Birley Bakery X Macallan Limited Edition Panettone, £50
You can rely on the fact that anything purchased from Birley Bakery will be exquisite. But its 2025 limited edition panettone is special even by its own absurdly high standards – after all, its creator, Francesco Coratella (Executive Pastry Chef at 5 Hertford Street and Oswald’s) represented the UK at the Panettone World Cup in Milan last year. What’s more, its natural yeast has been passed down over 60 years – a crucial element of its leavening process, which takes place over three days. Its fruit, meanwhile, is soaked in Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old for maximum hits of fudge, citrus and soft spice. Anyone who receives this is in for the greatest of Christmas treats. Buy it.
Fortnum & Mason Queen Victoria Plum Pudding, £60
No one does Christmas pomp like Fortnum’s, and this is the grand dame of puddings – dense with vine fruits, and with a generous helping of Victoria Plum Preserve at its centre. We love that it pays tribute to Queen Victoria in rightful recognition of her lasting legacy of services to Christmas, and also that it comes in its own bespoke fluted basin that features a peacock motif (an homage to the decorative flourishes at the monarch’s Osborne House). Plus, there’s even at sixpence hidden at the bottom. A joy of a centrepiece pud. Buy it.
Lakrids by Bülow Winter Collection, £38.95
Liquorice, but not as you know it. The Danish confectionery brand transforms the humble black sweet into something that belongs on a Scandi design mood board – dark, glossy, and very, very sophisticated. Their winter edition wraps liquorice in chocolate, sour strawberry and salted caramel. The perfect gift, whether to oneself or others. (And if for others, we highly recommend adding one for yourself to the basket.) Buy it.
Daylesford Chocolate Clementine, £15
Remember when Heston Blumenthal made his iconic Meat Fruit’ dish, concocting the perfect clementine exterior which then gave way to chicken liver and foie gras? Well, Daylesford has pulled off the trick too – except that this one is constructed of chocolate (an improvement in our books – not a reflection on Heston’s genius, more on our sweet tooth). We could, in fact, have mentioned any one of Daylesford’s beautiful festive food collection, but this one brings theatre – and, well, Christmas could always do with more of that. Buy it.
Claridge's Christmas Cake, £55
Didn’t get round to making your Christmas cake in the autumn? No problem. As one might expect from a hotel that is the last word in luxury, this one is a rich concoction baked with brandy-soaked fruits, citrus zest, nibbed almonds, ginger and black treacle, plus it’s topped with the hotel’s crest in sugar. If you can’t go fancy at Christmas, when can you? Buy it.
Claridge’s Boatyard Distillery Winter Solstice Gin, £35
And whilst our fingers are hovering over the ‘add to basket’ icon at Claridge’s, we find we can’t resist this spectacular looking bottle. From the Boatyard Distillery in County Fermangh, it’s basically winter in a bottle thanks to being made with ‘deconstructed Christmas pudding to highlight notes of candied orange, raisin, clove, ginger, nutmeg and more.’ Go on then, just a dram. Buy it.
Panzer’s Smoked Salmon Side – Pre-Sliced, £85
Turkey may be synonymous with Christmas, but everyone needs a little morsel of smoked salmon – ideally on a blini – to balance the meat marathon. Panzer’s is sustainably sourced and melts in the mouth. Buy it.
Pump Street Gingerbread Chocolate, £8.45
Pump Street chocolates are amongst the very best. This gingerbread bar is ideal for those necessary Christmas pick-me-ups or for sharing in front of a festive film. With tasting notes of spiced plum, ginger root and molasses, just wait for the deliciously toasty finish. Buy it.
Carluccio’s Baci al Pistacchio, £14.95
From the moment you crack open the jar, these biscuits signal that the season of pleasure is in swing. A twist on the classic baci di dama, each buttery pistachio-infused biscuit (yes – real roasted pistachio flour) plays perfect foil to a rich dark chocolate filling. A bit of Italian elegance for your stocking, coffee table or last-minute gift pile. Since Dubai chocolate, the world has gone mad for pistachios – and these morsels proves why. Buy it.
The Fine Cheese Co. Ceramic Stilton Pot
Every pot from The Fine Cheese Co holds a hand-ladled, Nottinghamshire-made blue-veined delight – smooth and creamy, with that signature buttery richness and long, softly peppery finish. The ceramic pot itself is a little work of art, illustrated by John Broadley in a style evoking 18th-century blue-and-white china: functional, festive and highly gift-worthy. Serve it alongside port, walnuts or crispbread and watch revellers queue for the last scoop. Buy it.
Nettlebed Creamery Cheese Gift Box, £39.50
Yes, more in the way of fromage. But then surely every Christmas table needs cheese, cheese and more cheese. This beautifully curated trio from Oxfordshire’s organic Nettlebed Creamery brings together three award-winning cheeses – the soft, buttery ‘Bix’, the matured ‘Highmoor’ and a portion of ‘Witheridge in Hay’ – all packaged with free UK delivery for a seamless festive treat. Organic, locally made, and beautifully simple, pair with crisp crackers, a cheeky glass of chilled white or light red, and let the evening unfurl accordingly. Buy it.
