Dear Santa, this year I want to spread as much joy as possible! And why not, tis the season to show the special women in your life how much you care. Whether it's your mum, sister, best friend or one of your yoga buddies, Christmas is a wonderful opportunity to let them know how special they are with a thoughtfully chosen gift and card that will make their festive season sparkle.
I'm Laura, the founder of Rock + Realm, a Spiritual Wellness Shop specialising in ethical crystals. As a UK based small business owner myself, I love to use this time of year to support other small businesses and select the best handcrafted and unique gifts on offer in the UK.
Independent businesses, artisans and designer makers really do put their heart and soul into their creations and trust me, your gift recipient can tell the difference!
I'm really fortunate to belong to a number of small business communities that mean I get to discover the absolute cream of the crop of UK independent female owned businesses. This also gives me behind-the-scenes access to see first-hand the passion, talent and utmost care that these lovely founders and artists put into their work, ensuring every gift delivers on its promise to add magic to Christmas morning.
And so, just like Santa's little elf, I'm here to sprinkle a little inspiration and share my insider wisdom on the most soulful Christmas Gifts on offer from my favourite UK Indie brands.
What you'll find in our UK Small Business Gift Guide for the Women you Love
- Hand-crafted Christmas Cards
- Personalised Journals & Notebooks
- Inspirational Artwork and stationary
- Nourishing Beauty and Spiritual Wellness Gift Boxes
- Quirky handmade and unique Christmas Decorations
9 Heartfelt & Handmade Christmas Gifts from Lovely UK Small Businesses
Grab a glass of mulled wine, hot chocolate or egg-nog and start scribbling out your Christmas wish list or ticking off your Christmas gift must-haves...
1. Fun, Felty & Festive: Spruce up your decor!
Christmas is a time to be jolly and spread a little joy and I think these beautiful handcrafted felt Christmas trees more than fit the bill!
Bright and quirky, they will spruce up (pun-intended) your home and bring a smile to your face as you deck the halls.
Leonor, founder of Eleanor Shadow says "These mini Christmas trees are perfect for anyone who has limited space to decorate for the holidays but still wants to add some seasonal cheer to their personal space - from the work office desk to the the living room, these mini trees are sure to jolly up any room!"
Eleanor Shadow is a fab Scottish Indie brand, where you can indulge in hand dyed yarns and handmade knitting accessories, perfect for the crafters in your life or anyone who dabbles in a spot of mindful knitting.
Get to know Leonor via Instagram @eleanor.shadow
2. Unique, beautifully illustrated Christmas Cards
Sending Christmas cards doesn't need to be a chore or done out of habit, you could relish the opportunity to rekindle friendships and strengthen connections with a well chosen and thoughtful card.
Jess, founder of Jess A Little Creative says "I want to help you to connect more, with my range of unique greeting cards. I truly believe that more kindness, love and connection can be found by sending beautiful, meaningful cards to the ones we love."
Jess A Little Creative offers elegant eco-friendly high-quality greeting cards boasting Jess' unique illustrated designs that are so lovely your friends and family will cherish them forever, being more likely to frame them than pop them in the recycling bin.
Get to know Jess on Instagram - @jessalittlecreative
3. Home is where the heart is at Christmas
Personalised gifts really show the recipient how much thought you've put into their Christmas present... no whiff of Amazon Prime last minute Christmas Eve panic for them! Imogen Partridge hand painted House Portrait Christmas decorations are a lovely personal Christmas gift and something that can be treasured and passed through the generations.
Imogen says "I really wanted to avoid adding to the disposable nature of some Christmas presents and to create something that will really mean a lot to the recipient."
Imogen uses ink and watercolour to bring places and stories to life in her handcrafted gifts for truly special occasions. With a donation to Shelter included with each Christmas Decoration, you're truly giving from the heart.
Follow Imogen Partridge on Instagram - @imogen.partridge
4. Inspirational Artwork to Adorn their walls
Our home environment has a huge role to play in how we feel, so gifting unique and inspirational artwork at Christmas is a lovely way to boost someone's mood all year long. I love the inspirational statement prints at Skudaboo for placing in your hallway as a daily affirmation. There's also beautiful paintings to suit everyone's personal style.
Katie, founder of Skudaboo says "Art prints make lovely and thoughtful gifts as they can be so unique and personal. By choosing a print that resonates with the recipient's style, interests, or memories, you're really showing that you know them well and so it will definitely to bring a smile to their face!"
Skudaboo, run by Katie in Bristol UK, is a handpicked collection of affordable and eclectic giclée art prints, frames and home décor that showcases amazing artists from around the world.
Be inspired by Katie via her Instagram - @skudaboo
5. A Box of Beauty for your Besties
2023 has been a year of highs and lows, so your best friends will relish a gift box of luxurious pampering products, it may even encourage them to make more time for self care in 2024. I think the Masking Magic Skincare Gift Set is a really thoughtful gift, as your bestie will have two mask options depending on what her skin needs, plus a ritual bowl, mask brush and spoon!
Dani, founder of Wild Rising Skincare says "There’s nothing that says self-care like a deeply hydrating face mask. Lots of busy women need to both look after their skin, and to give themselves a proper break. A face mask does both."
Handmade in Devon, UK, Wild Rising Skincare is planet-friendly, organic, vegan and cruelty-free. An award winning ethical indie brand that delivers honest, clean beauty that is gentle to the skin.
Follow Dani on Instagram - @wild_rising
6. Cultivate Mindfulness with Handcrafted Journals
We all have that friend who lives their life at a million miles per hour and is on the verge of burn out. Why not help them to cultivate an oasis of calm mindful contemplation with a beautiful handcrafted journal, personalised with a saying or in-joke only they understand.
Michaela, founder of Blue Stiggy says "Buying someone a personalised notebook is a truly personal and thoughful gift. My favourite personalisations to type are the ones that make no sense at all to me, because I know that they mean something special between the giver and receiver of the notebook."
Blue Stiggy is a UK based one-woman Stationary brand that specialises in hand made, eco conscious notebooks and stationery, personalised on Michaela's vintage typewriter named Dorothy.
Discover more about Blue Stiggy on Instagram - @bluestiggy
7. Gift them a daily Self-Kindness reminder
The most thoughtful festive gifts are those that seek to make your friends feel positive and loved beyond the initial Christmas morning unwrapping delight.
That's why I love this brilliant Self-Kindness stationary gift bundle by Rock Paper Swan, because as founder Amy says "It’s always a good time to know that you’re unconditionally loved andsometimes it’s about taking it one day at a time and celebrating the little wins"!
Rock Paper Swan is a soulful small UK business that creates beautiful things to encourage and connect people and is a must-have indie brand for colourful greetings cards, stationery and playful illustrations that brighten your day.
Enjoy Amy's work on Instagram - @rockpaperswan
8. Gift peace & tranquility with our Spiritual Retreat-In-A-Box
Christmas, just isn't Christmas without a festive gift box. But, you're not going to find a cynically cobbled together high street box of smellies for the regifting pile in this list!
I've personally put my heart and soul into creating the Rock + Realm range of luxury spiritual wellbeing gift boxes, to guarantee a sprinkle of magic and delight on Christmas morning.
Our spiritual wellness gift boxes make a truly thoughtful present, because you're giving more than just a set of beautiful handcrafted wellbeing products, you're gifting someone the chance to create more balance and peace in their daily routine.
And our Rocks, Rituals and Remedies are sustainably packaged, consciously sourced and handcrafted, so you can help your friends and family to nurture their spiritual wellbeing with a clear conscience.
You can connect with us via Instagram - @rockandrealm
9. Christmas Decorations to Treasure for Years
Gifting Christmas decorations is a lovely festive tradition that will give your mum a moment of nostalgia every year as she decks the halls for your return home. Make it an extra special gift for her by choosing a handcrafted, sustainable decoration that will twinkle and sparkle through the generations, like these extraordinary large glass icicle hanging decorations.
Joy, founder of The Glass of Joy says "Large glass icicle decorations are perfect for the lower and middle branches of a large tree. They’ll also look beautiful hung around your home, reflecting light and adding sparkle."
A proudly Yorkshire based small business, The Glass of Joy lovingly handcrafts lampwork glass jewellery and small objects that become treasured possessions.
Delight in Joy's glasswork on Instagram - @theglassofjoy
Add a touch of magic and joy to the women in your life this Christmas
And there you have it, nine Soulful Christmas Gifts from the Best UK Indie Retailers ready for you to start ticking off your Christmas list.
These special female entrepreneurs craft their products mindfully and sustainably, so that you can gift the women in your life something one-of-a-kind with a clear conscience. Meaning your friends and family, our lovely small business owners and the planet all benefit from your thoughtfulness... well done you!
Now you have your main Christmas presents sorted, let me help you with your Stocking Fillers, Secret Santa Gifts or Advent Calendar Fillers.
Wishing you the merriest of festive seasons from Rock + Realm, I hope it's truly magical!
Loved our festive small business gift guide for the women in your life?
📌 Why not pin this Christmas Gift Guide to your festive Wishlist board to find these lovely UK small businesses at a later point?
You might also like our blog on How to create an Autumnal Hygge Retreat or Four Spiritual Trends to Transform your new year.
More about us
Rock + Realm is an ethical spiritual retailer, specialising in crystals, incense, jewellery, spiritual wellness and more. As an independent, female-owned UK business we care deeply about supporting women to be their best selves.
📌 Lovely Small Businesses featured in our blog
Skukaboo - A collection of beautiful and unique wall art and homeware, from artists around the world, perfect for those who love Bohemian-inspired and eclectic home decor.
Eleanor Shadow - A lovely online shop based in Edinburgh that specialises in locally sourced and beautifully hand dyed yarns, fibres & knitting accessories, with plastic free and recyclable packing.
Wild Rising Skincare - A natural, organic and vegan skincare brand that promotes empowerment for all and the tremendous healing power of plants for the mind, body and skin.
Jess A Little Creative - An online card shop offering elegant eco-friendly high-quality greeting cards boasting Jess' unique illustrated designs.
Imogen Partridge - An artist specialising in watercolour and illustration design who uses ink and watercolour to bring places and stories to life in her handcrafted gifts for special occasions.
Blue Stiggy - A UK based one-woman Stationary brand that specialises in hand made, eco conscious notebooks and stationery, personalised on Michaela's vintage typewriter named Dorothy.
Rock Paper Swan - A small UK business that creates beautiful things to encourage and connect people and is a must-have indie brand for colourful greetings cards, stationery and playful illustrations that brighten your day.