Eat, Drink and Be Merry Christmas Gift Guide
If you’ve got a foodie on your list this year, you’re in luck. Forget the novelty socks and random candles (we’ve all been there). This Christmas gift guide is packed with ideas for people who really care about what they eat and drink.
We found the kind of presents that get unwrapped with a proper smile, then used and enjoyed for months to come. Whether you’re shopping for your partner who’s always experimenting in the kitchen, your dad who takes his tipple seriously, or your best mate who can’t resist a wellness reset, there’s something here that’ll hit the spot.
Our Picks for This Year
Stanley Travel Mug
For anyone who’s forever dashing out the door with a half-drunk coffee going cold, this is the answer. The Stanley Café-To-Go Travel Mug keeps drinks hot for four hours (perfect for chilly school runs) or cold for five (ideal for iced coffees on warmer days).
It’s properly leakproof, so no more soggy car seats or bag disasters, and the handle makes it easy to carry when you’re juggling a million other things. Fits in your car cup holder, slots under most coffee machines, and goes straight in the dishwasher when you’re done. Made from recycled stainless steel and comes with a lifetime warranty, so it’s built to last well beyond Christmas morning. A brilliant gift for anyone who’s always on the go with a brew in hand.
English Tea Shop Wellness Collection
If you know someone who loves a good cuppa with a bit of purpose behind it, the English Tea Shop Wellness Range is a lovely shout. These aren’t just your standard breakfast brews, they’re carefully blended with ingredients aimed at supporting health and wellbeing, perfect for anyone who enjoys a bit of self-care in a mug.
What’s really fab is how thoughtfully they’re made. The tea bags are completely compostable and staple-free, the boxes and packaging can go straight in your compost bin, and even the sachets are recyclable. Great for gifting to someone who deserves a wellness reset (or just really appreciates a proper good tea).
Rheal Coco Dream
For anyone who struggles to switch off at night, this hot chocolate does more than just taste good. It’s made with reishi mushroom and ashwagandha (both known for helping your body relax and destress), blended with Peruvian cacao, cinnamon, and a touch of unrefined coconut sugar. It’s like a cosy hug in a mug, perfect for winding down before bed without the sugar spike that keeps you awake.
What makes it a great gift is how easy it is to enjoy. Just mix a teaspoon with hot water, top with warm milk, and you’re sorted. It’s 100% organic, low in sugar, and comes with 30 servings, so it’ll last well into the new year. You can even stir it into overnight oats for a breakfast treat. A thoughtful present for anyone who needs a bit of help switching off after a busy day.
Coffee Syrup Bauble Collection
This one’s a bit of fun for anyone who likes their coffee with a bit of personality. The set from Market Lane Food includes five mini bottles (60ml each) of coffee syrups in proper festive flavours like hazelnut, salted caramel, toffee, cinnamon, and gingerbread. What makes it extra special is the design, each bottle is shaped like a Christmas bauble, so it looks as good hanging on the tree as it does sitting on the coffee station.
They’re brilliant for jazzing up lattes, cappuccinos, or iced coffees at home, and because they’re made with quality ingredients, they actually taste good (not like the overly sweet stuff you sometimes get). A perfect little stocking filler or Secret Santa gift for the coffee lover in your life who enjoys trying something different.
Plant Academy: The Cookbook
If someone on your list is serious about plant-based cooking (or wants to be), this is the book they need. Written by Lauren Lovatt, founder of the Plant Academy culinary school, it’s not just another recipe collection. It’s a proper guide to mastering the techniques that make vegan food genuinely delicious, from creating creamy sauces with nuts and seeds to fermenting beans and cooking grains perfectly every time. Published in January 2025, it’s fresh, current, and packed with knowledge.
What sets it apart is how it teaches you to think like a plant-based chef, not just follow instructions. You’ll learn how to build dishes with real texture and flavour (think cashew béchamel tarts and bean cheesecakes), plus there’s stunning food photography throughout by Sara Kiyo Popowa. Perfect for anyone who wants to move beyond boring salads and actually get excited about cooking with vegetables. A gift that’ll get used properly, not just sit on the shelf looking pretty.
Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon
For the whisky drinker who appreciates something a bit special without the eye-watering price tag, Four Roses Small Batch is a cracking choice. It’s made by blending four of the distillery’s ten bourbon recipes, aged for six to seven years, and bottled at 45% ABV with just the right amount of kick. The result is a bourbon that’s smooth enough for sipping but interesting enough to keep you coming back for another glass.
On the nose you’ll get hints of honey, winter spice, and a touch of oak, while the palate brings ripe red berries, caramel, and dried spices with a pleasantly long finish. It’s brilliant enjoyed neat, over ice, or mixed into cocktails (the Salted Caramel Sour is worth a try). A thoughtful gift for anyone who takes their tipple seriously but doesn’t want to be precious about it.
Dead Man’s Finger Spiced Rum
If you know someone who likes their rum a bit different, Dead Man’s Fingers is a proper conversation starter. Made in the UK (based in Bristol, with roots in St Ives), it doesn’t follow the usual Caribbean playbook. The flavour leads with saffron and Pedro Ximénez sherry notes that give it a rich, almost ice cream-like sweetness, followed by the more familiar rum characteristics of caramel, vanilla, and nutmeg. It’s distinctive, bold, and looks the part too.
It works beautifully with a simple rum and Coke, or you can sip it over ice if you want to really taste what makes it stand out. A great gift for the rum fan who’s tried everything else and fancies something a bit unexpected. If they’re ever down in Bristol or St Ives, they can even visit the distillery and Rum & Crab Shack to learn more about how it’s made.
Au Vodka Cocktail Collection Set
Here’s a fun one from a local Swansea company that’s making waves in the spirits world. Au Vodka have put together a gift set that takes the faff out of cocktail-making, with perfectly measured, ready-to-drink serves in two classic flavours: a sweet Strawberry Daiquiri and a refreshing Blue Hawaiian with pineapple and coconut. Both are nitro-infused for a smooth finish and come in at 8% ABV, so they’re easy drinking without being too much.
What makes this a brilliant gift is the presentation. You get four 200ml bottles (two of each flavour) plus two diamond-cut plastic tumblers, all packed in a smart gold carry case. It’s portable, looks impressive, and perfect for someone who enjoys a cocktail but can’t be bothered with all the shaking and measuring. Great for picnics, parties, or just a treat at home with a mate.
Iordanov Limited Edition Santa Skull Vodka
If you’re after a gift that’s equal parts impressive and fun, this is it. Iordanov’s Limited Edition Santa Skull Vodka comes in a proper showstopper of a bottle, hand-decorated with crystals in a festive skull design that’ll look brilliant on display long after Christmas is over. But it’s not just about the packaging (though that helps). Inside is premium German vodka made with crystal-clear spring water and 100% wheat, distilled five times and charcoal filtered for an ultra-smooth finish.
At 40% ABV, it’s got proper strength and flavour, backed by 150 years of distilling expertise from one of Germany’s oldest distilleries. The taste is pure and velvety, the kind of vodka you can sip neat or mix into cocktails without losing that smoothness. Perfect for anyone who appreciates fine spirits or collects unique bottles. It’s a gift that’ll get used, enjoyed, and remembered well past the festive season.
Christmas Gift Guide: Job Done
So, there you go, a few solid ideas for the food and drink lovers on your list. From cosy morning rituals to after-dinner treats, these gifts show you’ve actually thought about what they like (and that’s half the battle at Christmas, isn’t it?).
The lovely thing about these gifts for foodies and drink lovers is they’re not fussy or complicated. They’re just nice things that people will genuinely use and appreciate, whether that’s jazzing up their morning coffee or trying something new in the kitchen.
If you want even more festive inspiration then head over to our Family Life at Christmas section for local family-friendly events, advice on choosing the perfect Christmas tree, extra gifting ideas, and lovely traditions to make your celebrations truly special.
Happy gifting, and here’s to a Christmas filled with good food, great company, and maybe a cheeky glass of something lovely.