How can you possibly tell from your screen if that scarf for Aunt Nell is as soft as it looks, or that the candle smells as gorgeous as the blurb promises, or ask staff for expert advice on their favourite skincare product? There is no better time of year to go into town for, yes, IRL shopping, first and foremost, but also, in no particular order: a Christmassy atmosphere and decorations, great pitstops for snacks, meals and drinks, and fun festive activities. Canary Wharf has it all; wander through its five spacious, warm, interconnected malls and festive shopping lanes to tick every gift off your list, stop for plenty of sustenance along the way, and book tickets for ice skating, boating, crafting or curling too. Read on to find out everything you need to know about seasonal shopping at Canary Wharf.

Fabulous Fashion

Don’t miss this in-store event, coming up very soon. On 11 December, Diptyque is giving a personalised (and complimentary) hand-calligraphed bookmark for every purchase over £120.

Newbie

Diptyque

It’s officially soiree season at Hobbs – we have our eye on a sequinned maxi dress and wool coat for ourselves, and gorgeous hair accessories and chic, cosy scarves to give as gifts. We’ll be dropping hints about a new Italian lingerie set from Intimissimi too. For harder-to-gift recipients, we’re not sure if you can do better than knitwear from COS; it hand-links three different fabrics together for extra softness. Waltz out in party shoes from Dune London, LK Bennett and Russell & Bromley – those reliably brilliant British footwear stalwarts – and excellent winter boots from all three too.

Any and every pair from Barker Shoes or Crockett & Jones is a super smart option for the man in your life (particularly the velvet slippers – they give off Traitors plus lord of the manor vibes) and these are brands that really know their stuff – founded in 1880 and 1879 respectively. Leave plenty of time to browse the covetable collections at Mango Man (new to Canary Wharf), BOSS, Polo Ralph Lauren and Hackett; where you can tap into this season’s trends for ‘Ivy League preppy’, functional outerwear, rich textures and tactile materials.

Shirts as gifts are always a good idea; a crisp new one puts a spring in one’s step, we find, so saunter over to Charles Trywhitt or Hawes & Curtis. At the latter, you’ll also find impeccable suits and all the formal accessories he could want, from cufflinks and pocket squares to belts and braces.

Gorgeous Jewellery & Accessories

Where to start? We should add at this point that Canary Wharf is brilliantly accessible, with plenty of lifts, escalators and signage, so shops (and services) are all easy to reach. At Monica Vinader, not only can you snap up sparkling goodies but you can also get items welded, personalised or monogrammed in store for extra special gifting. Tashola opened its doors in November and its fashion-forward pieces are as ideal for the teen in your life as older friends and family who love unique, bold and beautiful jewellery.

Gather more gleaming, glittering treasures at Swarovski and Pandora and head to the big guns for one of (in our humble opinion) the most special of presents: the experts at David M Robinson and Watches of Switzerland are brilliant at dealing with those who wander in with a vague ‘I’d like to get my husband/wife/godson’ a watch but not sure where to start…’. At DMR you can also commission gorgeous bespoke jewellery – as perfect for Valentine’s as it is for Christmas (it’s not that far away – plan ahead!).

Brilliant Beauty & Wellbeing

(MALIN+GOETZ)

Aesop

Small boxes often contain the most sought-after (and best smelling) presents. Canary Wharf is home to some of the scent and beauty world’s big hitters, from adored Brit brands Jo Malone London, Space NK and Penhaligon’s to cult Aussie favourite Aesop (the bottles are iconic), not forgetting the impeccable French flair of L’Occitane and Diptyque, and NYC cool of (MALIN+GOETZ). Products range from fragrances and all kinds of make-up and skincare to candles, diffusers and more; in-store services include makeovers and masterclasses (Space NK), and ear piercing (Monica Vinader). A gift voucher – from nail salon Townhouse London or skincare specialist Weather and Palette – is also always likely to be well received.

Homeware, Kids & More

Sostrene Grene

The White Company

John Lewis pull out all the stops at this time of year, from the moment that ad drops. We defy you not to be able to find half a dozen perfect presents (plus it has one of the biggest Waitrose in the UK, so you can pick up a haul of foodie favourites too). The White Company is putting its best foot forward too; head into store to browse fluffy cashmere, snuggly knitwear and the cutest kids’ Christmas PJs.

Moleskine is a sure-fire win for its first-in-class notebooks, both traditional ones and some very clever high-tech options, and we love Danish brand Sostrene Grene for its covetable furniture, charming homeware and crafting items. Last but certainly not least: head to the Pop Mart Robo Shop to find a Labubu (or few) for those in your life who adore the (honestly, quite creepy) little bunnies or other characters.

The Best Festive Food

We feel spoilt for choice when it comes to edible gifts in Canary Wharf, and slightly resentful about giving any of them away. Maybe now’s a good time to spell out Luxury London’s food-based stocking filler wish list? It starts with Charbonnel et Walker – truffles please, and ideally the champagne ones – then top up the chocolate at Hotel Chocolat; the Dapper Dogs and Penguin Posse might be aimed at kids but we really love them too.

For liquorice it has to be Lakrids By Bulow; for wholly Swiss chocs, Laderach; and we’d enjoy anything from Fortnum & Mason – they just don’t make anything sub-par. And last but not least, we won’t miss the Chai & Gifting Pop-Up in Canada Place (9-12 December); we plan to sip free morning chai and taste Dishoom delights while browsing gifts and goodies.

For more information visit canarywharf.com/thewharfpole