For the person who has everything
Archive photo: Shutterstock
Spanish leather products are generally of excellent quality and great value for money too. With everything from belts and purses to handbags on offer, you're bound to find something for the man or woman who has it all.
For the joker
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Photo: caganer.com
In one of Spain’s strangest festive traditions, many people decorate their Christmas cribs with the mysterious figure known as caganers, or 'crappers'. Traditionally the crappers were peasants from one of Spain's Catalan-speaking areas in red 'barretina' caps. But the modern versions feature well-known figures from the world of sports, politics and the movies, including last year's best seller President-elect Donald Trump.
For the foodie
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Saffron, one of the world’s most expensive spices, is a key ingredient in several typical Spanish dishes including paella, and you can pick it up in Spain for roughly half the price of UK supermarkets. The thread-like spice, derived from the flower of the Crocus sativus, is used in dishes around the world, from saffron bread to curries. Soak the threads in hot water before use to release all the flavour.
For the fashionista
Photo: Freejpg/Flickr
Espadrilles have been made in the Pyrenees since the fourteenth century and there are shops in the Basque country than have been selling the rope-soled canvas shoes for well over a century. Recently espadrilles have exploded onto the fashion scene, being made from everyone from designers like Missoni and Valentino to almost every shop on the high street. Why not buy the fashionista in your family the real thing: a pair of Spanish espadrilles that will be much cheaper and more authentic than the designer option.
For the souvenir junkie
Photo: Gerard Julien/AFP
Spain's king and queen have brought a heavy dose of glamour to the royal palace since King Juan Carlos abdicated in 2014, and a whole new range of royal family merchandise to boot. From mugs and badges to t-shirts and commemorative plates, something is bound to fit the bill. Long live the king!
For the carnivore
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Huge legs of ham are an enduring symbol of Spain, hanging in bars and restaurants around the country. They also make a seriously impressive present for a die-hard carnivore. Jamon Ibérico is one of the finest hams in the world and is cured for at least 12 months. Include a ham stand and extra sharp knife to ensure the slicing of extra thin, melt in the mouth athentic taste of Spain.
For the footy mad
Photo: RFEF
Spain is home to some of the biggest football clubs on the planet and its national team is one of the best in the world. Most football teams have their own shops, but there is football merchandise to be found in every tourist shop across Spain, so popular is the national sport.
For party lovers
Photo: cyclonebill/Flickr
Spain is one of the largest three wine producers in the world, along with France and Italy, and has the most land dedicated to winemaking of any country. Famous wine-producing areas include La Rioja, Ribera del Duero and Jerez, home to sherry. Spaniards also love to crack open some cava to celebrate special occasions, so you’ll be spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing which bottle to take home.
For the bookworm
What better present for kids than a classic fairy tale like Snow White (Blancanieves) – in Spanish? Not only do they have a beautiful object to enjoy, but they can learn a few words in a foreign language at the same time. If you want to pump up the educational element, there are even bilingual picture dictionaries for kids like My First 100 Words.
For those that need cooling off!
Photo: Alex Pascual Guardia/Flickr
Ranging from highly elegant to very kitsch indeed, fans (abanicos) are an essential feature of summer in Spain, and while Christmas might not seem like the ideal moment to give someone a Spanish fan, there’s bound to be someone who could do with some cooling off after a family meal, not least the cook after slaving over a hot stove.
For the fruity minded
Photo: Naranjas del Carmen
From a farm in Valencia comes a truly original gift idea, and a much needed boost of vitamin C, in the form of a box of fresh oranges delivered within hours of being picked from the tree. Naranjas del Carmen delivers across Europe.
For the art lover
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Museum shops are a great place to buy a last minute gift and a lasting memento of a favourite masterpiece. Whether it be a tie with emblems taken from Hieronymus Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights from the Prado, a Gaudi-style tiled paperwight, or even a tree decoration inspired by the disastrous restoration job of Ecce Homo.
