Feel Good

Last-minute shopping ideas

You’ve had this deadline for 12 months, why have you left it this late to get your Christmas presents in?!

Written by High Life North

Published 18.12.2020

By Rosie Harrison

It’s been a strange year, and nobody can deny that. One thing that hasn’t changed though is the date of Christmas Day. You’ve had this deadline for 12 months, why have you left it this late to get your Christmas presents in! Oh well, we are here for you. A consumer shopping survey from 2019 shows that 10% of people leave their Christmas shopping until after 15 of December.

I presume you’re here because you fall into that percentage, so read on to find some of HLN’s top tips for last-minute gifts.

John Donoghue Photography

This is the perfect gift for anyone in your life – especially if they love beautiful photography and the North East (which they should). John is a fantastic local photographer and has recently opened his portfolio to allow us to purchase his stunning North East prints to have in our homes. The North East is a truly stunning region and John has an excellent eye for capturing the spirit and moods of his subject areas. The Beadnell Bay collection is perfect for a light and bright room to bring life to the walls and feel that vast openness of this bay and the expanse of ocean. If you prefer something a bit more urban, he has a fantastic collection of Iconic Newcastle prints, in moody colours and really showing the majesty of this great city. John can offer a framing option for his prints, and can also delivery locally – so get in touch with him asap to secure a great and thoughtful Christmas present.

Relish Coffee

HLN recently had the pleasure of meeting Polat of Relish Coffee at his café in Whitley Bay. You may have seen the video and feature we produced, showing you how to make the perfect coffee at home. As part of this, Polat has put together a special package to include all you’ll need to enjoy this fab coffee at home – and we think it’s the perfect present for any coffee lover in your life. Whether they’re a barista-level expert, of a caffeine-addicted novice (like us), this kit does the trick. It includes an AeroPress, Relish coffee beans (ground if you need that option, or whole beans if you have a grinder at home), and a syrup of your choice. I’d recommend popping to Whitley Bay to pick this one up – Relish is open from 9am to 7pm for takeaway, so you could pop in, grab and kit and a coffee for yourself, and take a stroll along the beach for a lovely morning out, while also sorting out that blasted last-minute Christmas present for Dad!

Fenwick Newcastle

This one will involve a little more than clicking – but it’s worth it. Some of our favourite local makers are showcasing and selling their fantastic products in none other than our own Fenwick in Newcastle. If you pop along to the lower ground floor of Fenwick on the festive Northumberland Street, you’ll be able to browse and shop the wares of the gorgeous Shepherd Illustration, The Peacock and the Printmaker, PippyB Designs, LollaMac Handmade, Fortuna Script Rum and many more fantastic brands. The best part is you don’t have to wait by the door for the delivery! It’s all there for you.

What about a gift voucher?

These don’t have to just be for cousins you barely know, they can be a lot more personal and thoughtful if you take a little time. The benefit of these is that you can just write in the card that you’re giving a gift card, so you can leave this one really last minute if you’re a risk-taker. Some of these lovely independents are creating a physical Gift Card though which you’ll want to collect or make sure you’ve time to get posted. We love La Chocolatrice for a Chocolate Workshop – we’ve tried it and it’s fantastic, a great gift for any chocolate lover. If you have a loved one who has had a tough year and needs a little TLC, we’d recommend a voucher for a treatment at Viso Facial Bar, for a relaxing organic facial treatment. Alternatively, you could treat someone to a Zazu Hair voucher, to give them a world-class cut to really kick 2021 off with a good start. A real winner for anyone who you’d love to treat would otherwise be a voucher for a stay at Shepherds Retreats. These luxury glamping huts are based just outside of Beadnell Bay and are a sure-fire winner for anyone who is just dying for a break after the year we’ve had. Check all these out in our Gift Voucher Shopping Guide.

It’s the thought that counts

As the saying goes – why not put a bit more effort into it and make something yourself? This doesn’t have to be really difficult – we have some excellent recipes from Dotty in the Kitchen our website, or salted caramel sauce is an easy favourite. Alternatively, you could make ‘vouchers’ for someone to redeem in 2021 – ideas could be ‘voucher entitles the bearer to not wash up for a week’ or ‘one free hug’. These can be playful and fun, mean a lot and cost very little. It really is the thought that counts, so just have a think.