The best crackers in London

OK, so I could start this post with a dodgy pun on crackers, but I'll try to restrain myself. Instead, just check out the best crackers for 2007.

Holly/Ric Rac Christmas Crackers, £10 for a set of six, from Cath Kidston.

Christmas Tree Crackers, Blue and White, reduced to £10 for a set of 12, from John Lewis. Each cracker contains a gift, motto and hat. The gifts include a shoe horn, compact mirror, playing cards, screwdrivers, address book, tape measure, pad lock, bottle opener, tweezers, travel chess, photo frame and pen.

Fiesta Christmas crackers, £45 for a box of six, from The Conran Shop. Each cracker contains a hat, joke and a gift.

Nine mini crackers, £5, from Paperchase.

Eight premium crackers, £13, from Woolworths.

Sergeant Major and Sugar Plum Fairy Crackers, £40 for a box of six, from Fortnum & Mason. Each cracker contains a wooden toy or instrument.

For an eco-friendly bang...

Ethical Christmas crackers, £25, from Made. Crackers are handmade in Africa using back issues of Grazia and other recycled materials. Each cracker contains a gift made from recycled items, as well as a Grazia party hat and teaser.

Berry Eco Christmas Cracker, £4.50 each or six for £25, from Biome Lifestyle. The wrapping around the cracker is handmade from seed paper, so you can plant the paper after Christmas and grow some pretty wild flowers. Each cracker is filled with an eco-tip and a small gift like a charitable donation or a fair trade keyring.

And don't forget your dog...

Polka Pet Crackers, £15 for one, from Fortnum & Mason. Contains a diamante pet collar charm.

If money is no issue ...

Traditional Christmas crackers, £499 for six, from Harrods, 2nd floor Christmas World. The crackers are hand-crafted and contain silver gifts.

Ballroom flock Christmas crackers, £299 for six, from Harrods, 2nd floor Christmas World. Each cracker is hand-crafted and contains a silver gift.

Or, have a go at making your own...

Check out this post at Meet Me at Mikes, which includes some links to some fab online tutorials. Also, check out Paperchase for their nifty DIY cracker kits, complete with snaps and paper.

And go out with the biggest bang of all...

Exploding chocolate bomb £85, from The Conran Shop. The bomb is filled with enough chocolates and gadgets for 15 people.

Stockists:

The Conran Shop
www.conranshop.co.uk
The Conran Shop Chelsea
Michelin House
81 Fulham road
London SW3 6RD
Tel 020 7589 7401

The Conran Shop Marylebone
55 Marylebone High Street
London W1U 5HS
Tel 020 7723 2223

Paperchase
www.paperchase.co.uk
Click here for store locations.

Harrods
www.harrods.com
87-135 Brompton Road
Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7XL

Fortnum & Mason
www.fortnumandmason.com
181 Piccadilly
London W1

Biome Lifestyle (online only)
www.biomelifestyle.com

Woolworths
www.woolworths.co.uk
Click here for store locations.

John Lewis
www.johnlewis.com
Click here for store locations.

Cath Kidston
www.cathkidston.co.uk
Click here for store locations.

Made (online only)
www.made.uk.com

London shopping: traditional Christmas decorations

If you love traditional European folk art decorations, make a beeline to East London right now.

Head to Shelf on Cheshire Street for their endearing range of hand-carved Christmas decorations from the Erzgebirg region in Germany. These traditional wooden folk art decorations, otherwise known as Erzgebirgische Volkskunst, are highly collectable and come in a variety of scenes and figures. I love the wooden spinners, which are generated by lit candles, as well as the ornately carved trees and the tiny wooden figurines. Best to get in now because Shelf has reduced the price on these decorations by 40 per cent.







Shelf
40 Cheshire Street
London E2 6EH
Tel: 020 7739 9444

Opening hours:
Friday afternoon by appointment only
Saturday 1pm-6pm
Sunday 11am-6pm
Nearest tube: Liverpool Street

Nearby on Shoreditch High Street, you can pick up some adorable traditional Swedish decorations from art supply store Cowling & Wilcox, starting at 75p for a mini red horse. The store’s owners have Swedish roots, and the handmade decorations are all based on traditional folklore.

The decorations are also available in their Soho and South London stores. If your tree is already full (although, there’s always room for one more, yes?), tie on a wee Swedish star or angel to your Christmas parcels. Brown wrapping paper with red ribbon would look ace.

Traditional Swedish Christmas decoration, £2.25, from Cowling & Wilcox.

Cowling & Wilcox
West London:
26-28 Broadwick Street
Soho, London W1F 8HX
Tel: 020 7734 9556
Opening hours:
Monday-Friday 9.30am-6.30pm
Saturday 10am-6pm

South London:
8-12 Orpheus Street
Camberwell, London SE5 8RR
Opening times:
Monday-Friday 9.30am-6.30pm
Saturday 10am-6pm
Sunday 12pm-5pm

East London:
112 Shoreditch High Street
Shoreditch London E1 6JN
Tel: 020 7033 3685
Opening times:
Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm
Sunday 12pm-5pm

Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

Wreath-ink it

The ancient Celts took a fancy to holly for its magical protective powers, whilst the pagans worshipped the evergreen during winter solstice celebrations. Fast forward 2000 years and what’s your spin on the Christmas wreath going to be? Take your pick from this lot:

Signature orange wreath featuring magic roses, hydrangea, poppy heads, hypericum berries and ivy, from £60, from The Original Wreath.

Forever Green wreath featuring holly, hypericum berries, eryngium, rosemary, pittosporum, blue spruce and eucalyptus, from £45, from The Original Wreath.

Traditional fresh Christmas wreath featuring ivy, dogwood, apples, chillies and cranberries, by Snapdragon, £32, from Not On the High Street.

Beaded wreath, £3 for three, from Woolworths.

Pop-up wreath decoration, US$29.95, from MoMA.

Crystal and berry wreath, £31.49 for two, from VVRouleaux.

Traditional wreath, £7, from Woolworths.

Sequinned Christmas wreath, £29.95, from The Conran Shop. Tel. 020 7589 7401

Driftwood Christmas wreath by Devon Driftwood Designs, £185, from Not on the High Street.

Recycled wreath, £25, from Biome Lifestyle. The wreath is made from recycled materials by a small co-operative in Africa.

Because everyone needs a Christmas pickle...

"The Christmas Pickle" felt ornament, US$10, from Peachpop's Etsy store.

MoMAmia!

I love this year's Christmas line-up from the Museum of Modern Art. The 3D-design cards are as clever and cool as usual, and the jewel-coloured baubles are oh-so-pretty. Best of all, you can shop online and they deliver worldwide. Here's my pick of the bunch:

Holiday glow card, US$17.95, for a set of eight, from MoMA.

Snowflake cards, US$17.95 for a set of eight, from MoMA.

Nesting dolls cards, US$17.95 for a set of eight, from MoMA.

Tinsel town cards, US$15.95 for a set of eight, from MoMA.

Fancy drop ornament, US$22, from MoMA.

Skaters snow globe ornament, US$18, from MoMA.

Pop ornaments, US$38 for a set of nine, from MoMA.

Christmas tree glass ornament, US$22, from MoMA.

More festive faves

It's not too late for readers in the UK and Western Europe to buy up from Belle and Boo's endearing Etsy shop in time for Christmas. I especially adore her ever-petulant Little Madam Angel dolls.

Little Madam Angel, US$19, from BelleandBoo's Etsy shop.

Christmas Boo Tags, US$30 for 30 tags, from BelleandBoo's Etsy shop.

Under the Mistletoe print from an original illustration, US$20, from BelleandBoo's Etsy shop.

Pick of the mangers

When we spied artist/writer/musician Massimo Giacon's version of the Nativity for Alessi, it ticked all the right boxes for the Italian company's knack for producing innovative design with a fun aesthetic. The porcelain modular manger comes complete with a wee ox, donkey, Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus (sporting quite a spiffy quiff).

Massimo Giacon & Alessi's Nativity, US$105, from A+R store.

Alternative Christmas baubles

Want a different spin on your Christmas decos this year? Just take a look at these little beauties. Yule love 'em (sorry, couldn't resist):

Christmas biscuit baubles tin, £38.50, from Biscuiteers. These delightful biscuit baubles are made using Biscuiteer’s own Christmas spice recipe, and come ready for you to hang on the tree. Or send your sweet-toothed mate a special edible biscuit card, for £8.50. Photos courtesy of www.bigfish.co.uk.

“All I Want For Christmas is a Grade II Listed Country Residence” decoupaged bauble, signed and numbered, £10 per bauble, by Samantha Allan for The Shop Floor Project.

“Chimera” bauble, £16.50 each, by Reiko Kaneko for The Shop Floor Project.


Fabric Christmas baubles by Gorgeous, £5 each, from Not on the High Street.

And for a very nerdy Christmas...

Atari-Ouch-Joystick (original hand-sewn felt ornament), US$10, from Peachpop’s Etsy store*.


Star Wars felt ornaments, US$60 for a set of 12, from Blackrose1151’s Etsy shop*.

*Please note that Etsy's items are often one-offs, but always contact the shop's owner if they are not currently in stock.