Buying Christmas presents: a third year student’s store guide!

With the advent of December comes the beautiful season of Christmas, hot chocolates, winter wonderlands, scarves and of course… gift-giving! Every year, as I buy gifts for my loved ones, I am reminded of just how much of a love language gift-giving (and receiving) really is.  Nothing warms up the chilly days of Christmas more than spending time with all your favourite people- sharing stories and exchanging gifts.

Having lived in Cardiff for two years, I have realised where all the best gift shops are and this Christmas, I am sharing it with all of you.  So, here is a guide that highlights all my favourite ‘Christmas gift’ stores:

1. Flying Tiger

Hands down my favourite store in all of Cardiff to shop for loved ones (throughout the year but Christmas is EXTRA special)! Stepping into the Flying Tiger outlet in the City Centre is always a treat, thanks to the wonderful selection of gifts they house- be it the cutest soft toys or their beautiful planners or their wide selection of party games. Almost everything in this store can be described as immensely cute and as such, becomes the best place to shop for Christmas presents. Every year, I also buy Christmas-themed lights and decorations such as fake trees and candles from Flying Tiger and the quality has never let me down. It can be a bit pricey for some DIY kits and some games but other than that, would highly recommend.

2. Wally’s Delicatessen and Kaffeehaus

Another store that screams Christmas gifts and winter to me has to be Wally’s Delicatessen and Kaffeehaus. If some of your receivers (like mine) prefer foods or drinks as Christmas presents then you are in luck cause Wally’s, located 5 mins from Cardiff Central station, has an amazing collection of chocolates and alcoholic beverages and world foods. The chocolates they have are some of my favourite in the city and I would highly recommend checking out their wine collection along with their cheese platters. Moreover, their Christmas-specific food is so good that I always take it to whatever Christmas party my friends plan so don’t be shy to check out this store.

3. Christmas Market stalls

At the risk of sounding cliched, I have to admit that the Christmas Market stalls have grown on me over the years. While I too couldn’t look past the prices of the items sold in these stalls, I have now realised that the organic, handmade quality of these gifts is worth every single penny that you spend here. My favourite stall in this wide stretch has to be the chocolate stall near Queen’s Arcade tied along with all the stained glass stalls this year. If you’re looking for some tiny gifts for yourself, I would also recommend the candle and diffuser stalls. These stalls are also always filled with very warm people who are there to help you out if you’re confused as to what to buy. You can also bring your loved ones along and have a blast at the market.