Cornwall is a wonderful place to head for in December. Temperatures are mild, summer traffic has eased, country pubs are cosy and welcoming and shops are crammed with tempting and affordable gifts. Why struggle with city crowds and congested parking when you can relax and actually enjoy choosing gifts at Cornwall's many shopping centres, markets, Christmas fairs and festivals? Add some tasty Cornish fare and you will probably want to make it an annual tradition.
Christmas shopping begins in Cornwall in earnest from 23-25th November, 2012 with the Trereife House Christmas Gifts Fair near Newlyn. The event runs daily from 10am to 5pm and starts with a Lantern fundraiser for BBC Children in Need, an appropriate way to start the festive season. The park and house are lit up with Newlyn Harbour Lights and there is music from local songwriters, a school choir and a brass band.
As well as kicking off your Christmas shopping, the weekend includes ample opportunities to sample local food and mulled wine which make much appreciated gifts along with designer crafts and gifts.
What could be better than gifts made in Cornwall? With that in mind the Made in Cornwall Christmas Fair is held under cover on Lemon Quay, Truro from 28th November to 1st December, 2012. Food, drinks, arts and crafts are all proudly “Made in Cornwall†and offer the chance to give affordable and unique gifts with a difference. Purchase a selection of Cornish fare and make up your own hampers for a thoughtful tailor-made gift.
Fowey hosts a weekend of shopping opportunities with a Christmas Market on 1-2nd December, 2012. Father Christmas arrives by boat to switch on the lights on Friday evening and there are cookery demonstrations, hog roasts and live music to shop to. The town always has some beautiful artworks in local studios, making it a very pleasant place to spend the whole day.
Padstow Christmas Festival is very food orientated with celebrity chefs offering tips and advice for wowing guests at your Christmas table. The event takes place from 7-9th December on the quayside and includes live music, Santa's grotto, Cornish crafts, ales, meats, jams and local cheeses.
The specially constructed demo kitchen has seats for 250 and star chefs presenting live cookery demonstrations include Rick Stein and his son Jack, two-Michelin-star chef Nathan Outlaw from Rock, award-winning chef and author Mitch Tonks, Chris Eden from the Michelin starred Driftwood Hotel near Portscatho and Paul Ainsworth from No. 6 in Padstow.
The Truro Victorian Christmas Market is a fun way to complete your Christmas shopping from 11-16th December on Lemon Quay. There are over 70 high quality exhibitors and traders dressed in Victorian garb, so you can enter the spirit of Christmas past while tasting samples. It is the ideal place to browse for food, drink, arts, crafts and gifts.
Beyond the Quay, Truro has narrow streets lined with a good choice of independent and specialist shops. A stroll down Pydar Street offers jewellery and gifts while clothes, shoes and homeware can be found on River Street and Little Castle Street. The Farmer's Market takes place every Wednesday and Saturday and the Pannier Market and Lemon Street Market have a wide choice of stalls.
If you like leaving your Christmas shopping until the last minute, the Montol Festival takes place from 16-21st December in Penzance. The event includes an arts and crafts fair and late night shopping in the charming shops of Penzance as well as lantern and mask-making workshops. On Montol Eve (21st) there are fireworks, costumes, dancing, beacon lighting and the chalking and burning of the Cornish Yule log.
Doesn't this all make Christmas shopping in Cornwall sound like fun?
Born in Cheshire, Gillian Birch moved to Cornwall at her earliest opportunity and never looked back. After 20 years, her ongoing discovery of popular attractions, quiet footpaths and local eateries has made her a fount of knowledge as she entertains readers with her informative articles on the hidden gems of Devon & Cornwall from a local point-of-view.