Christmas Shopping: Part 1- Shopping Abroad

Christmas shopping can be stressful, especially when you leave it till the last minute and attempt to do all your Christmas shopping in the frenzied streets of the UK. Why not take a Christmas shopping break to one of the most fashionable cities in the world with everything you could ever want at your fingertips.

Shopping Abroad:

If you have a passion for fashion and shopping then you could take advantage of some of the most famous boutiques full of chic trends and styles ready to woo those shopaholics out there. With cheap flights, the pound being strong and a bit of extra suitcase space on the return flight you could return with more money in your purse than you would after a day of shopping along Oxford Street.

Milan:

One of Europe’s leading cities of style, Milan is a Christmas shopping must for those who love their labels and all things fashionable, as well as those looking to get some Christmas bargains. Via Montenapoleone is home to famous designers such as Prada and Gucci, while the Navigli area of the city has more street style and alternative choices available. Numerous designer outlets within the city also ensure you can catch a great bargain during your shopping trip.

Every year in Milan there is the Sant’Ambrogio holiday, which takes place on the 7th December. To celebrate the day there is a market known as the Oh Bei, Oh Bei mercatino. The term ‘mercatino’ literally means little market, however in actual fact the street market that is held in Milan should really be called a ‘mercatone’- which means big market, as there is so much on offer here providing the perfect setting for a Christmas shopping spree.

New York:

If you fancy doing your Christmas shopping in the big apple, New York won’t let you down. There is nowhere in the world that offers the array of shopping opportunities that New York City does, with a vast selection of holiday markets in New York City which offer shoppers a great opportunity to see lots of gift options quickly and easily.

The festive atmosphere at these holiday markets in New York City can make Christmas shopping fun rather than a chore and enable you to check off many people on your gift list with ease. Being the most sought after city leading up to Christmas, with the night’s drawing in and price tags falling its natural for your thoughts to turn towards the great shopping metropolis of New York. New York is a shopper's paradise, whether it's shopping in upscale Madison Avenue or the bargain-friendly Lower East Side, New York City, or the Big Apple, offers everything for everybody- so you are guaranteed to do all your Christmas shopping plus pick up a few treats for yourself.

With so many cities abroad being transformed into a Christmas winter wonderland with their exquisitely decorated shop window displays you can’t resist booking a few days away to browse all that these shops, boutiques and department stores have to offer.

You could decide to combine a shopping trip with a Christmas holiday so you can make the most of the festive season and all that comes with it. If you need to fulfil a particularly demanding Christmas shopping wish list, the bright lights and sky scraping steel and glass structures the New York and Milan could be the places to go. But if you want an alternative to big brand shopping you could take a short plain journey across the continent to visit some of the festive markets that offer an abundance of shopping delights that you won’t find in any department store.

Whatever your shopping needs are there are plenty of overseas destinations that can offer everything you need and more- you just have to know where to look.

- K.J.N -