There’s still time to slip something fabulous from a South West maker under the tree. Take inspiration from our curation of last-minute gifts for people with good taste
ByFoke, Dorset
Allow this Dorset company to do all the heavy lifting of gifting for you. The team put together exquisitely curated gift boxes filled with all sorts of intriguing and original treasures. Best of all, they’re gorgeously wrapped, include a handwritten card and can be shipped with next-day delivery to boot.
There’s an option to create your own gift box, but for ease and speed, we’d suggest one of the ready-made gift boxes. All of the parcels showcase indie makers and are suitable for different occasions or tastes, an example being the Keep In Touch box – a gift encouraging mindful connections through handprinted notecards, luxe pencils and an essential oil candle.
Elke Lucas Ceramics
Something beautifully crafted for the home, created by a talented local potter, is a fail-safe gift. The cups, teapots, vases and more from north Devon maker Elke Lucas tick all the boxes. Each of his small-batch ranges feature soft tones, tactile textures and unique touches. What will your giftee appreciate more, an ocean-blue salt pig, stoneware Devon Red clay vase, or dotty espresso cup? Decisions, decisions.
Sandford Orchards, Devon
Cider fans will adore this hamper containing three celebration-size bottles of Sandford Orchards’ sparkling cider range.
Prosecco-inspired Katja makes a superb alternative to the Italian fizz with its relatively low ABV and fruit-forward flavours (expect fragrant green apple and strawberry, with subtle sweetness and crisp natural acidity). Its sister, Katja Rosé, is blended with Rondo grape skins from Darts Farm’s Pebblebed Vineyard, lending it brighter flavours of sun-ripened cherries, peaches, apple blossom and candyfloss. A delicate and floral Perry is the final drop (and newest release) in the range. Fragrant and fresh, the cider reveals swathes of ripe pear flavour, complemented by citrus acidity and a subtle tropical nose.
Fruit Bodhi Mushrooms, Somerset
Searching for the perfect gift for a green-fingered friend? Or a foodie who is all about their hyper-local ingredients? Stop scrolling and put Yeovil’s Fruit Bodhi Mushrooms top of the list.
Spoil that special someone with the opportunity to grow delicious gourmet mushrooms in their own kitchen. We like the low-fuss Pink Oyster Kit, which includes a mini spray bottle to water the ‘shrooms, a bag of inoculated substrate, and all the deets needed for the fungi to flourish. There are also videos with pro tips and tricks on harvesting them.
Exploding Bakery, Devon
Gifting a loved one from afar? Send them a consignment of cake that’s so indulgently, belt-unbucklingly good they’ll have no choice but to scoff it Bruce Bogtrotter style.
From its Exeter HQ, Exploding Bakery handcrafts then couriers a range of baked goods in various sizes, from large traybakes to letterbox-friendly brownies, in playful-yet-smart packaging. The Chocolate Fudge Cake is particularly luscious – so good in fact that we swiped the recipe. It features the nostalgic hit of rich, fudgy choc sponge, the silky comfort of Colombian dark chocolate icing, and the contemporary addition of crunchy, crumbled pistachio.
Enjoyed our pick of last-minute gifts? Dive into our biggest-yet gift guide.
We choose the companies included in our features based on editorial integrity. Occasionally, some inclusions will be handpicked from clients with whom we have a commercial relationship.
