There's only one more full weekend until Christmas, so if you haven't yet got your Christmas presents you might be looking for some last minute gifts. Luckily, these indie businesses are here to save you from giving a lump of coal.
Anyone in Leeds is pretty passionate about their city, so gifts about our favourite city, or at least from local sellers, are bound to be a winner with any of the Yorkshiremen and Yorkshirewomen in your life.
With it being the season of giving and all, it's easy to want to secure presents as quickly as possible, and whilst Amazon Prime might deliver the next day- chances are plenty of local sellers will do the same (and appreciate your custom a hell of a lot more).
So we've rounded up the best local talent to get you your Christmas gifts in time for the big day so all you need to do is collect your favourites.
Keep reading to discover the best place to buy independent, last minute Christmas gifts in Leeds.
Colours May Vary
Corn Exchange, Leeds city centre | Open from 10.30am
Image: Colours May Vary
Inside the Corn Exchange you'll find a wealth of independent artwork, food offerings and even a place to grab the perfect print, plant or record. Those serarching for beautiful wrapping paper, books, postcards and other home accessories should look no further than Colours May Vary. We'd recommend having a peek at the collection of recipe books and curated selection of photography from the local area.
The perfect present for any foodie has to be a guided or self-guided tour from Leeds Food Tours. A feast for all the senses, this is a flexible guide around the city all based around food. The tours can take place any day of the week- and all you need to do is purchase the guide online, so no waiting around for the postie either.
Foodwise, there’s a choice of bao buns, tacos, falafels and gyozas on offer- and that’s just the beginning. All the options are available as gluten free friendly, veggie and vegan too so that no dietary requirements have to stand between the recipient and their food. Tickets to each food tour cost £65 per person, and include six stops across the city.
Find out more here.
Trad Collective
Otley Road, Headingley | Open from 10am
Image: Trad Collective
Trad is a new concept store in Headingley that sells sustainable and upcycled clothing, including the biggest range of Freida Kahlo jackets you've ever seen.
Their small collection of stationery, jewellery and prints from artists both near and far also come from indie makers, so shopping here means you're supporting a whole chain of small businesses.
The much-loved sweet treat sensation is bringing the perfect gift in bite size portions this Christmas. Choose from all your usual brookies, brownies, cookie dough, dog-friendly gifts and hot drinks, plus a whole host of special Christmas-themed treat boxes. Grab yours from either the Roundhay store, Redbrick Mill Cafe, or pop-ups at Vicotria Gate and Trinity over the weekend.
Harrogate Road, Chapel Allerton | Open from 9am (10am Sundays)
Image: The Little Bookshop
Dedicated to children’s books, including some rather incredible novels on young activism and social justice, The Little Bookshop is a one-of-a-kind bookshop that is guaranteed to get your little ones turning the pages. The quaint little store is full of enough books to allow a child’s imagination to run wild and the selection is varied enough to be challenging and bring up different topics of discussion. There’s an adults section too, just through the back of the store- so there’s something for all ages to find.
Food lovers with a passion for cheese, charcuterie or anything from Yorkshire- you'll find everything you need from Cheesy Living Co. The lockdown success story can be found inside the Corn Exchange, and there's everything from Savvy Baker brownies to give as gift sets to Thiccc Sauce hot sauce sets made right here in Leeds.
Still need to get some last minute Christmas gifts? Then head down to Trinity Leeds shopping centre this weekend where you’ll be able to fill your stockings with fantastic gifts from local independent retailers.
Have a mooch around 15 different local independent businesses from COCO WILD jewellery makers to rum distillers, Libations Rum. Pick up a forever bouquet from Pampas & Bloom or some sweet stocking fillers from Frankly Delicious. Why not finish off your Christmas tree with a handmade decoration from Homebirds Weaving Shed and stay fuelled with fresh brownies from The Savvy Baker.
To have a sneak peek of the full line-up, take a look at the Curated Makers instagram.
Curated Makers Shop
Trinity Shopping Centre, Leeds city centre | Open from 9am
The majority of designs here are centred around Leeds and West Yorkshire, with local phrases like ‘ey up‘ and ‘mardy bum‘ available on mugs and prints - but you can also get a range of music lyrics from local bands printed and framed to your liking at Curated Makers.
The store has over forty different sellers' products inside, making it your one-stop indie shop for gift getting this Christmas, plus there's a pop-up market this weekend (Saturday 17 December 2022) over in Trinity Shopping Centre.
The gift of food, especially this time of year, is always welcomed and with such a diverse range of places to shop for last minute gift sets or additions to your Christmas dinner table, the last Oakwood Farmers Market will be bursting with fresh ideas. Expect Rabbit Hole Coffee, Sian's Indian Express, Church View Eggs, Leeds Bread Co-op, Mario Olianas and plenty more to fill your baskets and your bellies this weekend.
There's no better gift for a lover of Leeds than, well, a picture of Leeds. Stay with us on this one, Millistrations prints cover all the most beautiful spots in and around the city centre that are the perfect gift for anyone missing their favourite places.
If you're looking for a humorous Christmas card, look no further than Emily Rend Prints. The hilarious artist has illustrated the most outlandish moments of this year, including plenty of LUFC offerings.
Available as cards, prints, tea towels and more, Render also has a range of Leeds United gifts for anyone searching for an Elland Road fan.
You couldn't find a more unique gift for a Harry Potter lover if you tried. This two bedroom turret house can sleep up to six people, including two children and is equipped with everything that a muggle could need, including a Diagon-Alley-esque bathtub and Grounds Keeper cottage exterior.
Give the gift of a stay by the sea and give someone you love a break from their every day with this thoughtful gift.
One of the best memorable Christmas gifts is a good book. With over 80 Little Free Libraries dotted around Leeds and its suburban surroundings, there's a great opportunity to give the gift of reading to those you care about, all for a minimal cost.
All you need to do is take a book and replace it with another book, then wrap it up and gift it. Not only is this a minimal cost gift, but it's also extremely sustainable and encourages others to gift mindfully over the Christmas period.
'Tis the season to sit on your backside and do nothing but gorge on mountains of food and watch TV for hours on end as you make your way through all the Christmas specials and best of British telly you can muster.
Now, there's nothing worse than when it feels like there's nothing on you're stranded in that spot on the sofa that's too comfy to vacate, so that's where we come in.
Along with all the usual stuff you'll find in the TV guide at this time of year, we thought we'd round up some of the very best British Christmas specials to have ever aired - that way you'll have a steady supply of festive viewing and barely need to move an inch.
In no particular order, let's get stuck into it, shall we?
Where else to start than with the pride of Wales and a series that millions watch from start to finish every year? Gavin & Stacey. Still revered as one of the most beloved comedies to ever come out of the UK, their two festive specials are also part and parcel (pardon the pun) of many Brits' Christmas.
It still feels a bit weird going back and watching Corden as Smithy before the days of American fame, that first Nessa entrance; Uncle Bryn being, well, Bryn - even the soundtrack takes us back, but with a third special and ultimate 'Finale' airing at 9pm on BBC One on 25 December, it's time to do it all over again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSFldB3KEp4
'OH! What's occurin'?...'
9. The Office - 'Christmas Special' (Part 1 and 2)
Next up is not only this particular telephile's ultimate Christmas TV event but possibly one of the very best episodes of British telly in history. Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant broke new ground with this genre-defining comedy and while they fine-tuned cringe throughout the series, this was pure heart.
Rom-com juggernaut Richard Curtis dubbed this two-part Christmas special spread across just 96 minutes as the culmination of what he believed to be "one of the great romantic stories of all time" between Tim and Dawn, and the perfect end to a "masterpiece". You'll hear no arguments from us.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GanUwGPbc6I
Is it the best Christmas special in British TV history?
8. The Royle Family - Christmas Specials (1999, 2000, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012)
Another classic not only British but fundamentally Northern comedy, The Royle Family perfectly captures the comfortable monotony of sitting in the front of the telly for hours on end - especially over the holiday season.
There are multiple specials to get through and while they all do a great job of creating that familiar feeling of a working-class family's front room (they nailed that throughout the entire show), the 1999 Christmas with the Royle Family special where the late great Caroline Aherne's water breaks and that tear-jerking scene with Ricky Tomlinson... it gets us every time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aKaCVZl-b4&t=20s
Still has us weeping just as much now as it did back in the day.
7. Peep Show - 'Seasonal Beatings'
Cauliflower may or may not be traditional but one thing we can agree on is that watching Peep Show's hilariously miserable, ill-mannered, tense ever-awkward and bloody brilliant Christmas episode from 2010 is very much part of our annual holiday ritual.
The fifth episode of the seventh season - which many would rightly champion as peak-era Peep Show - may only last less than half an hour but it feels like an eternity of familiar festive agony and walking on egg-shells before the fantastic crescendo that is Mark pouring gravy into a shredder. Merry ChrisMark!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ38jTQcO1k
If you don't think Peep Show's Christmas special/festive episode is one of the best in British TV history, you're just wrong, sorry.
6. Ted Lasso - 'Carol of the Bells'
Approaching the halfway mark and we're going to be somewhat controversial and introduce not only a very contemporary pick but one that isn't technically a UK production, but the show is set entirely in England and there's one thing it has tried to be since the start it's very overly British.
Now, we're going to qualify that we have a weird relationship with Ted Lasso; it's by no means the funniest thing we've ever seen and the broad-strokes American look at football is frustrating at times, but one thing this show does do well is being incredibly sincere and never more so that in its Christmas special. Plus, you get to hear Hannah Waddingham sing her pipes off - what's not to like?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXZdEHUroCU
Christmas is about reminding your loved ones how much they mean - regardless of what you make of the show, this episode nails that.
5. Extras - Christmas Special (Part 1 and 2)
Our penultimate pick is also our second Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant creation: the Extras Christmas special, which aired back 2007 and still has some of the funniest gags in the history of British TV as far as we're concerned.
Managing to rope in even more big names for this equally cringeworthy and even painful to watch at times conclusion to the show which also ran for just two series like The Office, the frustrating arc of Gervais' main character Andy Millman is such a great payoff when all is said and done. Only an hour and a half in total, well worth sticking on if you've never seen it before.
Just look at how many famous faces they managed to rope in for this fantastic two-parter. (Credit: Press Image via BBC)
4. Doctor Who - 'End of Time' (Part 1 and 2)
From a David Tennant cameo to him in arguably one of his greatest-ever performances in his final full-time appearance as the space-travelling Time Lord in what we are officially declaring the best Doctor Who Christmas special to date and some of Russell T. Davies' very best work.
It's hard to believe it's been nearly 15 whole years since the national treasure said goodbye to the role in the gut-wrenching two-parter which also saw the return of John Simm as 'The Master' but we're still confident that there hasn't been a better Xmas/New Year's Day special pairing since this one. Here's hoping RTD's recent return will mean this year's is back up to his very high standards.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8D7RaZQ2xWo
That delivery of 'I don't wanna go' still makes us well up.
As we gradually approach the end of our list, we want to give so much deserved love to what we think isn't just the underdog of British telly but an unsung hero when it comes to spotlighting friendship, positive male relationships and downright fraternal love. It's Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Finishing - the festive editions. We especially love the one with Mr 'Driving Home For Christmas' himself, Chris Rea.
If you've ever sat down to watch an episode of this laid-back laughter-filled show, you'll know that these two can often achieve that warm, heartfelt and cosy feeling regardless of whether it's Christmas or not. It's also a great antidote to any latent toxic masculinity left on screen and with some serious emotion being laid bare in these Christmas specials episodes especially, for us, this is what reality TV should be.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHqDwF_Q28M
Two very wholesome chaps.
2. Click & Collect
Ok, we promise this is the last Merchant mention on this list as we're intensely aware of some bias on our end, but this straight-to-TV BBC short film really took us by surprise when we first saw it and is well worth setting aside a nice round hour to enjoy.
Not only does the core premise feel like a very relatable scenario for many parents rushing to sort out everyone's Christmas presents in time but it's a touching tale of family, kindness and sparing that extra bit of patience during what can be a tough time of year for lots of people. You'll love it.
And finally, what better place to round off this list than with only the series consistently voted the greatest British comedy of all time but the episode that is widely considered its best-ever Christmas special? It can only be Del Boy and Rodney dressed up as Batman and Robin in 'Heroes and Villians'.
Now, there is a whopping total of 18 Only Fools Christmas specials and we're sure everyone has their own personal favourite, but surely there isn't a single one more iconic than the first episode of the legendary 1996 festive trilogy. It also sets up events for 'Time on Our Hands', one of the most moving scripts they ever wrote, but it all starts with the much-loved duo plodding through the mist in capes.
It's still regarded as the best British comedy ever, but where does it rank on the list of all-time greatest Christmas TV specials?
A very Christmas special mention...
Father Ted - 'A Christmassy Ted'
Not technically British we know but the cult Irish hit remains one of the funniest comedies to ever come out of our corner of the world and if you've never seen Ted, Dougal and a bunch of other clergymen get stuck in a women's lingerie section like it's a warzone, you're seriously missing out.
Mrs Doyle is her usual quick-witted self and Father Jack can be found making the occasional outburst from his chair as usual and overall, 'A Christmassy Ted' is a very funny bit of seasonal telly.
Come on, you have to agree - we absolutely smashed that.
Some old, some new, some maybe a little bit out of left field but all absolutely guaranteed to keep you entertained this festive period.
If you think we've made the cardinal sin of missing an all-time TV great then please feel free to give it to us in the comments and educate on the best British Christmas specials.
In fact, one of our other writers, Emily, has forced me to add a line about The Vicar of Dibley Christmas Specials too... so here's the line. You can also find her round-up of all the best new bits coming to the box this holiday season down below.
Do Yorkshire puddings belong with your Christmas dinner? 12 million+ Brits think so
Emily Sergeant
Our county's finest creation is eaten on roasts, wraps and Christmas dinners it would seem.
More than 12 million Brits would argue that your Christmas dinner needs a side of Yorkshire puddings, a shocking survey has revealed.
The survey in question carried out by retailer Next - which polled a total of 2,000 Brits about their Christmas dining and tableware habits - has uncovered that millions of people stray off the beaten track when it comes to, what we can all agree is, one of the biggest and heartiest meals of the year.
It turns out, Brits like a lot of unusual items on our Christmas dinner plate.
Some of the most obscure finds the survey is that two million people admitted to eating onion rings alongside their turkey and sprouts, and a further 5% (3.4 million) Brits like tucking into a bit of seafood on Christmas Day.
A surprising 4% (2.7 million) of people admitted that they like to add ketchup to their Christmas dinner plate - with mac and cheese, chips, and sweetcorn also making the top 10 list.
More than 12 million Brits think Yorkshire puddings belong with your Christmas dinner / Credit: Rumman Amin (via Unsplash)
If all of that wasn’t mad enough as it is, one of the most shocking stats from the survey is probably the fact that a whopping 1.4 million respondents even said that they wouldn’t consider it a Christmas dinner without the addition of baked beans.
But when it comes to Christmas dinner, there’s probably one debate that’s bigger than them all, and is still yet to be decided - do Yorkshire puddings belong on your Christmas dinner plate or not?
Well, 12.7 million Brits believe that they do, and we reckon a good chunk of that number is us northerners.
The UK’s top 10 non-traditional Christmas food items
Yorkshire Puddings (19% - 12.7 million)
Bread sauce (5% - 3.4 million)
Seafood (5% - 3.4 million)
Ketchup (4% - 2.7 million)
Mac and cheese (3% - 2 million)
Onion rings (3% - 2 million)
Chips (2% - 1.2 million)
Bread (2% - 1.2 million)
Sweetcorn (2% - 1.2 million)
Beans (2% - 1.2 million)
A new survey has revealed has uncovered that millions of people stray off the beaten track for Christmas dinner / Credit: Lisa Baker (via Unsplash)
While previous research has shown that the most common items on a British Christmas dinner are roast potatoes and gravy, these latest stats reveal there are some people out there who just like to do things a little differently.
But no matter how you like to eat it, a delicious Christmas dinner is always going to be something to celebrate, right?
Sophie Smith -
13th December 2022 
