Our small business Christmas gift guide

If you run a small business, you’ll know the joy you get from a new order coming through. Whether big or small, it’s a reminder that the hard graft is paying off. When you're competing against the big brands, particularly during peak trade periods such as Black Friday and Christmas, these moments make all the difference. 

Small businesses create jobs, foster innovation and power local communities across the UK, and we want to take every opportunity to celebrate them. With Christmas coming up, we’re helping our readers get ahead with their shopping list by shining a light on the makers, bakers, brewers and creators we’re proud to have in our borrower community. Introducing our Christmas gift guide for 2027, featuring a few of our valued Funding Circle borrowers.

If you’re looking for gifts for clients, colleagues, friends and family or yourself, here are some small businesses in our network we recommend shopping with this festive season.

Food and sweet treats

Anna Cake Couture

Bristolian bakery Anna Cake Couture, creates stunning celebration cakes, chunky cookies, brownies and macarons, all delivered UK-wide. With personalised designs and a dedicated Christmas collection starring bakes like Christmas Cracker-shaped biscuits, festively-flavoured cupcake boxes and macaron wreaths, these bakes will be an instant hit.

Cakehead

Renowned for their easy-delivery postal boxes, Cakehead spreads joy with award-winning brownies and cakes, including vegan and gluten-free choices. They’re letterbox friendly and you can pick your delivery date, so they’re a reliable, convenient and delicious option for clients or colleagues you want to delight without adding any inconvenience to their day. 

The Devon Fudge Company

Handmade with Devon clotted cream to a traditional recipe, The Devon Fudge Company is a family-run business that understands the meaning of quality ingredients. Although these sweet treats can be bought for any occasion, their seasonal flavours such as Zesty Chocolate Orange, Christmas Pudding, and Stem Ginger are bound to get recipients in the festive spirit.

Flapjackery

Inspired by a love of flapjacks, Flapjackery sources the best local ingredients to elevate this simple traybake. This includes using gluten-free British oats, making sure these flapjacks can be enjoyed by as many people as possible. If you’re buying for someone who usually misses out on teatime treats, this is a very welcome gift.

Island Bakery

Based on the Isle of Mull, Island Bakery makes Scotland’s finest organic biscuits, shortbreads and savoury nibbles having evolved from local breadmakers to award-winning biscuiteers. With flavours such as Chocolate Ginger, Apple Crumble and Orange Melt, you’re sure to find the perfect gift for any afternoon tea lover.

Mademoiselle Macaron

Gifting someone who appreciates the finer things? From their Edinburgh-based kitchen, Mademoiselle Macaron set out to capture Parisian indulgence for their customers across the UK. Handcrafting traditional French macarons in classic and quirky flavours, from simple Chocolate Orange to Christmas Pudding and Pumpkin Spice, these treats are a great addition to a hamper selection or as a standalone stockingfiller.

Nearynógs Chocolate

Nearynógs is Northern Ireland’s first bean to bar craft chocolate maker, ethically producing small-batch, sustainable chocolate. By offering fair prices to farmers and sourcing eco-friendly packaging, Nearynógs champion the ethos of giving back. Shop their chocolate bars, truffles, fudge and more to spoil friends and family this Christmas, and support a good cause at the same time.

Drinks

Bird & Blend Tea Co.

Independent tea company, Bird & Blend offers hand-blended loose leaf teas, matcha and luxury tea bags as well as tasting workshops across the UK. As the winter months draw in, the tea lovers in your circle are bound to appreciate a warming present. And there’s something for every price point including gift sets, subscriptions and e-gift cards if you want to let them decide.

Copeland Distillery

Based in Northern Ireland, Copeland Distillery is a craft producer of Irish gin, rum, single malt and pot still whiskey. Building on their rich heritage, this award winning distillery is on a mission to innovate with their community, history and taste at the heart. For the connoisseur you want to spoil, consider their cask aged Single Malt Irish Whisky. 

The House of Botanicals

Aberdeen’s oldest spirit business, The House of Botanicals takes mixes innovation with tradition to produce a range of gins, cocktail bitters and aperitif spirits. Whether you’re seeking to thrill your guests with festive cocktails or keep a well-stocked drinks cabinet year-round, a bottle of Pietro Nicola Limoncello or Winter Spiced Bitters won’t go amiss.

Napton Cidery

Napton Cidery is an award-winning, family run craft cidery. As a certified B Corp, their ciders are made with 100% pure juice from unsprayed British apples grown in Herefordshire. These naturally vegan and gluten-free ciders are a great alternative to beer or stout collections. Or, for the experience-seekers you know, opt for a tour and tasting gift voucher of their Warwickshire-based taproom.

Home, cards and crafts

Freckleface

Home fragrance and wellbeing brand Freckleface is an artisanal business creating ethical, luxury fragrance rooted in storytelling, from hand poured candles to crafted wax melts, room sprays to diffusers. A holiday scented candle makes a lovely winter-time gift, particularly for those hosting at home.

The Gilded Bird

For new parents or parents-to-be, Essex-based The Gilded Bird offers premium, British-made baby accessories and bedding featuring exclusive, hand-painted designs on organic cotton. It’s a gift that’s not just for Christmas, with quality and longevity at the core of their design principles. 

Quitting Hollywood

There’s no better way to say ‘season’s greetings’ than with a memorable card, so go ahead and browse Quitting Hollywood’s unique Christmas cards and novelty gifts, including themed mugs, plushies and more. And with options to personalise your message and post directly, you can guarantee to put a smile on their face.

Every purchase from a small business supports the owner behind it, as well as their team and community. As with all our customers, we’re proud to back the businesses in this year’s guide, and to help you find something special for your loved ones.

If you’re considering investing to make your business to keep up with seasonal demand, check if you’re eligible for finance in 30 seconds and apply online in 7 minutes.

11/11/26 - While we want to help as much as we can, the information found here is provided solely for informational purposes and should not be considered financial or legal advice. To the extent permitted by law, Funding Circle does not accept any liability for any loss or damage which may arise directly or indirectly from the use of, or reliance on, the information contained here. If you have any questions, please speak to your professional adviser or seek independent legal advice.