Consider Christmas sorted with this handy Christmas Gift Guide, certain to locate the best gifts for your friends and loved ones this holiday season.
This Christmas, look locally for a range of thoughtful gifts that encompass the best of Suffolk. With unique ideas for foodies, adventurers, dare-devils and self-care devotees of all ages and tastes, these unusual gift ideas are sure to evoke a grin of recognition or bring about a giggle of joy!
Fishers Gin Gin Lover's Experience
For the gin enthusiast in your life,
Fishers Gin offer two fantastic gift options: ‘The Ultimate Gin Lover’s Christmas Gift’ includes a bottle of Fishers Original, Fifty, or Smoked Gin, as well as a voucher for a seasonal tour & tasting for two at their seaside distillery in Aldeburgh, a gift for now…and for later!
Or for the indecisive, choose the ‘Festive Gift Pack Mini Collection’ which features a 20cl bottle of each of Fisher’s signature gins. For cocktail aficionados, the ‘Suffolk Negroni Collection’ contains everything you need to craft a Suffolk-inspired classic Negroni at home. Cin cin!
A cycling tour with Cycle Breaks
Encourage your loved ones to set off and explore the beautiful Suffolk countryside by bike with
Cycle Breaks. A perfect Christmas gift that the recipient can redeem come spring or summer time; these cycling tours invite you to enjoy Suffolk’s charming landscapes on two wheels, creating memories to last a lifetime.
Highlights include the 'Grand Tour of Suffolk', a definitive bike tour taking in castles, ancient villages, and the stunning Heritage Coast. Cyclists can relax in Southwold and Woodbridge, explore medieval wool towns, and marvel at Constable Country, Bury St Edmunds, and Helmingham Hall. For a shorter option, 'Castles & Vineyards', offers a delightful taste of Suffolk with visits to a local vineyard, a working windmill, picturesque villages, and the iconic flint castle in Framlingham—all whilst skimming along the winding roads of rural Suffolk.
Baking Course at The Next Loaf
Gift the joy of baking with vouchers for
The Next Loaf Baking School, where the star baker in your life can rise to the challenge of adding something new to their baking repertoire.
Frustrated bakers will love the ‘Sourdough baking’ class which will help them to unlock the secrets of the perfect sourdough as well as allowing them to take control of the ingredients in their bread and ensuring a truly authentic sourdough loaf; they’ll even take home a sourdough starter so they can keep practicing all year long.
The ‘Introduction to Baking’ class is great for anyone who wants to learn the fundamentals of sweet and savoury bread making. Learn to mix, shape and bake a range of breads and fruity buns, honing a lifelong, very tasty skill. There’s even a half day class where attendees learn to make the iconic Portuguese Pasteis de Nata or egg custard tarts. These delectable morsels have a custard filling infused with lemon zest and cinnamon encased crispy shell made of buttery layered puff pastry. Perfect for home bakers or anyone wanting to learn new skills, these classes also include homemade refreshments and a delicious lunch.
Fire & Feast Workshop
Treat someone special to a culinary adventure with
Fire & Feast Suffolk. Their 2025 workshops, which take place in North Suffolk every spring, comprise of a range of workshops including woodfire cooking, green wood carving, and foraging—all set against the backdrop of a beautiful wildflower meadow on the Fire & Feast Family farm.
Prefer dining? Vouchers can also be used for summer supper events or Sunday brunches in Fire & Feast’s atmospheric tipi. A gift that promises unforgettable experiences.
Suffolk Escape Room
Experience festive fun for the whole family at
Operation Mince Pie: Countdown to Christmas at the
Suffolk Escape Room. Imagine the scene: it's Christmas Eve and nearly time for bed. Everything is ready for the big day, you just need to put out the carrots for the reindeer and mince pie for Santa. But wait... someone has eaten all the mince pies and the shops are now closed!
Work together in teams of 2-8 to save Christmas by finding the last mince pie in this interactive puzzle-solving adventure. Running from November 13, 2024, to January 26, 2025, it’s a fantastic gift for families, friends, or colleagues looking for a unique holiday activity. The game is wheelchair accessible and dog friendly, it's the ideal way to get into the Christmas spirit and develop your teamwork!
Sailing Experience with Sea to Peak Expeditions
Sea to Peak Expeditions offers unforgettable sailing experiences along Suffolk’s picturesque coast; with its beautiful rivers and abundant wildlife. Options include day sails, morning or evening trips, and overnight cruises, starting from £50 per person.
The weekend trip begins in Felixstowe and includes a trip to London. Why not organise a gift like no other and book the whole boat for an exclusive group adventure? Gather together your family or friends and set off away from the hustle bustle of the land and explore the winding river ways accompanied by your own dedicated skipper.
seatopeakexpeditions.co.uk/
Snape Maltings Christmas Collection
Snape Maltings is a wonderful place to visit all year round but at Christmas it’s especially festive and is a treasure trove for gift ideas, and a morning browsing their shop is a morning well spent.
How about this stunning handcrafted Tunisian mug with a lid, perfect for the friend who is always forgetting to drink their coffee while it’s hot. A scented candle is always a welcome gift, this Abbaye Countess Marie candle from Illumens, based in Bury St Edmunds is scented with orangey citrus notes blended with sage and rosemary from the herb garden, inspired by inspired by a visit to a 12th Century Cistercian abbey in Picardy.
Pair it with this unusual brass bell candle snuffer for the ultimate in sophistication. If you know someone who loves interiors, this 100% cotton Kantha bedspread will bring a pop of colour to a room whilst being traditional and heirloom in its style. Suitable for queen and king sized beds, the blue triangle design is contemporary and classic in equal measure.
Be sure to visit Snape’s food court before you leave, they stock a range of delights from the very best of Suffolk’s food and drink producers, including Stokes, Pump Street, Fishers Gin and Edmunds Cocktails.
Combine these local finds with the other items from the UK and beyond such as award winning Italian pasta, oils and antipasti, lavender honey from Provence as well as the finest Charbonnel et Walker truffles and you'll have the ultimate hamper to gift to friends, family or maybe to yourself!
shop.snapemaltings.co.uk/
Pinneys of Orford Hamper
If you’d prefer a ready made, curated hamper, look no further than
Pinney’s of Orford. They specialise in the best of locally sourced Suffolk produce and they have a few hampers that are perfect for seafood lovers.
Their coastal picnic hamper is stocked with the finest smoked salmon pate, smoked salmon, sweet pickled herrings as well as stuffed olives and crackers. Sophisticated and simple, the luxury Salmon and fizz hamper contains Pinney’s award winning smoked salmon paired with a Suffolk Charmat Rosé from Flint vineyards.
The decadent oyster lover’s hamper is perfect for a surprise gift on Christmas eve or boxing day and includes a dozen plump oysters fresh from the Butley Creek. They even supply a lovely wooden handled oyster knife, tabasco for those who like a little spice, and a fresh lemon for a squeeze of flavour.
Suffolk Hamper from Emmett's
Have yourself a smokey little Christmas with
Emmett’s; a family business and suppliers of artisan bacon and ham, based in Peasenhall, Suffolk. With a range of hampers and gifts to suit all purses and palates, you’ll be able to select the right gift for the foodie in your life.
Emmett’s cheese, chutney and ham basket is priced at £94.95 and includes a bottle of house red Rioja, a jar of red wine onion chutney, a crystallised orange, a piece of stilton and a piece of unsmoked cooked ham in an Emmett's gift basket.
Emmett’s charcuterie bag is great selection of some of the popular charcuterie products available, and includes a piece of picante chorizo, a packet of sliced Jamon Serrano Reserva and Cecina (air dried beef), packets of pitted green olives in extra virgin olive oil, cocktail olives in extra virgin olive oil and sweet onions in vinegar, all for £34.95.
The outstanding Suffolk Ham Basket (£395) is the ultimate in Christmas foodie gifts and includes a whole Suffolk black ham cooked on the bone, 2 bottles of Emmett's Rioja (red and white) a jar of date and lime chutney and a jar of banana chutney, 2 packets of Emmett's bacon, a bar of 80% plain chocolate with almonds, a jar of Suffolk honey, a packet of fine cheese crackers and a whole picante chorizo.
Collen & Clare Christmas Collection
If you’re looking for a coastal chic gift for her, look no further than the Christmas gift selection at
Collen & Clare. From delicate jewellery and high end beauty to cosy knits and accessories, you’ll find more than enough to fill a stocking or put under the tree. Their suggestions include the Caudalie Beauty Elixir Christmas set, stunning Vanessa Baroni earrings perfect for special occasions and luxury knitwear such as the American Vintage puffball cut jumper made from a blend of Italian yarns including super soft Alpaca with turn up cuffs, long sleeves and a v-neck.
Adnams Make Your Own Gin Experience
It’s great to gift an experience, even better when that includes a tipple! Gift your loved one the chance to craft a bespoke bottle of gin that’s tailored to their taste, with an
Adnams Make Your Own Gin experience.
They will make their way down to the Gin Lab, at the heart of the Copper House Distillery where an Adnams Gin Maker will guide them through the process of making their own unique bottle of gin. Following a short tour of the Copper House Distillery to see the full-sized operation, they will learn about how to craft a great-tasting gin, from balancing a wide variety of flavours and aromas to understanding the influence of the distillation process. Experts will help them to develop their own recipe from a wide selection of provided botanicals and they will go on to distill, fill and name a personal bottle. The experience also includes a tasting session and lasts approximately 2.5 hours, so why not book a couple of tickets and make it a day out for two!
Pump Street Chocolate
Pump Street Bakery and craft chocolate makers are ideal for chocolate lovers and stocking fillers. Explore the exquisite gift ideas available this Christmas, with their gift boxes and indulgent collections. Delight dark chocolate lovers with the Chocolate Gift Box - Dark, a beautifully presented trio of bean-to-bar creations featuring Ecuador 85%, Jamaica 75%, and Madagascar 72%—each wrapped in gold for an elegant touch.
For the ultimate festive feast, The Works Collection showcases the bakery’s finest seasonal creations, including a hand-poured chocolate Father Christmas, caramelized hazelnuts, candied orange slices dipped in rich chocolate, and seasonal bars like Panettone 70% and Gingerbread 62%, all packaged in a chic organic tote.
Celebrate the flavours of the season with the Chocolate Gift Box - Winter Collection, offering three Bakery Series bars inspired by festive bakes—Panettone, Gingerbread, and Maple Pecan—each wrapped with illustrations of heartwarming winter moments.
Finally, for the adventurous foodie, the Rare Batch Box provides exclusive access to small-batch delights and experimental creations from the chocolate makers and bakehouse; great for anyone who likes surprises and trying new things.
Arts & Craft Workshops at East Point Pavilion
Perfect for the crafter in your life, East Point Pavilion have a series of arts, crafts and creative workshops on offer from January - March. These relaxed sessions are open for anyone interested in trying something new - no experience needed and include crafts such as macrame, sewing, watercolour painting and pottery. Best of all, they range from just £5 - £20 so are purse-friendly too!
eastpointpavilion.com/melting-pot
Take a look below for more independent shops & delis on The Suffolk Coast!