Christmas Shopping

Manchester Craft & Design Centre, 17 Oak St, Northern Quarter, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M4 5JD - Visit now

A veritable mecca for all things artisanal, handmade and one-of-a-kind, Manchester Craft & Design Centre is home to an array of artist-run studios and shops selling straight from the makers. Head here for a tasteful selection of reasonably priced jewellery, ceramics, pottery, painting, clothing and more.

Rapha Clubhouse Manchester, 5 St Ann’s Passage, Manchester, M2 6AD - Visit now

For any cycle-loving friends and family, head straight to Rapha. African sheep leather mits, vintage merino woollen jerseys, bike-friendly city guides and all the ingenious gadgets you’ve never even dreamed of.

The Whitworth, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M15 6ER - Visit now

Selling a tastefully curated selection of artwork, ceramics, jewellery, stationary, homeware and more to complement the spirit of one of Manchester’s most loved cultural destinations. Check out HOME and Manchester Art Gallery’s shop too.

Oklahoma, 74-76 High Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M4 1ES - Visit now

As Manchester’s biggest independent gift shop, selling everything from fish-shaped plastic pens and vintage dominoes, to two-metre folding wood rulers and hand-crafted jewellery, Oklahoma is the place to stock up on those more eclectic stocking-fillers.

Fred Aldous, 37 Lever Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M1 1LW - Visit now

Nearly 130 years old and still going strong, Fred Aldous is Manchester’s one-stop-shop for high-quality art, craft and design supplies. Full of inspiration, a trip here is guaranteed to make creative friends and family members happy.

OBJECT, Chorlton, 519 Barlow Moor Rd, Manchester, M21 8QA - Visit now

A tiny, carefully-curated independent store in Chorlton with an unwavering devotion to quality, craftsmanship and simplicity. Well worth the tram ride.

Fig and Sparrow, 20 Oldham Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M1 1JN - Visit now

Not only the place for great coffee (and cake), but also a stylish selection of gifts and homeware from local designers.

Cass Art Manchester, 55-57 Oldham St, Manchester, M1 1JR - Visit now

Cass Art has finally come to Manchester, and just in time for Christmas. Not only does the shiny new store offer an inexhaustible range of art materials to satisfy any creative itch, but also workshops in areas such as Islamic Geometric Pattern Design and Contemporary Resin Jewellery Making, in case you’re going for a less ‘wrappable’ approach this year.

Magma Books, 22 Oldham Street, Manchester, Manchester, M1 1JN - Visit now

A bright, shiny publishing trove of beautiful art, culture and design books and magazines, plus limited-edition t-shirts, hipsterish temporary tattoos, upside down plant pots and more.

Altrincham Market, Market Street / Greenwood Street, Altrincham, Greater Manchester, WA14 1SA - Visit now

‘Passionately regional. Fiercely independent.’ As well as being a food-lover’s paradise, Altrincham Market’s themed weekends are also ideal for picking up unique handmade jewellery, vintage clothing, homeware and design-craft from North West traders.

Oi Polloi, 63 Thomas Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M4 1LQ - Visit now

Voted Manchester’s finest independent boutique by GQ Magazine and named style pioneer by the Guardian; Oi Polloi has one of the most covetable selections of classic and contemporary designer menswear around. Expect heritage brands with an urban edge.

49 Hilton Street, 49 Hilton Street, Manchester, M1 2EF - Visit now

49 Hilton Street is as much about ethically sourced, conscious consumerism as exemplary craft and style. Offering a wide selection of luxury artisan homeware and accessories, as well as lifestyle workshops and clothing by Beaumont Organic.

Chorlton Bookshop, 506 Wilbraham Road, Manchester, M21 9AW - Visit now

A cosy, independent bookshop in Chorlton with a wide range of fiction, non-fiction and children’s books. Anything they don’t have in, they’ll try and order for the next day – very helpful for last minute Christmas panic! Also a great selection of cards and wrapping.

Form Lifestyle Store, 6 Bradley Street, Manchester, M1 1EH - Visit now

Form Lifestyle Store is founded upon a love of the well-designed and perfectly-formed; encouraging the principle of buying fewer things and valuing them for longer. Everything on sale has been made by local, independent designers and creatives, selected for their unique attention to detail and craftsmanship.