shopping in London, lined with shops including Muji, Birkenstock, RIXO and MAC Cosmetics. It’s especially good if you’re visiting London with teens, or shopping for the teenager in your life.
Where to shop:
- Sherry’s – Carnaby Street’s longest-serving independent retailer, specialising in 60s-style parkas, button-down shirts and three-button suits. Paul Weller and Liam Gallagher have both been known to shop here.
- Third Man Records – A favourite with my kids. Designed by Jack White of the White Stripes, it has a record shop upstairs and a small live music venue downstairs.
- Carnaby’s brand stores – Muji, Edikted, Nobody’s Child, Birkenstock, RIXO and MAC Cosmetics cover easy gifts in one short street.
Local tip: Visit after dark to see the Christmas lights at their best then pop into Kingly Court for dinner or a well-earned cocktail at Bar Disrepute or Cahoots.
3. Covent Garden & Seven Dials
Best for: Festive atmosphere, quirky independents and gifts for kids
Nearest tube: Covent Garden, Leicester Square
Covent Garden is synonymous with Christmas shopping in London, with giant baubles, oversized bells, spinning mirror balls and an enormous Christmas tree in the piazza. Big names include Paul Smith, Strathberry, the Cambridge Satchel Company, Charlotte Tilbury and the giant Apple Store, and the market stalls sell crafts and unique gifts.
Where to shop:
- Choosing Keeping – One of my favourites for a unique gift. This luxury stationery shop on the edge of Seven Dials known for elegant paper goods and handcrafted baubles. I particularly love their hand-blown glass paperweights.
- Moomin Shop and Tintin Shop – Two small, character-filled shops where you can always find a good gift.
- Stanfords – The travel bookshop, with maps, guides and globes for the traveller in your life. Jeweller Alex Monroe is another favourite nearby.
- London Transport Museum shop – London Underground-themed bedding, cushions made from the moquette fabric used on London’s buses and Tube trains, and socks that make great stocking stuffers. Great for kids.
- Benjamin Pollock’s Toyshop – Opened in Hoxton in the 1880s, it specialises in cut-out Victorian toy theatres, paper shadow boxes, music boxes and traditional toys.
Local tip: It will snow every day in Covent Garden’s Piazza every day from 4 December with snowfall flurries on the hour, every hour from 12pm to 9pm
4. Piccadilly, St James’s & Buckingham Palace
Best for: Luxury food gifts, heritage shops and royal souvenirs
Nearest tube: Green Park, Piccadilly Circus
This is London’s most traditional shopping district, where centuries-old shops sit a short walk from Buckingham Palace. Bond Street’s luxury flagships, including Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Gucci, are just to the north for window shopping.
Where to shop:
- Fortnum & Mason – If you only visit one shop in central London over Christmas, make it this one. It’s famous for elaborate windows and festive hampers, and even without a hamper the tea boxes and biscuit tins make perfect presents.
- Burlington Arcade – Opened in 1819, this is one of Britain’s earliest shopping arcades. It’s known for luxury goods, but it’s a beautiful place to window shop even if you don’t buy anything.
- Jermyn Street & St James’s Street – Historic perfumer Floris for soaps and signature scents, Paxton & Whitfield, one of the UK’s oldest cheesemongers, Lock & Co Hatters, the world’s oldest hat shop, and Berry Bros & Rudd, Britain’s oldest wine and spirits merchant.
- Royal Mews Christmas Shop – Back for a second year at Buckingham Palace this is the place to come for royal gifts, Buckingham Palace gin, royal-themed china, decorations and, new this year, a refillable advent calendar of the palace. From 13 November 2026 to 4 January 2027.
Local tip: Fortnum’s gets very busy over the festive season, so go first thing. Treat yourself to afternoon tea while you’re here.
5. Knightsbridge & South Kensington
Best for: luxury shopping, foodie gifts and original museum finds
Nearest tube: Knightsbridge, South Kensington
Knightsbridge goes all out at Christmas, with two of London’s grandest department stores a few minutes apart. Walk on to South Kensington for one of the city’s best museum shops.
Where to shop:
- Harrods – The famed Food Hall is ideal for the foodie in your life, with brandy butter, hampers and gingerbread patisserie. Its Chocolate Hall makes chocolate on site: build your own box of truffles or choose from dozens of bars.
- Harvey Nichols – Just down the road, for luxury brands and high-end fashion.
- V&A Shop – Packed with unique jewellery, textiles, books, posters and homewares. It’s one of my favourite places for something original, and prices tend to be very reasonable.
Local tip: Harrods is busiest in the afternoon and at weekends, so aim for a weekday morning if you can.
5. Marylebone
Best for: Books and boutique fashion
Nearest tube: Baker Street, Bond Street, Regent’s Park
Marylebone High Street is one of my favourite shopping streets whether you are Christmas shopping in London or not. The charming road sits between Oxford Street and Baker Street but (fortunately) feels a world away from both.
Where to shop:
- Daunt Books – My favourite shop along Marylebone High Street, and one of London’s most beautiful bookshops: an Edwardian building with skylights and oak galleries. Much of it is dedicated to travel, arranged by country, and there’s a small but well curated selection for kids.
- Fashion boutiques – French brand Sezane has a large store here, alongside Me+Em, Sessun, TOAST, Maje and WYSE London.
- V V Rouleaux – Just off the high street, this haberdashery stocks gorgeous ribbons, trimmings, feathers and millinery. Beautiful to browse, and perfect for wrapping your presents.
Local tip: You can easily pair a trip to Marylebone with nearby Selfridges.
7. Worth the trip: King’s Cross, Paddington & Camden
Best for: Harry Potter and Paddington fans, and teens hunting for vintage
Nearest tube: King’s Cross St Pancras, Paddington, Camden Town
These three stops sit outside the West End shopping streets, but each is a must for the right person on your list. All are easy to reach on the Tube.
Where to shop:
- Harry Potter Shop at Platform 9¾ – You’ll find Harry Potter merchandise all over London, but every fan knows this King’s Cross station shop is the one to visit. Don’t miss the photo of you pushing your trolley onto the magical platform.
- Paddington Bear Shop – At Paddington Station, the only shop in the world dedicated exclusively to the famous bear. Pick up books, miniature replicas and your very own Paddington teddy.
- Camden Market – Shopping for or with teens? This is a one-stop destination for vintage finds, graphic tees, hand-crafted accessories and second-hand books.
Local tip: Queues for the Platform 9¾ photo build through the day, so go early. Camden is liveliest, and most crowded, at weekends.
8. Festive Markets
Best for: Handmade gifts, festive atmosphere and an evening out with mulled wine
Nearest stations: London Bridge, Waterloo or Embankment, Leicester Square, Cutty Sark (DLR)
Markets are always a festive favourite and with plenty to choose from, they are a great option when Christmas shopping in London. The best for gift shopping line the Thames, with a couple more worth a detour.
Where to shop:
- Winter by the River, London Bridge City – Dozens of wooden chalets along the Thames with Tower Bridge as the backdrop, selling handmade gifts, glassware and jewellery. Open 10 November 2026 to 3 January 2027.
- Southbank Centre Winter Market – Riverside chalets that are at their best in the evening, once the stalls are covered in twinkling lights. Open from 2 November 2026 to 3 January; closed 25 and 31 December, and 1 January.
- Christmas in Leicester Square – I find the stalls here focus mainly on food, but there are a handful of places to buy gifts, plus the Skate Leicester Square ice rink. Open 31 October 2026 to 3 January 2027.
- Greenwich Market – Greenwich takes a little more effort to reach but it’s worth it, with local artisans selling jewellery, art, homewares and handmade crafts. It’s a covered market and open daily all year.
Local tip: Make a day of Greenwich by visiting the Cutty Sark and standing on the meridian line. Southbank and Winter by the River are not far apart so you can visit both in one evening.
For more help choosing, see my guide to the best Christmas markets in London.
Map of the best Christmas shopping in London
10 Christmas gifts that you will only find in London
- Liberty print notebooks, silk scarves, tote bags and ties
- A Fortnum & Mason food hamper
- A gift from Buckingham Palace
- London Underground themed gifts from the London Transport Museum
- An umbrella from James Smith & Sons who have been making umbrellas since 1830
- Arthur Bear from Hamleys
- London-themed biscuits from Biscuiteers
- A hat from Lock & Co Hatters, the oldest hat shop in the world.
- Wine from Berry Bros & Rudd, the oldest wine and spirits merchant in Britain
- Cheese from Paxton & Whitfield, one of the oldest cheesemongers in the UK
Top tips for Christmas shopping in London
- Go on a weekday morning. Weekends in November and December are packed, and the last Saturday before Christmas (19 December 2026) is the busiest of all.
- Pick one or two areas. London is bigger than it looks on a map, so group shops by area rather than criss-crossing the city.
- Shop by day, see the lights after dark. Finish with my Christmas lights walking route through Regent Street, Carnaby Street and Covent Garden.
- Use quieter Tube stations. Bond Street or Green Park are often easier than Oxford Circus or Piccadilly Circus.
- Bring a tote bag. Shops charge for carrier bags, and you’ll be grateful for one big bag rather than lots of small ones.
Christmas shopping in London: FAQs
Do London shops open late at Christmas? Many West End stores extend their hours in December, often into the evening. Times vary by shop, so check each store’s website before you go.
Are London’s Christmas markets free? Yes, entry to Winter by the River, the Southbank Centre Winter Market, Christmas in Leicester Square and Greenwich Market is free. You only pay for what you buy, plus tickets for extras such as the Leicester Square ice rink.
Are shops open on Christmas Day and Boxing Day? Large shops in England can’t open on Christmas Day by law. Many reopen on Boxing Day (Saturday 26 December 2026) for the sales.
Where can I buy unique gifts in London? Try Liberty for Liberty-print gifts, Fortnum & Mason for hampers and tea, Hamleys for the Arthur Bear, and the shops on Jermyn Street and St James’s Street. See my list of 10 Christmas gifts you’ll only find in London above. Don’t forget you can buy the London with Kids: A Complete Guide to Exploring the Capital for Families.
