Shopping

A pop-up Christmas gift shop has opened in Manchester right next to the Christmas Markets

One of everything please.

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 18th November 2022

A new pop-up has appeared in Manchester ready to solve all your Christmas shopping woes.

The Forever Manchester Gift shop has opened its doors at the Corn Exchange and it’s stuffed full of proper Manc gifts made by some proper Manc artists.

For the second year running, the shop has taken shape in a beautiful glass extension off the historic building, hoping to raise £25,000 for local community activities across the region.

Located right next to the Manchester Christmas Markets, the gift shop sells everything from music-inspired tea towels to Manchester-inspired Christmas cards to socks, coffee, mugs and more.

The main wall is covered with huge framed artwork, including colourful prints, photography and maps.

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Throughout, there are gifts featuring This is the Place, the Tony Walsh poem that’s become synonymous with Manchester, on coasters, postcards and limited-edition prints by Trevor Johnson.

The Christmas gift shop. Credit: The Manc Group

The Forever Manchester Christmas gift shop opened its doors for the first time last weekend and will remain open until 18 December.

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All profits go to Forever Manchester, the only charity that supports and funds community activity across the whole of Greater Manchester.

There are also festive Captain Manchester tombola tickets on sale at just £5 online or in store, which gives entrance the chance to win £2000 in time for Christmas.

Inside the Forever Manchester Christmas gift shop. Credit: The Manc Group

It’s the second year that Forever Manchester has located its Christmas Gift shop at the Corn Exchange, who have kindly donated the space to the charity for the five weeks’ duration.

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Dan Davis, general manager at the Corn Exchange said: “We are really pleased we could offer the space again to Forever Manchester this year. It is a charity that we have supported for a number of years.

“There are some fantastic gift ideas for Christmas and the store really adds to the Corn Exchange’s festive atmosphere.”

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Liz Page from Forever Manchester said: “We are excited to open our doors again at the Corn Exchange this year in the lead up to Christmas. We would like to thank the team for their ongoing support. It truly is a fantastic historic location in the heart of the city.

“Last year was great and this year we envisage even more customers as restrictions are no more and we can meet up with family and friends. We are looking to raise £25k to go towards community activities across our city.

“There is literally something for everyone who loves Manchester in our store. If you can’t decide on what to go for, why not buy your friends or family members a Captain Manchester’s festive Magical Tombola ticket at just £5 – if they win £2000 – you will be popular this Christmas!”

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Forever Manchester’s Christmas pop-up shop at the Corn Exchange is open Monday to Saturday, 10 to 6pm, and 11am to 4pm on Sundays.

Featured image: The Manc Group

Shopping

Tesco unveils 2024 Christmas meal deal lineup now in stores across UK

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Tesco has unveiled its full Christmas meal deal lineup for 2024, and it’s already hit the shelves across the UK now.

Spooky season is nearly on its way out, and it won’t be long before the most wonderful time of the year is here, which is why most of the UK’s major supermarkets have already begun stocking their shelves with Christmas food, drink, and gifts galore – especially after a new survey has revealed a fifth of Brits have already started doing their Christmas shopping.

As well as its full festive food lineup announced in early August, Tesco has now unveiled all the sandwiches and snacks forming part of its iconic lunchtime meal deal selection.

Eight new seasonal mains and sides have been launched this year, as well as some classics and returning fan favourites too.

Tesco has unveiled its Christmas meal deal lineup for 2024 / Credit: The Manc Group

The retailer says its food on-the-go experts have worked hard to bring a variety of festive flavours and great-quality ingredients together this year, with something on offer to cater to all tastes and preferences.

Now available in stores and online, and with Tesco Clubcard members paying just £3.60 or £5 for those looking to upgrade to a Premium Meal Deal, some of the options for mains you can choose from in 2024’s festive lineup include the new Christmas Cracking Currywurst Sub, the new Ho-Ho-Hog Wrap, and the new Festive Chicken, Bacon & Stuffing Mayo Baguette.

Other returning favourites include the Yuletide Half & Half Sandwich, the Jingle Brie Sandwich, and the absolute classic Turkey & Trimmings Sandwich.

The full range is now available in Tesco stores across the UK / Credit: Wikimedia Commons

For veggies and vegans, there’s a new Tesco Plant Chef Christmas Veg Fest Wrap, and for those who follow a gluten free diet, you can grab the Gluten Free Festive Chicken & Trimmings sandwich.

When it comes to snacks to accompany those mains, the festive Mini Pork Pies and Pig in Blanket Sausage Rolls are returning to the lineup this year, alongside some delicious newbies like the Mini Christmas Bangers with Gravy Mayo Dip, and the Christmassy Chicken Bites with Festive Cranberry Dip.

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The Christmas Meal Deal range is now available in Tesco stores across the UK, and there’s millions of combinations to try.

Featured Image – Supplied

Shopping

10 of the best and fanciest advent calendars on sale in Selfridges

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson 10 of the best and fanciest advent calendars on sale in Selfridges

The rise in luxury advent calendars in the last few years has been remarkable – and nowhere does them better than Selfridges.

Gone are the days where we were happy with cheap chocolate behind a foil door.

Nowadays one of the greatest thrills of the festive season is opening a tiny present every day, whether it’s a makeup product, a flavour of tea, a pair of socks or whatever else has been stuffed into an advent calendar.

Selfridges own beauty advent calendar, which is stuffed with more than £1000 worth of products, has already sold out for this year.

But the department store has plenty more options for you to choose from.

Read on to find 10 of the fanciest, most luxurious, most exciting advent calendars on sale this winter.

Mince pies

A mince pie advent calendar in Selfridges. Credit: The Manc Group
A mince pie advent calendar in Selfridges. Credit: The Manc Group

It just wouldn’t be Christmas without mince pies, and if you love to start stuffing your face with them as soon as the calendar hits December, then this calendar is the one for you.

The Selfridges exclusive advent calendar has loads of different flavoured mince pies hiding behind every door, including classic, citrus, almond and chocolate.

Then there’s a mini Meg Rivers Christmas cake waiting behind door number 25.

It’s £39.99 and available HERE.

Penhaligons

Penhaligons fragrance advent calendar
Penhaligons fragrance advent calendar. Credit: The Manc Group

This beautiful advent calendar from proudly British fragrance brand Penhaligon’s is another Selfridges exclusive.

Inside you’ll find a mix of their products, including a Christmas-scented candle, eau de parfums, body lotions, body wash, and hand cream.

And it’s all presented in a beautiful bakery-style stack of boxes.

It’s £425 and available HERE.

Missoma

Jewellery brand Missoma has an advent calendar in Selfridges. Credit: The Manc Group
Jewellery brand Missoma has an advent calendar in Selfridges. Credit: The Manc Group

One of the world’s coolest jewellery brands is on the advent calendar train this year.

Missoma’s offering is presented in a gorgeous blue jewellery box, and contains £827-worth of its popular gold jewellery.

That includes hoop earrings, stud earrings, ear cuffs, bracelets, and necklaces.

This one is £395 and on sale HERE.

Lego

One for the big kids (or the actual kids) now – an advent calendar full of Lego. How cute!

There are a few different themes to choose from, including Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Spider Man, with a different minifigure to open every single day.

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It’s just £30 and available HERE.

MAC

MAC's Selfridges exclusive advent calendar has loads of hit products in it. Credit: The Manc Group
MAC’s Selfridges exclusive advent calendar has loads of hit products in it. Credit: The Manc Group

Cult make-up brand MAC has picked Selfridges as an exclusive stockist for its Gift of Gold 2024 advent calendar.

Products inside this giant festive box include some of their most celebrated products, including the Fix+ Original setting spray, matte and sheer-shine lipsticks in a range of shades, lip gloss, skincare, eye shadows and brow products.

It’s £180 but you get an unbelievable £445-worth of stuff for that. Grab yours HERE.

Diptyque

Diptyque has a 2024 advent calendar. Credit: The Manc Group
Diptyque has a 2024 advent calendar. Credit: The Manc Group

Another very fancy advent calendar is this one from Diptyque, with 25 days of scents to discover. Scentsational, you might say.

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Candles make up the bulk of this advent calendar, including their seasonal specials like pine tree, berries and wood fire.

But you’ll also get refillable solid perfumes, eau de parfums, soaps, body lotions and even a set of decorations.

It’s £390 and on sale HERE.

Bonne Maman Jam

The Bonne Maman Jam advent calendar. Credit: The Manc Group
The Bonne Maman Jam advent calendar. Credit: The Manc Group

What could possibly be more wholesome than starting every day of December with a different jam or spread?!

Bonne Maman – that brand with the iconic red checkered lids – has an advent calendar that will do just that.

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It’ll also look super charming on display in your house.

This one’s £34.99 and you can shop it HERE.

Posh malt balls

Selfridges' own malt ball advent calendar. Credit: The Manc Group
Selfridges’ own malt ball advent calendar. Credit: The Manc Group

Sometimes you just can’t beat a classic chocolate-filled advent calendar, and Selfridges has their own that should hit the spot.

This pretty green polka-dot box is filled with different flavours of malt chocolate balls, including blonde, salted caramel, orange, and cookies and cream.

It’s £14.99 HERE.

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Gin

A gin advent calendar for 2024. Credit: The Manc Group
A gin advent calendar for 2024. Credit: The Manc Group

A grown-up one from the Selfridges advent calendars now – this Drinks By The Dram one is packed full of gin. Fun!

You’ll get a different wax-sealed dram of different flavoured gin for every day that you open your advent calendar.

It’s £89.99 HERE.

Books

Credit: The Manc Group

The most wholesome advent calendar on the whole list is this one – the Little People Big Dreams calendar, where each day unlocks a new mini book.

Inside each envelope, children will find stories about inspirational people from across the world, from groundbreaking musician Elton John and eco hero Steve Irwin, to freedom-fighter Martin Luther King and visionary artist Frida Kahlo.

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How sweet?!

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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