Successful shopping depends on going to the right type of place for the right type of gift; to be honest many gifts can be bought from home, simply clicking on the mobile or laptop.
But it's lovely to go out, supporting our local towns and shops and here is a summary of what you might find where.
Folkestone.
Folkestone has the usual type of shops in the centre but has the truly Creative Quarter stretching down towards the harbour. These are shops and places to eat that are individual, creative and many unique items may be found as well as beautiful cards and wrapping paper. To be honest it has many things that we don't need but they are so lovely!
Canterbury.
Canterbury is the classic city to shop in but you may find it very crowded. It's best to be on a planned mission because there are so many shops including the department store Fenwicks. We definitely recommend using the Park & Ride on the Old Dover Road, on the way in from Dover on the A2.
Ashford.
Ashford can feel a little dreary but so many people visit the Ashford Designer Outlet and this can be simply packed at Christmas time. It has piped music and an area for refreshments, an Asda next door. It's basically a huge circle of outlet shops with many discounted prices In general, it has so much sports clothing, kitchen equipment, bed linen as well as an M&S with price reduced excellent socks!
Faversham.
A really pretty, wonky town with many junk and antique shops as well as some lovely individual shops like No 77 and The Apotheca. The perfect place to browse without really knowing what you might find. However it also has a 'Pound 'shop where you can buy Christmas boxes and other cheap trimmings to make your gift special. And don't forget the Standard Quai which is enough to visit on its own!
Hythe.
Hythe is another place full of individual shops & junk/antique shops, find out when the Malthouse is open and lose yourself browsing in the many stalls; something is bound to be to your choice! If you love the Romney Marsh and beach scenes, make sure you pay a visit to the Shepherds Hut Studio; such lovely prints, originals and lamp shades and such like.
Tenterden.
This is a bit further away but a very pretty town which is basically one really long and wide street; it feels more relaxing to shop there and yet again, there are individual shops as well as junk/antique shops and lovely places to eat. We always like to have a browse in Webbs of Tenterden too.
Margate.
Well we don't know Margate very well but when we went, we found it to be modern, interesting and funky.
Deal.
Deal is really pleasantly surprising, with so many individual shops and of course stopping right by the sea to have fish and chips at the Sea View chip bar is a must!
Dover.
Good old Dover is full of charity shops and quite a few foreign food shops and one or two totally weird shops. It's fun browsing and finding really unusual food products and other items for stockings and pillow cases. Of course there is St James Place but sadly the De Bradelie Wharf outlet closed last July.
Farm Shops.
You don't always have to visit towns to shop and we like to visit Gibsons Farm Shop which is so popular and always busy. It has many gift items as well as english wines and beers as well as top ingredients for Christmas cooking.
We also like the relatively newly opened Fern and Farrow in Bishopsbourne, a great place to order your meat. Of course we like it because this fine shop stocks our Nightingale milk and milkshakes! It's next to the highly popular Tadpole Tearooms but even better, it's round the corner from The Mermaid pub which does excellent lunches. Bishopsbourne is such a pretty village and there are pretty walks all around- if you are well in control and have done all your shopping!
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