A Small UK Business Christmas Gift Guide for Children
Christmas shopping seems to start earlier every year, and while it can be tempting to head straight to the big retailers, this year I wanted to put together a slightly different Christmas gift guide – one celebrating some of the wonderful small UK businesses creating beautiful things for children.
As the person behind Personalised by Sophie, I know first-hand just how much every single order means to a small business. When you buy from an independent brand, there is usually a real person behind the scenes designing, making, packing parcels, answering messages and doing a little happy dance when an order comes through!
Shopping small is also one of the best ways to find something a little different. Personalised pieces, handmade gifts, beautiful artwork and things that have been designed to last – rather than another toy that might have been forgotten about by January.
So, if you’re shopping for children, grandchildren, godchildren, nieces, nephews or little friends this Christmas, here are a few of my favourite small UK businesses to have on your radar.
Personalised by Sophie – Personalised Children’s Placemats
What I particularly love about them is that they’re not a gift that’s played with for five minutes on Christmas morning and then forgotten about. Many of my customers have had their placemats for years and tell me their children still use and love them.
They’re practical, personal and designed to stand the test of time – which, for me, is exactly what a good children’s gift should be.
www.personalisedbysophie.co.uk
Little Name Knits – Personalised Hand-Knitted Cardigans
If you’re shopping for a baby or younger child this Christmas, Little Name Knits is definitely one to discover.
They create gorgeous hand-knitted baby and children’s cardigans, personalised with the child’s name. Each piece is hand knitted and hand embroidered here in the UK, making every cardigan feel really special.
I particularly love gifts like these because they’re practical enough to be worn and enjoyed but special enough to keep afterwards. A tiny cardigan with your baby’s name embroidered onto it is exactly the sort of thing you won’t want to part with once they’ve grown out of it!
Charlotte Holland Studio – Beautiful Hand-Painted Keepsakes
Another lovely business to discover is Charlotte Holland Studio. Charlotte creates beautiful hand-painted pieces for children’s, including decorative initial letters, personalised nursery stools and hairbrushes.
These are the sort of presents that become part of a child’s bedroom rather than disappearing into the toy box. Her hand-painted initial letters would make a particularly lovely Christmas present – something completely personal that could stay in their bedroom for years to come.
They’re also a gorgeous idea if you’re buying for a new baby or looking for a special present from a grandparent or godparent.
Needles in the Hay – Something Special for Little Ones
Needle in the Hay is another lovely independent business to add to your Christmas shopping list.
With beautifully embroided towels for little ones, it’s exactly the sort of small business I love discovering at Christmas. They are not only a thoughtfully gift but also extremely practical!
Rather than automatically heading to the big high-street names, businesses like Needles in the Hay are a lovely reminder that some of the most special children’s gifts can be found through independent makers and small brands.
Emily Edkins Illustration – A Little Bit of Christmas Magic
If you want to add a little extra magic to Christmas, Emily Edkins Illustration has some absolutely gorgeous ideas.
Emily creates beautiful watercolour illustrations combined with hand-lettered calligraphy, with some particularly lovely ideas for Christmas.
From personalised letters from Father Christmas and Nice List certificates to other festive keepsakes, these are the sorts of little touches that make Christmas with young children feel even more magical.
I particularly love the idea of a child receiving something from Father Christmas addressed especially to them. It’s not simply another present to unwrap – it’s part of the excitement and tradition of Christmas itself.
Kirsty Erskine-Hill – Hand-Painted Children’s Treasures
For something really special, take a look at Kirsty Erskine-Hill.
Kirsty is a decorative artist based in the Cotswolds and creates wonderfully colourful hand-painted pieces, including personalised children’s name plaques in gorgeous stripes, scallops, harlequin patterns and other designs.
She also creates bespoke hand-painted children’s chairs, which would make an incredible heirloom present.
These are pieces designed to be displayed, loved and kept – exactly the sort of thing that makes shopping from an independent artist so special.
www.k-e-h.co.uk/pages/bespoke-murals
Why Support Small UK Businesses This Christmas?
Running a small business myself has made me appreciate just how much work and thought goes into the products you buy from independent brands.
Behind every order there might be someone drawing, painting, knitting, printing, making, packing, photographing, answering emails and posting on Instagram.
When you choose to spend £20, £30 or £50 with a small business, that purchase genuinely matters. You’re supporting someone’s creativity, their family and a business they’ve worked incredibly hard to build.
And there are benefits for the person receiving the gift too.
Small businesses are often where you’ll find the unusual things – personalised presents, handmade pieces, beautiful illustrations and gifts that you simply won’t see everywhere else.
For children especially, I love the idea of buying fewer, more thoughtful gifts – things they’ll actually use, pieces that can grow with them and presents that might even become keepsakes.
And supporting a small business doesn’t always have to mean buying something. Following their social media account, sharing a post, recommending them to a friend or simply telling someone where you bought their present can all make a difference too.
So before automatically heading to the big retailers this Christmas, have a look at some of your favourite independent businesses. You might just discover something far more special.