It’s that time of the year and the wind is high for some serious Christmas shopping, and it’s been a tradition of ours to publish a Prague Christmas Shopping Guide - just like Goop, but mostly Czech, and you won’t have to stuff anything anywhere. Instead, what you’ll find below are some tried and tested tips for high quality products made in the Czech Republic and elsewhere. Let’s get to it!

Taste of Prague’s Christmas offering

Let’s start with the best. Since Covid kinda took our business away, we’ve been trying to focus on the positive… and locals with cash. But honestly, we have worked hard on these experiences and products, and as always, we test them against a question: would we ourselves buy this? Would we be happy? And the answer is a resounding yes.

We’ve always known how to build an experience, and we have put out spring dates for two: our Moravian Wine Tour Weekends with Jan let you forget everything and enjoy the weekend in the company of great wines, great winemakers and a tiny group (no more than 8) of like-minded people. Jan thinks it’s the best thing we do. Close second? Our Dinner and Cocktails Tour - four hours spent having dinner in two of our favorite Prague restaurants and two of our favorite Prague cocktail bars. Can’t have more fun in Prague with your clothes on. And now as a Christmas special, we will send you as beautiful voucher for both of these.

“How about products?” we pretend to hear you ask. Well, we have two: the Prague’s Finest Christmas edition box of great food drops early next week, and we only have 20 of those prepared. A great gift for someone who loves food just like we do. And finally we have the “Three Moravian Myth-Busting Reds” wine pack that includes the best reds we have found during our wine tours. This is for those who incorrectly believe Moravian reds are inferior. This will change their mind.

And that’s that! Please visit our online store and if you have any questions, we will be happy to answer them.

Jan’s shopping tips

I love records and turntables. If your significant other is like me, you can't miss with a turntable. Zuzi bought me the Rega Planar 3 and it's amazing, but the Planar 1 will do if your budget is a bit lower. Don't have an amp and speakers? Some decks have bluetooth and will connect to your wireless speakers, like this by Sony, or this by the Czech company Pro-Ject (they are formally owned by Austrians, but are made here in the Czech Republic and based on a tried-and-tested Czech design from the 1970s). I buy my records online here - they always arrive well packed and in perfect condition. Here's a list of our favorite record stores in Prague, and this is an amazing mail-order shop in Tabor's.

If your music set up is based entirely on your phone and streaming, I have some tips for a cool wireless speaker. So first of all, you have to go Czech: these Bluetooth-enabled speakers by Acoustic Quality will provide a great sound and a no-nonsense approach at a great price. We personally love our REVO SuperConnect. A bit pricier, but the sound is really great and it looks lovely. If you absolutely need a stereo pair, have a look at Ruark MR1 Mk2. I've heard them somewhere and they were great. We also have a B&O Beosound A1 for travel and it is hard to fault - small and fantastic sound. And if you have the money, try the Naim MuSo, or the KEF LSX.

If your guy loves watches, the rule of thumb is: don't buy him watches, unless you have a big budget or know exactly what he wants. Or maybe focus on design rather than the horological value, because the odds are you may not have the money for a Rolex or an IWC. But again, it does make sense to go local and just buy a beautiful piece by the traditional Czech company Prim. Love the history and the aesthetics.

Finally, drinking. I won’t tell you what your man wants to drink. You know that better than I do. But I can tell you what I like to drink FROM. Wines, easy: Zalto glasses. Or if you want to go Czech, you have to go Kvetna1794. For whiskey, I really like the personalised cut tumblers from Ruckl. Looks great under any tree.

Zuzi’s Shopping Tips

My Christmas shopping guide? Sure, there's so many everywhere, but this one is mine. And if you don't know what to buy yet, this very local selection might come in handy.

If you've ever heard a complaint that you haven't brought any flowers in a while, we got you covered with the first tip: flower subscription by @plevel, @kytkyodpotoka, @loukykvet and a beautiful vase by @dechem, @lukasnovak, @v.svabenikova, @pauli_ben_ or @pekarmilan will seal the deal.

We don't know how about you, but we've started some home improvement project this year, and beautiful young art is a great addition that will tie any room together. Have a look at @youngrealart or the pieces by @antoniestanova, @martin.lukac, @michaelacervena or @david_krnansky. The perfect companion piece? An annual pass to @doxprague or @ngprague.

Out friends over at @inaugust.co make beautiful cups and bowls for a tea ceremony. Add a great oolong tea from @teamountain and maybe The Monocle book of Japan (to be had at @booktherapycz) and when you close your eyes, you can feel you're there!

If you're a coffee drinker, choose the V60 in Wonderland home brewing set by @lukasnovak (or just buy the cups). Add coffee from a Czech roaster - and there's so many to choose from: @candycanecoffee, @doubleshotcz, @pikola_sumperk, @respectcoffeecz. And complete the package with prepaid coffee vouchers in your favorite coffee shop. Our choice would be @onesipcoffee or @etapa_pgfoodies.

If you're more of a wino, we'd recommend the glasses by @lukashoudek_artist. And how about a wine package from @winegeek_cz, @veltlin or @totalwinebar… and if we were you, we'd buy a voucher for our Moravian wine tour with Jan (and one of our "Best of Moravian Wine Tour" wine packages ).

We miss travel. We really do. We're really hoping that we will leave for Tuscany in the spring... again. It's just so beautiful and you can drive. So our tip? Voucher for a trip to Tuscany and the Tuscany guide by our friends over at Sí, Toskánsko!

And because "exotic" travel is probably out this winter, so what's the next best thing? A cooking course or a guided tour of Sapa by Marcela Vuong, along with a basket full of ingredients for Vietnamese cuisine.

How about a trip to Brno? We love Brno, and a ceramics making workshop by Kvítka v bytě would make us happy. Add cups by @kera_atelier or @bisqit_ceramics or @daniel.machill to complete the joyous gift.

We don't do yoga. But this mat by @pepeandwolf might make us reconsider it. And how about a yoga lesson by @namastery or @yogagangfam?

A piece of jewelry is always a good idea. Also, we are convinced Czech jewelers are one of Europe's best. For instance, the pieces by @janja_prokic_studio are breathtaking every year. But you;ll find beautiful thing in the portfolios of less famous creators like @kaykonecna, @mariakobelova, @27jewelry or @studio_muun… and don't forget to add a stylish jewelry box by @ruckl_cz or @ema_mamisu.

We bought the scented sticks by @pigmentarium_parfums at the beginning of the fall lockdown, and they've been making us happy ever since: the smell is beautiful and lasts forever. And they joined forces with @terina.prihoda.stetinova to create a beautiful stand for them: voilá - a piece of art!

And last home accessory tip: a stool by @durodesign.cz is super stylish, and a subscription to @elledecoration is a gift that will keep on giving.

Vouchers

If you suffer from a strong case of indecision, or if you’re stuck in a gifter’s block, say it with a voucher. Vouchers are also great for parents: it’s a polite way of steering your parents stylistically to where you’ve always wanted them to be, while giving them the illusion of choice within a strictly curated pool of choices of your design. Here’s a few shops that do offer vouchers and we think they’d make a great gift:

Nila Store: Sustainability is the name of the game here, and Nila’s stores in Vinohrady and Karlín offer quite an array of beautiful, ethically made products ranging from fashion to home accessories or books.

Artiséme: This little piece of heaven right behind the John Lennon Wall offers some fantastic pieces by pre-eminent young Czech designers. If you want to give glass, jewellery or any type of artsy design, this is your place to go. An absolute gem.

Book Therapy: A tabletop book is always a beautiful present, but Book Therapy does not stop there: their beautifully curated selection offers some interesting international and domestic books. A treasure.

Ingredients: After visiting Ingredients, the only smell you’ll be missing is that of the money you will have left behind. Ingredients offers boutique cosmetics and perfumes you will not fins anywhere else. A total winner.