The warm glow of giving

There’s a good feeling that comes with giving someone a gift you know they’ll love, whether it’s a pair of cosy socks, a piece or art or a voucher for a magical experience. You are sure to find ideal gifts for all your people in the amazing array of shops, attractions and suppliers in the Dover, Deal and Sandwich area and, for those pressed for time, we’ve pulled together a list of suggestions for wonderful gifts, so you can bask in the warm glow of gift giving knowing you are also supporting small and independent businesses.

Read on to discover just some of the fabulous gifts available in White Cliffs Country this Christmas… 

Food & drink

• Sandwich Grazing Christmas gifts include a Cheese & Wine Box, Meringue Wreath and Christmas Eve Box. All available to order from 13 December. 
• Real Deal Roasters – bags of coffee to enjoy the deliciousness at home. 
• Cocktail in a Bottle – pre-mixed seasonable tipples including Panettone Negroni and Butterscotch Martini.
• Local stoneground flour from Crabble Corn Mill for the baker in your life. 
• Cakes from The Lane Bakery in Deal (also selling ‘thank you teacher’ giftboxes) and Eat and Mess (also running workshops and selling gingerbread wreaths!) 
• Shepherd Neame gift cards available from The Royal Hotel in Deal, redeemable against food and drinks at any Shepherd Neame managed venue. 
• Gift vouchers for cafes and restaurants including Updown, The Marquis of Granby, The Dog at Wingham, Wellingtons in Dover, Beach Street Restaurants (who have a Christmas voucher giveaway deal), the Old Dairy Cafe at Goodnestone Park and The Rose in Deal.
• Buy award-winning estate-grown and bottled English wines from Barnsole Vineyard, one of the oldest vineyards in Kent. 
• Farm shops are great places to find unusual seasonal goodies. Gibsons near Wingham is holding a tasting and shopping event on 4 December from 6-9pm. 
• If you're looking for ingredients from around the world, the International Food Centre on Pencester Road in Dover is a treasure trove.
• Hand pick a sumptuous hamper or pick delicious treats for a gift box at Le Pinardier in Deal. 

Arty stuff

• Amazing art from Taylor Jones & Son in Deal – currently selling highly collectible Chris Packham penguin prints and more.
• Don’t Walk Walk in Deal with work by artists including James F Johnston, Noel Fielding and Edward Bridges. 
• Unique stone carved pieces by Carrie Horwood, from jewellery and house numbers to larger sculptures. You can also book have-a-go at stone carving sessions at her studio in Sandwich. 
• The Hunt Gallery in Sandwich – a selection of work by the eponymous painter and etcher. 
• Black & white Deal & Walmer prints from local artist Squidoodle.
• Kearsney Parks 2025 calendar is now available featuring beautiful photographic scenes from around the gardens and local wildlife. 
• Will and Yates in Deal is an art gallery-cum-interiors shop, full of interesting pieces.
• Gaby Redman Design Studio in Dover sells transformed furniture, lights, lampshades and other interiors items.
• Rees and Rees Jewellery in Deal creates beautiful pieces and runs workshops.

Gifts & clothing

• Dover Transport Museum has a pop-up shop at St James’s in Dover from 4 December. Call in to see some of the museum’s favourite exhibits and find gifts including models, toys and books, plus museum gift tickets. 
• Find a wide range of quality gifts at the Dover Museum shop, from cuddly toys to ceramics and Christmas decorations.
• Buy the gift of membership of Deal Museum and help this local gem thrive. 
• Award-winning boutique Tamarisk in Deal is full of Christmassy clothing and accessories for women. 
• Effie McLean in Sandwich is packed with homewares, clothing, gifts and seasonal goodies. 
• Christmas flowers brighten anyone's day. There are many fabulous florists in the area including Lavender & Blackberry of Deal, Merrygardens in Deal, The Flower Basket in Sandwich and Love Blooms Florist in Dover. Walled Cottage Flowers and Mig Kimpton Flowers, both near Deal, run workshops which could make an ideal gift.

Golf & cycling

• Prince’s Golf Club gift vouchers, including fourballs and afternoon teas make ideal gifts for the keen golfer in your life and there’s also a pro shop on site (and online).
• Walmer & Kingsdown Golf Club also has a Pro Shop on site for golfing gifts. 
• Locks in Sandwich is a mecca for cyclists where you'll find knowledgeable staff and a wide range of bikes (for kids and adults, including electric), accessories and clothing for sale. 
• Family fun is on hand at Roman Landings Adventure Golf where you can buy vouchers for adventure golf and cars. 

Memorable experiences

• Rebels Dover sells vouchers for a seaside sauna experience, the perfect gift to heat up the holiday season! 
• Dover Sea Safari gift vouchers are available for any of their exhilarating trips including seal trips and trips to the Goodwin Sands. 
• How about a spa treatment voucher from Daisy Green in Deal...
• or the Waterfront Spa at Dover Marina Hotel on Dover seafront.
• Whitemills Wake Park near Sandwich has a variety of vouchers from a 1-hour aqua park session, a 2-hour beginner’s wake boarding session to a wakeboarding all day pass. There's also a sauna and cold plunge here for the ultimate hot/cold therapy.
• Give the gift of English Heritage membership which includes free entry to the magnificent castles at Dover, Walmer and Deal and Richborough Roman Fort - all in White Cliffs Country. 
• For anyone fascinated by architectural history, a ticket for a guided tour of the newly refurbished Maison Dieu in Dover, with additional options of a heritage craft workshop and a fabulous cream tea, could be a winner.

Browse our website to see all the amazing experiences available in the area; if you find something that would make an ideal gift, please contact the business directly to find out whether gift vouchers are available.

Late night shopping

• 28 November – join a Christmas Shopping Soiree at Tamarisk in Deal from 6-8pm
• 30 November – many shops will stay open in Sandwich until 8pm.
• 13 December - selected shops in Deal will be open until 8pm.

Parking

Parking will be free in council car parks from 4pm in Deal on Saturday 23 November, in Sandwich on Saturday 30 November, and in Dover on Saturday 7 December for the Christmas lights switch on and Winter Light Up events.

In addition, Dover District Council is offering a one-hour-free scheme from 14 December 2024 to 1 January 2025, when you pay for a minimum of one hour parking. The hour of free parking will be added to your parking time when you pay for one hour or more in DDC owned car parks.

This gives just a sample of all the wonderful shops, services, attractions and experiences available in the district - visit our wonderful towns and browse our website to discover more.