By Dan WardIn this story:
It's 23 December, the shops are heaving, and you still haven't sorted a present for your brother-in-law. You're not alone. According to YouGov's Big Survey on Christmas present shopping, 42% of gift buyers don't finish until after 15 December, 9% finish on the 22nd or 23rd, and 6% are still shopping on Christmas Eve.
Leaving it late isn't the hard part. The hard part is the pressure of finding something thoughtful when you're tired, short on time and have already looked at 40 near-identical gift sets. Our Christmas gift experiences solve both problems. These e-voucher Christmas treats land in your inbox in seconds, there's nothing to wrap or post, and they give someone a cosy afternoon of making something rather than another thing for the shelf.
Below are 25 classes across the UK, from £15 stocking fillers to main presents, plus tips for choosing for everyone on your list.
How e-voucher Christmas treats work
- Pick a class or an amount. Gift a specific class from the list below, or buy a ClassBento gift card for £25, £50, £100, £150, £200 or a custom value.
- It's emailed to you instantly. You'll get a printable A4 certificate, so you can print it at home or forward the email.
- Schedule it for Christmas morning. Set the email to arrive exactly when you want it to.
- They choose their own date. The gift card lasts three years and works on 17,000+ experiences across the UK.
- Festive classes fill up fast. Most Christmas-themed classes run until mid-December. If you're buying on Christmas Eve, a gift card lets them book a festive class next year or a cosy class in January.
Stocking fillers under £30
1. Bookbinding taster workshop: saddle stitch notebooks, Deptford, London (£15pp) They'll stitch two handmade notebooks, ready for next year's to-do lists.
2. Lino cutting and printing workshop: Christmas gnome, Quinton, Birmingham (£18pp) They'll carve a Christmas gnome stamp for cards and wrapping paper.
3. Christmas wreath workshop, Mere Green, Birmingham (£25pp) They'll make a dried floral wreath that won't drop needles on the carpet.
4. Mini wreath making workshop, Kelvin Street, Manchester (£25–35pp) They'll make up to three mini candle wreaths with moss, dried fruit and ribbon.
5. Beginner's guide to crochet, Fort Kinnaird, Edinburgh (£29pp) They'll learn the basic stitches and take home a hook and yarn to keep going.
6. Beginner's guide to crocheting a granny square, Bolton, Greater Manchester (£29pp) They'll learn the stitches for a cosy granny square blanket.
7. Gua sha facial massage class, Angel, London (£30pp) They'll learn a calming facial massage routine in an hour after work.
8. Christmas baking class, Clevedon, near Bristol (£30pp) They'll bake gingerbread men and star-shaped Christmas trees to share.
9. Make a fabric Christmas star workshop, Abbeyhill, Edinburgh (£30pp) They'll make a no-sew fabric star for the tree from offcuts.
Small treats from £30 to £50
10. Hand building pottery class: 3D Christmas decorations, Bedminster, Bristol (£32pp) They'll hand-build three ceramic decorations, glazed and fired by the studio.
11. Rag and ribbon wreath workshop, Deptford, London (£35pp) They'll tie a colourful fabric wreath, with a drink from the bar included.
12. Pottery mug workshop - making and painting, Nine Elms, London (£36–39pp) They'll hand-build and paint their own mug for hot chocolate season.
13. Pressed flower Christmas decoration workshop, Easton, Bristol (£39pp) They'll seal pressed wildflowers into stained glass decorations.
14. Porcelain Christmas decorations workshop, Dunham Massey, Greater Manchester (£40pp) They'll press vintage lace into porcelain to make up to 20 decorations.
15. Bendy boy candle making workshop, Vauxhall or Spitalfields, London (£40pp) They'll twist and paint five dinner candles for the Christmas table.
16. Willow winter wreath, garland and crown making workshop, Lesnes Abbey Woods, near Abbey Wood (£40pp) They'll weave willow by a woodland fire, with mulled drinks to keep warm.
17. Christmas calligraphy workshop, New Town, Edinburgh (£45pp) They'll personalise three glass baubles in gold, silver and black ink.
18. Christmas wreath felting class, Dunham Massey, Greater Manchester (£45pp) They'll make a wool felt wreath, with mulled wine and snacks.
19. Aromatherapy candle making class, Whitechapel, London (£47pp) They'll blend essential oils into their own scented candle.
20. Christmas craft class: aluminium bauble, Moseley Road, Birmingham (£48pp) They'll emboss a metal bauble and finish it with ribbon and beads.
Main presents from £50
21. Christmas card lino cut workshop, Bollington, Cheshire (£50pp) They'll carve and print a set of ten Christmas cards with envelopes.
22. Reclaimed vessels soy candle making workshop, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham (£58pp) They'll pour two soy candles into reclaimed vessels and enamelware.
23. Cup or mug hand-building pottery course, Park Royal, London NW10 (£63pp) They'll hand-build a cup or mug at Blanc Ceramic's studio near North Acton.
24. Kintsugi pottery class for beginners, Chapel Street, Salford (£66pp) They'll mend broken pottery with a gold-coloured seam, which makes a slow, cosy afternoon.
25. Mini rug tufting workshop, Nine Elms, London (£128–150pp) They'll design and tuft a mini rug to keep their feet warm all winter.
How to choose for everyone on your list
Running out of time? Here's how to match e-voucher Christmas treats to the people you're buying for.
- For parents: book a class for two, so it's a day out together. Christmas wreaths, candle making and baking are safe bets that work for most couples.
- For grandparents: choose something calm and close to home, like calligraphy baubles or porcelain decorations. Check the venue's access details before you book.
- For your partner: turn it into a date by booking two places. Try a cosy pottery mug class, rug tufting or a candle workshop for an evening out together.
- For friends: go for something social and fun, like the rag and ribbon wreath with a drink at the bar, or a mini wreath night in Manchester.
- For colleagues: stick to the stocking fillers under £30. A bookbinding taster or a Christmas gnome lino class fits most Secret Santa budgets.
- For people you don't know that well: keep it simple and low-pressure, or send a gift card so they can choose. For more ideas, see our guide to picking a festive gift for someone you've just met.
Sorted in seconds
Leaving Christmas shopping to the last minute doesn't mean settling for a last-minute gift. E-voucher Christmas treats arrive instantly, cost nothing to post, and give everyone on your list something to look forward to, from wreath making in Mere Green to rug tufting in Nine Elms. Pick a class above, or send a ClassBento gift card and let them choose from 17,000+ experiences.
