Traditionally, Christmas is a time for giving. And to me, giving isn’t just about what the recipient gets, it’s about where I purchase it and whether I can support local businesses or Fairtrade initiatives or other “worthwhile” causes the process. Living in a foreign country, it can be hard to work out what to buy where, so I thought I’d compile a list of local shops I enjoy shopping at to make it easier for you to give gifts that have a more personal touch. Again, this is but a tiny selection of what is on offer. Why not take the time to wander down the local high street – or explore a new district or town – and see what you can find. Let me know of any great places you discover that I should share with everyone else…!
I have listed the shops by category, and I know some do deliver, if you have trouble making it there during opening hours. For each town, I have included a café recommendation, too, in case you need to rest your weary legs and recharge your batteries while you’re shopping.
Arts & Crafts / Stationery / “nice things” for the home
Galerie360 Pop-Up Store
Oberursel, Eppsteiner Str. 1
19 local artists are selling their wares here until 23 December. There is a huge variety of products, including jewellery, wooden stools, chopping boards, stationery and high-quality gift tags, spicy sauces, jams, shopping bags, handbags, cushions postcards and original paintings, keyrings, toys/gifts, rugs and other tufted products, and so much more. It is well worth a look, but beware, you may come away with more than you’d planned! (Take cash – they don’t have a card machine.)
iPunkt Ideenwerkstatt
Oberursel, Untere Hainstr. 3
This lovely shop has a variety of high-quality stationery and cards, candles, diaries, children’s toys, books and other items, local Oberursel gift items, vases, tableware, bags and much more.
Schönes.Dreieich
Dreieichenhain, Bahnstr. 37
This delightful shop in Dreieichenhain has a wonderful selection of items for the home and garden. Vases, cushions, rugs, glassware, tableware, candles and candle holders, greetings cards, and sooo much more! Silke chooses her suppliers carefully, and it shows. Her good taste also extends to the macaron supplier she uses for the little in-store café – it’s worth popping by just to try one of those! And as she shares the store with “Das Leben ist Süß” (see below), that’s three good reasons to drop in!
Cucinetta
Bad Homburg, Louisenstr. 76
I love the variety in this shop – a great selection of high-quality products for the kitchen, dining room etc. The perfect place to find a present for a hobby chef or stylish food-lover!
MAUK Gartenwelt
Oberursel, An den Drei Hasen
This garden centre has a great selection of plants & gardening accessories, indoor plants and plant pots, but also lots of things for the home, such as vases, candles and other decorative items. And they have a large selection of Christmas tree lights etc.
Food & Drink
Weltladen
Oberursel, Untere Hainstr. 4
This Fairtrade shop has a huge variety of products, including jewellery, toys, bags and baskets, kitchenware and much more. But I love the food, drinks and wine it sells. There is a great selection of chocolate, herbs & spices, honey, coffee, dried fruit, etc. (They will be moving to newer, larger premises next year, but manage to squeeze a lot into the space they have now!)
Marché du Sud
Oberursel, Ackergasse 28
Got any foodies or francophiles you need to buy for? Then this is the place for you! Plenty of scrumptious treats, and they even do hampers that they deliver locally (as I know from personal experience – thanks sis!)
Salon du Cacao
Oberursel, Ackergasse 28 (yes, it’s next to Marché du Sud)
This place is heaven for all chocolate-lovers! You will be spoilt for choice if you’re looking for something special, and you definitely won’t leave empty-handed…I bet you any money you sneak something for yourself into the basket, too!
Das Leben ist Süß
Dreieichenhain, Bahnstr. 37
The sweets and lollipops sold here are all made in the adjacent “bonbon factory”. Not only do they taste amazing (and that’s coming from someone who doesn’t usually like hard sweets), they look stunning, too. And as well as stocking up on sweets, you could buy someone a voucher for a sweet-making workshop (or children’s party).
And conveniently, they share the shop with “Schönes.Dreieich” (see above) and also run a small café with the most heavenly macarons. So it really is worth making the trip, as you can treat yourself as well as purchasing gifts for others.
DeliCasa
Kronberg-Oberhöchstadt, Limburger Str. 1
This shop is the bane of my life, because it’s always so flipping tempting – and as I pass it every day on my way to kindergarten, that can be dangerous! It isn’t huge, but it has a great selection of Italian wines, oils & vinegars, and other delicacies, including the best biscuits ever! And if you want to treat yourself, you can take something from the deli counter home for lunch – the hot food is all cooked fresh on the premises. (And if you really want a treat, pop across the road to the Nah & Gut supermarket – it has the best cheese counter for miles!)
Hildmann’s Hofladen
Kronberg-Oberhöchstadt, Sodener Str. 10,
This place is great when the farm shop is open, but also a life-saver when everywhere else is closed. Thanks to the Regiomat vending machine, you can always pick up some local honey, locally-produced pasta, regionally-produced typically German tinned meat or some apple crisps as a tasty gift for a food-lover. During opening hours, you can also get locally-made jams, syrups and more. And you can pick up some eggs from the free-range chickens while you’re there.
HessenShop
Frankfurt Bockenheim, Bornheim, Sachsenhausen, Rödelheimm & Kleinmarkthalle (City)
This shop is great for gifts, especially if you want something “traditional” from the Frankfurt / Hessen area. It has lots of local delicacies that also appeal to non-locals. There is also a huge variety of non-food products – take a look at the online shop or visit one of the shops, I’m sure you’ll find something suitable.
Hof Kofler
Oberursel, Mariannenweg 20
This small family-run garden centre has a lovely little outdoor play area for children, so you can browse in the shop in peace. They sell the “Echt Orschel” products (honey, tinned meat, apple prosecco, beer, etc etc) as wel as loal wines and Sekt (bubbly) and they also have a lovely selection of plant pots and other items for home and garden. If you visit on a Tuesday, Thursday or Friday you could pop to the Alte Wache community-run café for coffee and cake afterwards (they also have a great playroom for children).
Toys
Meder
Frankfurt, Berger Str. 198
This amazing treasure trove is an institution in Frankfurt-Bornheim, and well worth a visit whatever you are looking for. It has a well-stocked toy department and plenty of other gift items, as well as kitchenware, homeware and lots else. The Berger Straße is a great place to spend a morning browsing, and there are so many options for coffee and lunch you can’t help but love it (she says, being a little biased as it was where I spent my first few years when I settled in Germany at the start of the millennium!)
Spieltruhe Buchtruhe
Frankfurt-Dornbusch & Frankfurt-Riedberg
This toy shop, which has two branches in Frankfurt, has a large selection of toys and books, stationery and other gift items.
Das Schaukelpferd
Kronberg, Katharinenstr. 8
This shop is the perfect example for size not being everything! Despite being on the petite side, it is jam packed with toys, games, dolls, crafts and much more. Just don’t take the children unless you’re in a generous mood, as they never fail to find something they just have to have!
Wünsch Dir Was
Bad Homburg, Louisenstr. 80
I love this little toy shop. They have lots of carefully-chosen toys, games, books and other items, which means you’ll always find that special something for a gift.
Sports / Outdoor pursuits
Reisefieber
Bad Homburg, Louisensetr. 123
This “outdoor” shop is the perfect place to head if you’re looking for a gift for someone who loves adventures, climbing, camping or the great outdoors.
Denfeld
Bad Homburg, Urseler Str. 67
Bikes galore and every accessory you can imagine – Denfeld has a huge selection (and a huge car park), so where better to buy a gift for a cycling fanatic (old or young). And if you go at the weekend, why not combine it with a visit to the Bad Homburg Christmas market.
Vouchers for activities
If you need a gift for a friend you don’t see as often as you’d like to, or for someone who seemingly already has everything, why not get them a voucher for time spent together? The brilliant English Theatre in Frankfurt sells gift vouchers, for example. As does the spa pool Kur Royal in Bad Homburg (which is more “foreigner-friendly” than its neighbour Taunus Therme, as there is only one sauna where you have to go “textile-free”, in the steam rooms etc. you need to cover up). And while the pay-by-the-hour tennis courts in Oberursel and Frankfurt don’t sell vouchers, you could make one yourself and treat a friend to a game and then a catch-up over lunch afterwards. Or if you know a golf-lover, why not get them a voucher for the new “Indoor Golf” centre in Kronberg?
My favourite cafés in…
Bad Homburg: Café Kohler is my go-to for a relaxed brunch, and Hope Café is my recent new discovery for a more stylish coffee.
Dreieichenhain: the café in Schönes.Dreieich / Das Leben ist Süß, of course! And if the weather is nice, you can sit outside in the stylishly designed garden.
Kronberg-Oberhöchstadt: Café O-Oui-So – a lovely, friendly Korean café which is great for coffee & cake, brunch or lunch.
Kronberg: Café Merci, Berliner Platz (French-style café that has heavenly cakes and yummy food), and Café Modi Modi, Friedrich-Ebert-Str. 8-10 (very friendly little café that has delicious cakes, lunched and Turkish specialities).
Oberursel: Café Heller, Epinayplatz (as well as doing delicious cakes and great breakfasts, conveniently they make chocolates and sell them in the shop next door!)
Frankfurt: I don’t get to Frankfurt as often as I used to, but when I do, for old time’s sake I like to head for Mika on the Berger Straße (the bottom end, near Bethmannpark) or Amélies Wohnzimmer in Sachsenhausen (near Lokalbahnhof). But there are so many great places to choose from, I’d say you’re likely to find somewhere good wherever you end up shopping.
I hope this list has provided a bit of inspiration. Happy shopping!