The festive season is approaching fast. Let us guide you to perfect gifts for everyone on your list, whatever your budget
Welcome to Christmas 2022! A festive season which we’re looking forward to with a greater sense of anticipation than ever. After the past two years the thought of more time with family and friends, rediscovering festive traditions and the return of Christmas parties feels extra special.
‘After a somewhat “lost” Christmas last year, we imagine people will be looking forward to getting their loved ones together once again and enjoying all those key moments they missed out on,’ says Gabriella Frankl, Partner & Proposition Lead, Christmas. ‘It will be about memory making, celebrating togetherness and showing loved ones how much they mean to you.’
To help you plan your Christmas, our gift selection is more considered than ever. As well as providing all-time classics (hello Chanel No5 and sumptuous John Lewis cashmere), our buying teams have gone to great lengths to find niche gifts for the more tricky recipients on your list, from testy teens and kids who have it all to those infamously hard-to-buy-for dads.
‘This year we’ve curated special gifting personas to help you get inspired and find a gift that is just right for your recipients,’ says Gabriella. ‘We’re also creating Christmas emporiums in our shops so customers can get all of their Christmas inspiration in one place.’
And yes, we’ve thought of every interest you could possibly need to cater for; from crafting to food, gardening to design, you’ll be able to find the perfectly matched present. Whether you want to blitz the Christmas list in one go or spend time pondering that special gift for a loved-one, we are here to steer you. Sit back and enjoy the return of Christmas magic.
Home is where the heart is, now more so than ever as people continue to focus on making their home a cosy haven. If you are on the hunt for the right gift for an interiors-obsessed loved-one, we have a wide range of products to thrill them, from chic tassle cushions and LSA’s glass vases to exquisite handwoven baskets. And yes, there’s a huge selection of that ever-glowing gifting stalwart, the scented candle – the perfect gift for teachers, friends and neighbours.
If there’s ever been a time to indulge your style-conscious friend, sibling or lover, it’s this year. Happily, we have a selection of stylish gifts to suit all pockets.
‘Gift giving for women this year is all about those items that bring joy and indulgence to her every day,’ says fashion editor Alison Taylor. ‘This might be an absolute classic fragrance like Chanel No 5 or a Charlotte Tilbury wonder product to re-boot her beauty routine. Home is still the place to be, too, so cashmere joggers and sheepskin sliders will be on my list, for sure!’
For those on a budget, Alison suggests ‘snapping up some chic PJs from the new, great value ANYDAY line’.
For men, comfort remains king this Christmas, but be sure to give him a nice helping of style, too. ‘Our ANYDAY sweatpants and hoody make for the perfect on-trend loungewear duo, while our much-loved cashmere zip through hoodie is a timeless option that he’ll wear and wear,’ says menswear editor India Price. ‘For outdoor adventurers, you can't go wrong with Barbour and for the homebody, treat him to new tech from the likes of Microsoft, Bose and PlayStation.’
CREED Aventus Eau de Parfum
£295.00
CHANEL N°5 Eau de Parfum Spray
£104.00£83.20
However seriously they take their chosen craft – whether that involves sugarpaste icing, wool yarn or milk (see the Paxton and Whitfield Ultimate Cheese Making Kit) – this Christmas we’re here to assist.
From sleek kitchen counter appliances including Kilner’s sourdough bread starter kit and Kenwood’s iconic food mixers, we have gifts for keen bakers covered. For crafty types, meanwhile, there is fantastic array of niche kits in our famous haberdashery section including DIY llama sewing sets. Who could resist?
Beauty and grooming products always make good gifts whether as the main event or as luxe stocking fillers. As well as all the world’s best-selling beauty brands including Chanel, Charlotte Tilbury and Lancôme, John Lewis is also the place to come for more niche beauty brands such as Votary and Maison Francis Kurkdjian (whose luxurious Baccarat Rouge 540 unisex scent contains a heady mix of jasmine, saffron and woody tones of cedar).
This year, there’s a big focus on beauty tech with the launch of The Light Salon, seeing them join BeGlow and FOREO. ‘I’m so excited to be launching The Light Salon in John Lewis, offering our customer a lightweight, portable beauty tech option that works incredibly well at improving hydration, smoothness and softness,’ says Lydia Nowosad, Partner & Buying Assistant. ‘The LED mask has done wonders to my skin in brightening my complexion and energising my face.’
Christmas shopping for kids isn’t always easy these days. So what to choose? This year we’ve seen a huge surge in the popularity of traditional toys and games that can be enjoyed by the whole family, such as construction toys, puzzles and LEGO, and our experts predict that will continue for Christmas 2022.
‘The selection of top toys chosen by our panel of toy testers includes items suitable for all ages,’ says Rachael Larkman, Partner & Toy Buyer. ‘From “my first” toys to the exclusive Scalextric sets – which we are predicting to be the toy of the season – there’s a great variety that will guarantee excitement on Christmas day.’
To help you pinpoint the right toy, we’ve assembled a special edit of toys for age categories including 0-6 months, 3-5 years and 7-10 years.
It’s not easy to get down with the teens (no, we don't know what GOAT stands for either…), but it is easier than you think to impress them with a well-selected Christmas gift and this year our buyers have gone to extra lengths to keep them happy.
From on-trend fashion (note: tie-dye is still big for this age group) to tasty treats galore plus enough tech to keep them in a darkened bedroom for the entirety of the Christmas holidays, we’ve got it covered. Traditional family board games are also available.
What do you get for foodies? Or for the hardest to buy for of all: neighbours, teachers and work colleagues? Simple, a failsafe crowd pleaser – something delicious to eat or drink.
‘I’m really excited about our selection of Italian panettone (coming soon), all of which are exclusive to John Lewis and a Christmas staple,’ says Emmy Waghorn, Partner & Merchandiser Gift Food & Hampers. ‘This year there are new flavours including chocolate orange and we also offer a vegan panettone, plus, all of them arrive in beautiful festive packaging designed by our in-house designers.’
The Build and Decorate Your Own Gingerbread Kits (coming soon) including a train (new for this year) are perfect for kids too.
Tech gifts are the sort of thing that people get really excited about. What’s new? Well, for a start, there’s the highly coveted Nintendo Switch OLED, the new Apple Airpods and niche products such as Nanoleaf lights – modular, adjustable LED light panels that create a multi-sensory light experience.
‘This year, we’ve made an effort to ensure we’ve got plenty of inspiring gifts for every family member,’ says Candice Huang, Partner & Buyer, Technology. ‘Family entertainment is a key focus this year, movie nights (TVs and soundbars) and family gaming, including the new PlayStation 5 and Oculus VR, will create the most memorable moments.’
Don’t overlook those popular small kitchen appliances either – they’re always a hit with foodies, and make excellent stocking fillers.