'Try
Thame First' ............For
a unique and hassle-free Christmas shopping experience
WHY
jump in the car and leave town for Christmas shopping when
here in Thame we have so many wonderful and unique shops
of our own? Let Thame.Net & our friendly shop keepers
guide and inspire you to find the ideal gift for everyone.
WHETHER
you live or work in Thame, or are visiting for the first
time, we hope to save you some of the foot-slogging associated
with finding just the right Christmas present. The town
is lucky to have a great selection of interesting and independent
shops stacked with unusual and special seasonal gifts for
everyone - independent shops which very often depend on
Christmas sales for their survival. They are such a vital
part of Thame's character and economic vitality and deserve
our support. In consultation with their proprietors, we
have come up with, what we hope, are a few suggestions to
help you find the ideal Christmas gift for your family and
friends - many of them with an emphasis on sustainability
- available from what was one of the first towns to promote
re-usable bags instead of plastic.
OUR
Thame Christmas shopping expedition begins at Julie-Ann's
Shoe Boutique in the historic Buttermarket, so called
because it is always in shade and therefore was always cool
enough to keep butter and cream fresh in the days before
refrigerators.
If
your idea of slippers are the tartan slip-ons with a brown
pom pom on the top that your granny used to wear, think
again. For Julie-Ann's selection of spotty, stripey and
funkie slippers for everyone by Moshulu, will make
slipper-wearing acceptable to anyone whatever their age.
Speaking of things to help stave off the winter chill, do
check out Julie Ann's selection of woollen and velvet
scarves and gloves.
..............................
Step
into Julie-Ann's Shoe Boutique for more than just
shoes
Christmas
is traditionally a time to give a gift of jewellery to special
people in your life and at Julie-Ann's the selection
of designer jewellery by people like Martine Wester,
as well as her belts, are sure to please. Ladies love bags
and here at Julie-Ann's you'll find plenty of inspiration
and choice, including bags by Bulaggi and stylish leather
bags by Brown and Berry. Or, perhaps, soft and versatile,
lacy-fronted twin sets by Palace of London.
If
it's just too hard to choose, Julie-Ann gift vouchers of
any amount are available on request, with no time limit
to spend.
Opposite
Julie Ann's, is Ruby Moon, recently expanded from
the original, tiny candle and gift emporium next door to
The Coffee House. Here you will find an eclectic mix of
home accessories, clothes, jewellery and all sorts of Christmas
gift ideas to suit most pockets. No woman can ever have
too many bags and at Ruby Moon stunning designer
and leather bags to suit most tastes catch the eye as you
enter the shop. Further exploration reveals cabinets of
unusual jewellery including currently very popular, necklaces
of amber, formed by fossilized tree resin, appreciated for
its color and natural organic beauty since Neolithic times.
Spectacular
Chinese lacquered jewellery boxes, decorated with gold leaf
and colourful blossoms, or black and white birds, are each
unique and a perfect present for the special lady in your
life.
........................ ....
...Explore
Ruby Moon, Thame's gift emporium in Buttermarket
Pauline,
the proprietor of Ruby Moon or one of her helpful
assistants, are happy to make suggestions and help you chose
just the right present for just about anyone.
Walk
a few doors down Buttermarket, towards Thame's landmark,
red-brick Victorian town hall, and you arrive at All
Wrapped Up. This treasure trove of cards, handbags,
jewellery and gifts, is looking forward to extending a welcome
to everyone to its new, larger premises at No 2, Buttermarket,
Thame (next to Clintons) and the proprietors, Beverley and
Martin Caket, wish everyone a very happy Christmas!
.......................
After
a rest and refreshment in one of Thame's cafés, pubs
or family restaurants (see 'Eating
Out' for some suggestions) walk back along the High
Street passing the town hall on your left, to find a long-established
Thame store on your right, that at first glance, would not
necessarily be somewhere you might think of for Christmas
present hunting; but think again. For amongst the washing
machines, fridges and cookers, Domesco has smaller
electrical goods that just might solve your present-buying
predicament.
Domesco,
run by Tony Herbert and his daughter, is the
main dealer for Roberts Radios Ltd, the primary supplier
of digital radios, and carries a wide range of styles and
systems - the perfect present for those wanting to enjoy
the hundreds of digital radio stations now available. The
Classic RD60 range includes the beautifully girlie Cath
Kitston Limited edition collection, an ideal choice
for teenage girls or for mum to have in the kitchen or bedroom.
...................................
Stylish
listening from Domesco, High Street, Thame
Coffee
making machines are definitely this year's must-have for
the home and with the Magimix Citiz and Milk coffee maker
you get a voucher for £40 worth of free coffee! Or,
how about a totally practical present like the latest Dyson
vacuum cleaner in the iRange (independent)? For this
season, it comes with a free roll bag and extra cleaning
tools.
Diane
and John Fleming recently opened their fascinating new shop,
Wallaces Home Boutique, in Cornmarket, Thame, and
offer the following Christmas shopping solutions from some
of their favourite ranges.
Beautiful,
stylish designs from the always popular, East of India,
include an adorable range of baby gifts ideal for the newborn
and the parents. How about a very cute Tooth Fair Box or
a Baby Book to record baby's progress?
...............................
,,Gifts
for all ages at Wallaces Home Boutique,,,,
For
the hard-to-find man gift, The Bath House range of
boxed toiletry gifts for men are both useful and special.
Bath House offer toiletries for ladies too. Perfume
is always most acceptable and those by Arran Aromatics
are available exclusively in Thame from Wallaces
Home Boutique.
When
choosing a gift for the home, a sure favourite the Dartington
glass collection, offering both contemporary and timeless,
classical designs.
In
these times of economic belt-tightening, more and more of
us are mending and altering clothes and making clothes is
once again becoming more popular, especially among younger
people. Green's Furnishing, in Upper High Street
(Opposite the old Market House in Montesson Square), has
been supplying furniture and curtains for many years but
has more recently extended its haberdashery to include beautiful
sewing boxes. The range includes two denim designs that
any teenager would be happy to use to store their sewing
bits and pieces in.
..................
Eileen,
who manages Green's haberdashery, reports that more
and more men are taking up Cross Stitch, especially in retirement.
The various kits available at Greens include a Japanese
lady, cats and butterflies. Other craft related gift ideas
suitable for all ages include delightful soft toy kits for
making dolphins and kittens.
Leaving
Green's, turn right and walk back towards the Buttermarket.
Then, at the zebra crossing, turn right into North Street,
which will take you back eventually to the Cattlemarket
car park, passing several more of Thame's independently
run shops. Just opposite the Cattlemarket is one of Thame's
hidden gems of a shop is The Spinning Top, a traditional
toy shop where, as well as gallons of stocking fillers and
larger toys, you'll find all the popular and collectible
Sylvanian Families characters, and the wonderful
Sylvanian Windmill for them to live in and to be endlessly
re-arranged; suitable for boys and girls aged 4 plus. Soft
toys are always popular with young children and the adorable
SNUGGIMALS, baby animals including puppies and My
Newborn Kitten which has its own feeding bottle and
can be fed!
..............
Airfix
kits have been feeding the imagination of children -
and indeed some adults, for five generations and at The
Spinning Top you'll find the traditional model aeroplanes
and cars and the latest models including the Vulcan Bomber
and the very cool, Jaguar XKR GT3.
HOPEFULLY,
these suggestions have fired your enthusiasm for Christmas
shopping and reminded you just what retail treasures we
have here in Thame. Whatever you decide, you can be assured
that the personal service given by Thame's independent retailers,
will make Christmas present buying as pleasant and unstressful
as it can possibly be and hopefully you will want to return
again and again and experience a real Thame welcome.
Good luck and 'Happy Shopping'.
Note
on Travel:
If you are travelling to Thame from either the Oxford or
Aylesbury areas, why not reduce your carbon footprint this
Christmas by travelling on the Arriva Bus route 280?
IF
you are coming from outside Thame and travelling in by car,
you can use the Long Stay car park at the Cattlemarket (which
will be free after mid-day, during every Saturday in December)
or there are three hours of free parking in the Market Place
in the Upper High Street. Other parking is available behind
the Co-op approached via Southern Road (turn left at the
Rising Sun and follow the signs).
See:
www.thame.net/info.htm
for information about car parks and how to get to Thame
