Christmas is nearly upon us and where I live in Leigh-on-Sea I’m surrounded by so many fantastic small businesses. I’d love to share them all and I do often share many on my social media channels, but this year I’ve selected ten of my favourites who I know are offering fantastic gift ideas that are available locally – many are online too.
Despite everything that 2020 has brought us, I have been admiring the passion and support for small businesses across the nation. Supporting a talent, amazing craftsmanship, and above all, a dream! Just like my dream when I launched The Mortgage Mum. You might have heard the saying “when you buy from a small business, an actual person does a little happy dance”, well I can assure you it’s true…
1) Treasures on Sea
Beautiful, hand poured candles, wax melts and other home fragrances. 100% Natural Base, made with 100% soy wax and essential oils. Soy wax is vegan, biodegradable, natural, renewable and toxin free. It burns 20-50% longer, its cleaner and it also has a better scent throw. They have the most beautiful fragrances with a special range especially for the festive season. Treasures on Sea have also just opened their first boutique in Leigh-on-Sea, an amazing achievement in the year of the pandemic!
2) Picture This Books by Holly Wadsworth-Hill
These beautiful children’s books are all words and no pictures, with blank spaces for children to draw pictures the way they interpret the story – and draw it precisely how they see it. Holly has launched two books now, The Imagination Garden and The Light Inside, telling beautiful mindful-led stories written to encourage imagination, creativity and equality, celebrating the beauty of diversity. My daughter, Sienna, absolutely loves them and I can’t wait to give her the 2nd one for Christmas!
3) Bear and Bloom
An enchanting shop of hand-illustrated prints and decor, lovingly designed for daydream believers of all ages. We love their encouraging words and nostalgic illustrations, together with gorgeous colour palettes to delight your eyes (and walls). My children love their prints, as do I, and we love their newly launched Fierce sweaters as well as the nature inspired woodland prints.
4) Bookalicious
A fabulous book shop hosting the most exciting, innovative, creative and inspiring children’s books. With some brilliant books for the grown ups too! Llydia offers amazing customer service with virtual personal shopping appointments and a bespoke gifting service to make sure you get perfectly suited books for those little readers in your lives. Visit the Bookalicious social channels to see a display of some of the books available. I don’t know about you but I love gifting a child a book. It’s a timeless, precious gift.
5) Other Kids
Other Kids is a local kids shoes, fashion and accessories shop to me and offer great shoe fitting service for children. I love how they curate their collections with style and sustainability in mind, providing quality to last longer. Their Instagram grid is dreamy to follow but be careful because you’ll want everything they sell! They stock great toys as well as fashionable treats for us too!
6) Coco-Boo Lingerie
Another local favourite of ours because there is nothing quite like Coco-Boo Lingerie. A French-inspired boudoir selling a variety of beautiful and high-quality lingerie and loungewear as well as catering for bridal, maternity and post-surgery. They have introduced virtual fittings via Zoom due to the pandemic and are highly qualified fit-by-sit bra specialists, meaning they can provide a service across the whole UK. We love the amazing loungewear and gift accessories they have in stock especially for Christmas!
7) Other Letters
Our go to shop for all our party, decoration, tableware and greeting card needs! Located in the heart of Old Leigh, this fantastic shop has an online store too. Enjoy many stylish and alternative decorations and add a much needed dose of fun to your festivities this Christmastime.
8) Anahata Yoga Centre
I love the idea of wellbeing gifts this Christmas. A local yoga studio, Anahata, is offering gift vouchers for classes, workshops, courses and retreats. From yoga, pilates and mindfulness classes to nurturing sound healing workshops and gong baths – perfect for our overall wellbeing. Many of their classes, workshops and courses can be accessed online meaning you could treat anyone in the world with the gift of wellbeing this Christmas – your loved ones will thank you for it! Email anahata.leighonsea@gmail.com to buy your gift vouchers.
9) Eden Beauty and Aesthetics
When you enter Eden’s doors you instantly feel like you have entered a sanctuary heaven. The smell of the spa-inspiring Elemis products and the luxury interiors instantly feels like you are in for a blissful treat at this salon – and you really are! I love their Elemis facial and body treatments for a real indulgent experience. Gift vouchers are available too, perfect for those you know who live local to Leigh-on-Sea.
10) Argosy Toys
A local business with a huge reputation and an all time favourite for so many! Argosy Toys are an independent toy shop who have been around for 70 years!! They offer local delivery (which sometimes arrives the same day) and stock all of your kids favourite brands. They are a great one-stop-shop for all the toys, puzzles and games you’ll need this Christmas.
I hope you like the brands I’ve short listed for this blog post and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you all for supporting my dream as well as theirs.
Sending festive wishes to you all. Shop local, shop small businesses. You can make a huge difference.
Sarah x
Sarah Tucker
Founder/Director of The Mortgage Mum
