The jolliest, quirkiest festive fairs and markets around town to help you procure those original, handmade, unusual gifts whilst getting sozzled in mulled booze and steeped in mince pies this Chrimble.
The public are welcome to this huge Christmas market in Guildhall with over 80 stalls promising "a unique selection of merchandise not found on the high street" on Tuesday 29 November from 10.30am-8pm (£5 entry).
BAC Christmas Market
The Battersea theatre makers will be transforming Townhall Road into a covered market in an enchanted forest selling Christmas trees, mulled wine and gifts with live entertainment laid on from 1-24 December - every Thursday and Friday from 2pm-8pm and every Saturday, 10am–6pm (free entry).
Blackheath Christmas Shopping Event
This local fair in St Michael's Church Hall raises money for Cystic Fibrosis and brings together craftspeople, designers and independent traders and their wares from 6-9pm on Thursday 1 December (free entry).
The StockMKT
Inspired by the Far East night markets, StockMKT offers a plethora of cheap eats and opportunities for unique finds on Friday 2 December between 5-10pm Bermondsey Square, SE1 3UN (free entry).
Victorian Evening, Richmond
Get that Dickensian feel and dress up in Victoriana for a retro Christmas shopping evening in Richmond on Friday 2 December between 5.30-9pm (free).
Pullens Yard Winter Open Studios
40+ workshops in Walworth open their doors for festive fun and shopping for art, ceramics, jewellery, furniture, books and more. Friday 2 December 6-9pm and Saturday and Sunday between 11am-6pm (free entry).
Craft Guerilla Designer Maker Christmas Market
Sells homemade goods including high quality craft and illustration at Vestry House Museum, Vestry Road, Walthamstow E17 9NH on Saturday 3 December between 11am-4pm (free entry).
The Christmas FUSS Fair
Head to Hither Green for a community Christmas fair punting bric-a-brac, arts and crafts, vintage wares, homemade food, decorations and mulled wine between noon-5pm on Saturday 3 December. There's also storytelling for the kids, Santa, live music and carols (free entry).
The Social Christmas Market
Returning for a second year, The Social and Heavenly Records round up their gang to offer live performances, a number of quirky stalls plus sausage and cranberry rolls to revive you, mulled wine, hot cider and Bloody Mary's to get you sozzled on Saturday 3, 10 and 17 December between 1-6pm, The Social, Little Portland Street, W1 (free entry).
Of Cabbages and Kings Christmas Market
Two designer-maker Christmas market weekends in Abney Hall, Stoke Newington for "an abundance of cards and prints, decorations, stocking fillers, festive fashion, designer homewares and other crafty bits" plus obligatory lovely festive food. First one on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 December, then Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 December, 11am-5pm (free entry).
Belgravia Christmas Sunday
A genteel, traditional fair round the posh bits featuring carol singing, Santa and his elves and the three wise men on camels as well as luxury and gourmet shopping on Sunday 4 December between noon-5pm (free entry).
Re-gifting-gift-swapping CHRISTMASH SPESH with ETSY
The Crafternoon Tea Club invites you to the Etsy Christmas grotto at the Trampery 13-19 Bevenden Street (2 min walk Old St tube) N1 6AA for recycling/re-gifting on Thursday 8 December from 6.30-10pm (free entry/free booze/free gifts given away)
More London Christmas Market
Offers stalls for Christmas shopping plus free ice skating and mince pies courtesy of the local Tesco and festive music to make it all swing from Friday 9 - Sunday 11 December, 10am-6pm (free stuff!).
Water Poet Spitalfields Christmas Fair
This is a family day out with shopping for unusual books, vintage homewares, handcrafted cards, bespoke hats, textiles, jewellery plus Christmas singalongs to a brass band and festive films showing in the Underground Picturehouse plus seasonal refreshments from the pub, including a hog roast. On Saturday 10 December between midday-7pm (free entry).
Independent Label Market
A very special Christmas market comes to Spitalfields on Saturday 10 December to support the labels that lost their stock in the PIAS/Sony warehouse fire earlier this year. Labels will sell stock directly to the public with artists appearing live. It's also the first Saturday market to open in Old Spitalfields Market for more than 100 years. Open 11am-5pm (free entry).
The Crafty Fox Christmas Market
Is at the Dogstar, Brixton with three floors of handmade stuff and crafty workshops for DIY gifts plus a pop-up tea shop on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 December, 11am-5pm (free entry).
Duckie Christmas Market
A tie in with the Duckie anti-capitalist Christmas show, the foyer market proffers "original handmade and homespun housewares, kit, jewels, potions, cards, curios and nosh" between 10-30 December, nightly from 6pm – 9.30pm / weekends 2-9.30pm. At the Barbican Centre (free entry).
Sister Sledge Christmas Fete
Fair selling art, vintage clothes, cakes made by men, preserves and chutneys with festive food and drink to keep you going and enjoying the DJs and entertainment on Saturday 10 December from 2-8pm at Sassoon Gallery, Blenheim Grove, Peckham, SE15 (free entry).
Alternative Christmas: Meet me under the Mistletoe
Rich Mix's Snapshots festival goes festive with a Christmas market selling vintage clothes, pottery, screen prints, crafts, jewellery, cakes + mulled wine between 12-6pm on Saturday 17 December (free entry). There are also activities for kids, performances and a community Christmas meal between 6-8pm (bring a dish or pay a pound).
The Secret Emporium Pop Up Christmas Market
Village Underground hosts a Secret Garden Party Christmas event with walk about, cabaret and eccentric performance that will distract you from shopping for unique designer fashion and other objects. Buskers will entertain you and designer Christmas tree baubles will be auctioned off for charity. Sunday 18 December, 11am-10pm (free entry).
The Southbank's traditional Christmas market is open daily until Christmas Eve, as is Hyde Park's' Winter Wonderland Angels Christmas Market. For the foodies, check out Borough Market's Christmas opening times.
What did we miss? Let us know in the comments and happy shopping.
By Lindsey Clarke & Nick Levine
