When I first set foot in London from Kingston with a small bag. The winter shocked me, but the lights dazzled. Oxford Street was alive, Regent Street sparkled with shop displays, freekoreatravel.com and Carnaby Street had colour. My first holiday season here, I learned the beauty of retro gifts. In those days, there was no search engine to show independent gift shops London. You had to explore, get lost, and come across quirky gifts. The independent shops were the real magic. Today, I always remind friends the best gifts are the unusual ones.

A vintage clock that ticks with history will always beat ordinary gifts. Hidden independents across Hackney still keep the vintage gifts that last. And for glamour, luxury gift shops London will give you polish. When Christmas builds up, I feel the city turn festive. That’s when I start tracking down retro gifts. Explore luxury gift shops London and you’ll have lots of choices. But the best treasures always exist in the quirky little shops. That’s why, I always tell people that retro gifts are the most powerful.

They last, just like the magic of the season.