If you know us lot in the bus depot, you will know that we truly only get excited about a nice cup of strong tea, a secret look at Daily Mail online showbiz pages, and the annual weekend away in Margate with the Creative Bus Stop crew. But, once a year, we get pulled kicking and screaming into sharing all the tips we hear on the No. 19 route about the best places to shop for Christmas treats, and juicy mince pies.
So here is our guide for those that still believe in the wonder of Christmas, and like to share the magic. If you are looking for Christmas Markets across the UK, or even fancy a weekend away in search of the best bratwurst, then look here on the only website dedicated to christmas markets and little else. PLEASE drop us a comment below, or tweety tweet or email to tell us what we are missing, and we will keep adding to the list, so we can make it a one stop bus stop of all the finds in town between now, and when the turkey curry runs out. xo
Sample Sales & & Open Studios & Lovely shops
Sparkle & Spin : kids online boutique : up to 50% sale online.
Ella Doran : Ella is opening up her studio doors every Advent Sunday (1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd December) from 11am – 4pm.
Lula Sapphire : kids online boutique : up to 25% sale clothes & toys online.
East London Design Store : East London Design Store 6a Ada Street London E8 4QU + 44 (0)207 254 3760
Designer Warehouse sales 6-8th December : Womenswear : 5-6 Islington Works, Thane Works, Thane Villas N7 7NU
Antipodium Sample Sale : Friday 13th December : Unit 23, Cremer Business Centre, 37 Cremer Street, London E2 8HD
Christmas Markets & Pop Ups
East London Design Show : 5-8th December : The Old Truman Brewery Hanbury Street Entrance Off Brick Lane London E1 6QL Admission: £5 Concessions: £3 Accompanied children under 15: free. Enchanted garden area for kids.
Somerset House : The Christmas Arcade is open until Sunday the 5th of January Opening Times: 10 – 8pm but check online for specific weekend hours.
The Winter Festival : Southbank : open now until 6 Jan.
BUST Craftacular : Sunday Dec 8 : York Hall (See flyer) one of our all time favourite moments in December, which has the best atmosphere of craft lovers, and even if you want to people watch whilst your partner-in-crime checks out the treats, you will be in good company/ A very cool gathering of crafting folk.
The Of Cabbages & Kings Market will be back this Christmas in Stokey: 10am – 5pm, Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th December : They promise it will be bursting with brilliant gift ideas alongside all things Christmassy. From home wares, fashion, jewellery and textiles to artist’s prints and crafting kits, our designers and makers will be offering up gifts galore! Find them at Abney Hall, 73a Church Street, Stoke Newington, London N16 0AS
Angel Christmas Fair is an affordable art and design fair with 50 stalls offering a wide range of products. Find them at Candid Arts Trust, between 6 – 8 December. Friday 5-9pm and weekend 11-6pm.
Cockpit Arts Open Studios : Holborn: 29 November – 1 December & Deptford: 6 – 8 December : Friday 11am-9pm, Sat & Sun, 11am-6pm : Tickets: £5 both venues / £3 Deptford only. Free Friday 6 Dec. Free under 15s. : Ticket includes entry all weekend and Prize Draw! Cockpit Arts supports extraordinary craftspeople, creating exquisite work. They are an award winning Social Enterprise and creative-business incubator. Proceeds from the Open Studios fundraising event help support designer-makers making work in the UK.
The East London Design Show : the Old Truman Brewery 5- 8th December : Find home wares, prints, lighting, furniture, ceramics, jewellery and well done them most importably, activities for the kids. Tickets are £5, £3 and free. Times : Thursday 12-6pm Weekend 10-6pm
The British Library, Christmas Market : Sat 30 Nov 2013 – Fri 6 Dec 2013, 10.00 – 18.00 : Piazza, British Library. The market will open until 20.00 on Friday 6 December as a prelude to their LATE event, an evening of decadent pleasure and entertainment celebrating the Georgian era.
The Oak Room at Hatfield House : Late Night Shopping : Thursday’s. Come and shop with the Stable Yard Retailers : Santa’s Elves will be in Stable Yard for this occasion to 7pm helping children of all ages write a personal Christmas Letter to Santa and offering a special gift wrapping service.
Made with Love Christmas Sale : Saturday 7th : 12-5pm : East Dulwich Tavern, Lordship Lane,
Barbican Design Market : until 22 December : Well curated designers showing jewellery, accessories, decorations and homewares
Maltby Street Market : Open every Sunday from 11-4pm
Leadenhall Festive Market : 11-4pm : until 20 December : Leadenhall Market, EC3V 1LR
Crafty Fox Christmas Markets : Brixton (7th/8th Dec) & Peckham (14th Dec) : Hand-picked designer/ makers, workshops, dh’s and drinks
MORE Christmas market : London Riverside : Se1 2DB : 13-15th December : Food and craft stalls, with some singing and jazz thrown to take your mind of the cold.
Columbia Road, Christmas Wednesdays : Every Wed in December the traders open their doors for late night shopping until 9pm
Family Events & Fairs with family activities
Saatchi Gallery Family Workshops :
Sunday 1st December 2013 : Drop in to the education room between 10am – 1pm : All ages welcome. Come and join Nadine Wright, Artist and Educator, to make your very own art inspired Christmas cards and wrapping paper. Come prepared for plenty of glitter and paint! (£2 per item)
Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th December. Drop in to the education room between 10am – 1pm. All ages welcome . Spend the morning making your own hanging Christmas mobiles with gold branches and Christmas themed silhouettes, led by Emma Rock and Phoebe Darling, Artists and Educators. (£2 per item)
Saatchi Gallery : ANIMATION WORKSHOP: LIGHT, SHADOW AND BODY LANGUAGE : Saturday 21st December : 11-3pm: £20 per child : 10-16 years : Join Betsy Dadd and Rozenn Logan, Artists and Educators, for a day of creative fun! We will experiment with the playful animation technique ‘pixilation’. Using the shadows cast by their own bodies, participants will create moving image pieces that explore the idea of gesture, choreography, body language and abstraction. The day will include a tour of the main gallery exhibition and a practical workshop, finishing with a mini cinema screening of the work created – popcorn provided! For more information and to book a place please email: rozenn@hotmail.co.uk
SATURDAY 7TH DECEMBER 9:30AM (Hampstead store) : Rudolf is our muse for this present making workshop where we’ll be creating photo frames using lollipop sticks and foam. Use them as decorations or put your photo in it and give it to your nearest and dearest as a gift for Christmas. Cass Art Hampstead. Free, drop in 9.30am-11.30am Materials provided, for all ages 4+ Children must be accompanied by an adult
Creative Bus Stop 