The best list of gift ideas from local Cornish brands and businesses.
Okay, so I’m officially starting to get excited about Christmas! Each year, I put together a gift guide of Christmas gifts for Cornwall lovers and people who want to support our county’s wonderful small and independent Cornish brands, and this year, I’ve decided to combine a couple of years’ worth of posts into one ULTIMATE guide, which I plan to keep updated each year.
These gift ideas are all things I have personally tried and tested, and LOVED, myself – this is NOT just another round up list put together from internet research. These are all Cornish brands and businesses I have had the opportunity to work with or pay for myself and therefore I’m super excited to be recommending them!
Please go ahead and bookmark this page (save it in your browser) for easy access whenever you need to buy a gift for someone (or for yourself!), not matter what time of year it is. These ideas aren’t just for Christmas, these could be for birthdays, anniversaries, or just a random treat.
Table of Contents:
Use the below links to jump quickly to the section you’re looking for.
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Cornish Food & Drink Gifts
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Cornish Beauty & Fashion Gifts
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Cornish Home & Lifestyle Gifts
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Cornish Stationery Gifts
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Cornish Books
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Cornish Experience Gifts
Cornish Food & Drink Gifts
The Raw Chocolate Pie Company
The Raw Choc Pie Company are vegan, dairy free, gluten free, soya free, refined sugar free, organic, fair trade, and DELICIOUS! They have tonnes of flavours to choose from and even fudge bars too that you can buy online; the perfect stocking filler treat!
View the Raw Chocolate Pie Company website.
Rebelicious Drinks
I’m so excited about this Truro based company! Not only is their branding just the BEST (go check out their website, it’s so fun!), their CBD oil infused soft drinks are delicious too. They’ve created a ‘Real Cola’ and ‘Cream Soda’ using ethically sourced ingredients, and 11mg of CBD oil for the ultimate relaxing beverage.
View the Rebelicious Drinks website.
Stargazy Rum
Produced by one of my favourite St. Ives restaurants, The Rum & Crab Shack, Stargazy Rum is an absolute must have gift for rum lovers this Christmas! It’s an indulgent caramel rum liqueur made with Cornish sea salt and gorse-flower, and the branding is all the Gatsby glamour I need in life!
View the Stargazy Rum website.
Aluna Rum
While we’re on the topic of rum, Aluna Rum is another beautifully branded, Cornwall based company creating a vibrant, Caribbean taste with their low sugar, fresh flavour. I’d recommend adding a splash of this to your hot chocolates this winter!
Tarquins
You can’t go wrong with a bottle of Tarquins. Known throughout the UK as a premium gin with iconic branding, there are so many amazing flavours to choose from too! My personal favourite is the British Blackbery Gin. They also offer fun gin tasting tours at their distillery outside of Padstow too.
Penzance Gin
Created in Penzance and inspired by the Art Deco beauty of the Jubilee Pool, Penzance Gin is a deliciously flavourful tipple that can be enjoyed either with tonic and a slice of orange or on its own over ice (I don’t normally say that about gin, but this tastes divine!).
Floreat Wines
This sparkling, botanical wine is not only vegan, low alcohol and low calories, it’s also infused with a blend and balance of herbs and vitamins, for the ultimate guilt free tipple.
Visit the Floreat Wines website.
Espresso Martini Jars from Brew Cornwall
Sophie from Brew Cornwall runs the most beautiful mobile coffee van you’ve ever seen, taking the best brews all around Cornwall. I am so envious of her coffee-fuelled van lifestyle, and I love her new ‘Espresso Martinis in a Jar’ idea that make the cutest stocking filler gifts and go down a treat!
View the Brew Cornwall website
Yallah Coffee
If you have any coffee lovers on your list to buy for, I’d highly recommend checking out Yallah Coffee! Based in Falmouth, their blends are super tasty and beautifully packaged. You can buy individual packs, their special Christmas Gift Set with a few options to try, or give the gift of a ‘coffee subscription’ for 6 months! They’ve also just released a decadent drinking chocolate with Chocolarder as well.
View the Yallah Coffee website.
Cornish Beauty & Fashion Gifts
Bloomtown
With soaps, lip balms, sugar scrubs, hand & body wash, face masks, body oils and more, Bloomtown is now my go-to for any beauty or skincare related gift (and for treats for myself, of course!). Their products are all vegan, cruelty-free and palm oil free, and they’re based here near Falmouth too!
El Camino
I love this gift idea for travel lovers from a company in Newquay called El Camino! You start with a handmade cord bracelet, and add on your own customisable beads and steps that relate to your travel stories. There are stainless steel ‘country steps’ or ‘small steps’ to choose from (I have a ‘Cornwall’ step, and a ‘Montenegro’ step – my two favourite places in the world, so far!), as well as glass coloured region steps or beautiful ‘ocean’ steps (I have the ‘Atlantic ocean step’, of course). With each step you buy, you also get some coconut spacer beads too. Such a great concept for a gift that will remind your loved one of all their favourite places!
Tegen Jewellery
I’ve always been a huge fan of Tegen Jewellery ever since seeing their photoshoots, and many of my friends wear her beautiful rings too! Her bohemian style jewellery (from necklaces to bracelets) make fantastic gifts, with her sea glass collection being my absolute favourite. They are so elegant and a true keepsake of Cornish seas.
View the Tegen Jewellery website.
Stephanie Stevens Jewellery
We are blessed with so many talented jewellery makers and artists here in Cornwall, all offering a variety of different styles and skills. I love Stephanie’s attention to detail, and I wear my ‘Semple’ necklace all the time.
Visit Stephanie Stevens website.
Love Kernow Jewellery
Lucy’s resin pendant collections are super unique! I’ve never seen jewellery like this before and they definitely make an impact. You can spend ages getting lost in the detail of the different resin swirls, reminding you of the Atlantic ocean.
Visit the Love Kernow Etsy shop.
Best Makes Cornwall
Best mates, Becky & Tara, have a huge range of beautiful handmade clay earrings on their website, all in unique and quirky patterns that are designed to make a statement. These make really affordable, fun gifts – though you’ll probably find it tricky to decide which pairs you love best!
Visit the Best Makes Cornwall website.
Basho Skincare
I honestly had no idea about the wonders of face oils until I tried Basho skincare. Their all-natural, organic oils feel totally luxurious, come in a range of calming scents, and work wonders for the skin.
Visit the Basho skincare website.
Beauty Kubes
These plastic-free, vegan shampoo bars make a great stocking filler gift for the zero waste warriors or savvy travellers in your life. These come in so handy if you’re on a trip with just hand luggage, and they make your hair feel squeaky clean too.
Visit the Beauty Kubes website.
The Sea Tree Company
I’ve worked with Olivia creating an online shop for her beautiful jewellery, and she’s been kind enough to send me some of her gorgeous gemstone bracelets too! It’s no exaggeration when I say I wear these bracelets most days; she has so many colour combinations based on birthstones, or intentions (eg. confidence, happiness, strength etc) and I always get compliments too.
View the Sea Tree Company website (that I designed!)
Cornish Home & Lifestyle Gifts
Alesa Designs
Local illustrator Aleksandra has a range of beautiful graphic prints of different places in Cornwall available on her Etsy shop. I absolutely love the pastel colours she uses, and the quality of these prints is really high too. She also has a gorgeous Cornwall Calendar for 2021 featuring 12 of her illustrations as well.
Cornish Coastal Candles
With candles, wax melts and reed diffusers, there’s something for everybody in the Cornish Coastal Candles range. The scents are amazing, and they’re all hand-poured with 100% soy wax (vegan/cruelty free) here in Cornwall too. You can’t go wrong with these as gifts for Christmas!
View the Cornish Coastal Candles website
Bahasa Bamboo Toothbrushes
Based in Newquay, Bahasa is a fantastic little business focusing on sustainability! Their uniquely designed range of bamboo toothbrushes would make fantastic stocking fillers for your environmentally conscious friends. They are totally plastic free and really high quality too.
Atlantic Blankets
I don’t know why but I think blankets, throws, and picnic rugs really make the best gifts! I think it’s because it’s not something you’d usually spend too much on yourself, but when you have a REALLY nice one you end up loving it forever. I’m obsessed with their recycled cotton collection too – so pretty.
Visit the Atlantic Blankets website.
Ebb + Flow Towel
I absolutely love Ebb + Flow’s selection of beautiful Hammam towels; I have the Hendra one (grey and white, obviously!) and I’m always bringing it places with me. It acts as a picnic rug, scarf, blanket, towel AND a super pretty photo prop too. I washed mine recently and plan on keeping it indoors through Winter as more of a ‘decor’ towel in the house.
Wild Sea Calligraphy
Lyndsey from Wild Sea Calligraphy not only creates beautiful personalised calligraphy gifts (think baubles, engraved glasses etc.), but also sells her amazing calligraphy-at-home kits, which supply you with everything you need to practice calligraphy yourself at home. I have spent so many hours using mine and find it so therapeautic!
Visit the Wild Sea Calligraphy website.
Circular&Co Reusable Cup (formerly rCup)
As travel mugs go, this is definitely the best I’ve tried! We use it most days. This 12oz is made from recycled single-use paper cups, and is also 100% recyclable itself too. The reason why it’s our favourite is because it is 100% leak proof – trust me, we’ve tried and tested it!
Visit the Circular&Co website.
Kernow Alstroemeria
These locally grown flowers are absolutely beautiful, and can be very festive too. KA also offer a subscription service, delivering new bunches of flowers to your (or your loved ones) door on a regular basis, which I think would make a lovely gift that keeps on giving.
Visit the Kernow Alstromeria website.
Green&Blue
For any gardeners and outdoors lovers in your life, definitely go and check out the Green&Blue website for their awesome range of modern, quirky garden decorations – such as their ‘bee bricks’ and bird feeders.
Cornwall Stationery Gifts
Daily & Weekly Desk Planners from byRosanna
A bit of shameless self promotion for my design business! I sell these A5 daily desk planners and A4 weekly desk pads over on my other website’s shop, and I think these make great gifts for any self employed people you know or anyone who likes to stay organised.
Hometown Journals
Designed and brought to life by Hannah (who previously created the inFalmouth magazine), Hometown is a creative journal that helps you to see and explore your local area in a new way. There are 130 fun and mindful exercises inside, and it’s all beautifully illustrated by Falmouth based illustrator, Josie Staveley Taylor too. This would make an incredibly thoughtful gift!
View Hometown Journals on Etsy.
Spilled Ink Stationery
I worked with Ellie last year creating her brand and logo design for her new Cornish stationery business, and I think these would make beautiful little gifts. Who doesn’t enjoy receiving gorgeous illustrated notebooks at Christmas?
View the Spilled Ink Stationery website.
Cornwall Inspired Books
Eat Surf Live
I absolutely love this little Cornish guidebook! It’s so quirky and unique, with a mish mash of recommendations, journal entries, beautiful photography, poetry and even traditional Cornish recipes. I’d highly recommend this as a stocking filler!
South West Independent Coffee Guide
We all have that one person in our lives who is weirdly fanatical about coffee, right? Well, this one is for them! Specifically talking about indie coffee shops and blends in the South West of England, this would make the perfect ‘coffee’ table gift (get it??) for your coffee-crazy pals.
Wild Guide: Devon, Cornwall & South West
This book is absolutely fantastic for anyone who is obsessed with the outdoors and loves things like wild camping, secret coves, sea swimming and finding hidden spots for campfires and bbqs. Such a great reference book that is a guaranteed hit!
Cornish Experience Gifts
*** At the moment I appreciate it’s hard to plan ahead with experience gifts as with social distancing it can be uncertain whether some of these will still be able to run and what they will look like, but I’d encourage you to try and support your local events businesses by staying positive and perhaps purchasing gift vouchers instead, or booking for later in 2021.***
Pampering
Some of my favourite gifts to receive have to be these types of experience gifts that leave you feeling pampered and totally spoiled, such as a message or a special spa / beauty treatment!
- At-home treatments with Home Spa Cornwall
There’s nothing quite like finishing a long relaxing massage, only to roll off the table and into your PJs onto your sofa in the next room! No driving and no stress necessary. - Luxurious treatments at No3 Lash & Brow Bar in Truro
For anything lashes, brows, nails and tanning, No3’s beautiful big new salon on the heart of Truro feels super luxurious; a great place to grab a gift voucher for a loved one who needs a treat. - Splurge with a spa day
I’m very fortunate to have tried quite a few different spa days around Cornwall, so please do take a look at through my previous reviews!
Active Days Out
For adrenalin junkies and fun-lovers, take a look at some of these fun days out you can try in Cornwall:
- Segway Lakeview Experience
My mum bought this experience for Alex and I and we had the best time! Ant is so kind and friendly and really helps build up your confidence. - Tamar Trails Tree Climbing Experience
Climbing through the trees on ropes, doing zip lines and drops… this was so much fun and I’d definitely recommend for all ages. - Newquay Activity Centre
Whether you fancy a coasteering session, kayaking, surf lesson, paddleboarding etc. NAC has you covered! I’ve tried a few of their activities and it’s always great fun; again another great place to grab a voucher for someone.
Food & Drink
Lots of bars & restaurants are doing things a bit differently right now, but for the most part at the time of writing this, most places are still open and needing the support of locals to keep them going through this tough Winter! One of the best ways you can support them is through buying gift vouchers for your loved ones to enjoy a meal on you.
- Afternoon Tea
There are plenty of hotels and places that offer delicious afternoon teas in Cornwall, but my favourites have to be the Scarlet Hotel (for a super luxurious treat), and Merchant Manor’s quirky ‘High Tea’ (which is themed around CBD oil infused drinks and food!). - Restaurant meals
There are so many amazing restaurants here in Cornwall I wouldn’t know where to start in recommending them! But luckily I have reviews of most places I’ve visited (there’s a lot!) here on the blog, so go and check them out.
Retreats & Fun Weekends
These would be on the pricier end for a gift, but perhaps for someone very special…
- Cornish Wave Adventure Weekend
This was one of my favourite weekends ever; we spent a weekend learning to surf, trying coasteering, and wild camping in a beautiful hand-made campsite. This would make an incredible, memorable gift! - Freewave Surf Academy Retreat
Based in Bude, these retreats can be enjoyed privately if you book as a large group, or individually, which means you can meet lots of other surf enthusiasts and learn together in a luxurious house over the weekend. I absolutely loved this experience! I’m not sure when they’ll be planning the next one, but it’s another great business to buy a voucher from too.
Getaways
Again for someone super special, why not book a nice or weekend away at a beautiful Cornish hotel or stay? I have LOTS of recommendations in my ‘Where To Stay’ section of my blog, or below are 3 of my favourites…
- Lewinnick Lodge (Newquay)
The rooms at Lewinnick Lodge are so beautifully designed and serene, with views over the ocean, I can’t wait to go back there someday! - The Valley Cornwall (nr. Truro)
These luxury 5* gold holiday cottages are set within beautiful countryside and have all the facilities you need for a relaxing stay in the heart of Cornwall. - Greenbank Hotel (Falmouth)
We stayed in one of the suites here and it was total luxury! With views over Falmouth harbour, you really can’t beat it.
Remember to also go and check out Cornish Christmas markets that are happening where they can this year! Browsing craft stalls with beautiful handmade items made by local makers is a great way to find unique gifts for your friends and family. There may be fewer than previous years but I have still heard of a few going on, so take a look on Facebook or in your local community forums to see how you can support small Cornish crafters this year.
Not on the list yet? It’s not too late to be added to this Cornwall gift ideas resource!
Get in touch with me at contact@thecornishlife.co.uk if you’d like to be featured. Even if there’s not time for 2020, it would be great to hear from you about being featured in next year’s Christmas gift guide too!
* Indicates affiliate link, but I am only recommending items here that I have personally used and loved!
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