Christmas markets in the UK were once a great destination to find unique gifts from independent sellers – but now, they are more likely to sell ‘overpriced tat’ that can easily be found on Amazon, Temu and Etsy.
A quick sweep around the likes of Hyde Park‘s Winter Wonderland, Leeds and Manchester’s festive stalls this year reveals tacky presents more at home on the websites of Chinese retail giants AliExpress or Shein.
Worse, some of the giftware costs almost seven times the price of its online counterparts.
In Leeds, one stall sells wooden presents including a duck ornament wearing brightly coloured polka dot wellies, priced at £19. However, a similar version can be found on Temu for just £2.74.
Popular gifts such as ceramic garlic grater plates, sun catchers and molten glass decorative bowls are also being sold in the Yorkshire city, despite being available online for the fraction of the cost.
One female shopper told the Daily Mail: ‘The prices are outrageous for a mum like me who is struggling to pay for presents. When you think of how much it costs and times by four for an average family it makes you think.’
And on X, Britons further bemoaned the ‘tat’ now being sold at the markets, saying they’re ‘overpriced, underwhelming’ and offer no ‘real choice’. ‘Can’t seem to find a decent Christmas market anywhere these days,’ one person insisted.
So, as festive stalls across the country are accused of selling ‘rubbish’ and ‘tacky’ gifts, read on to discover the market products that you can easily find online – and sometimes for a much cheaper price…
Christmas markets in the UK were once a great destination to find unique gifts from independent sellers – but now, they are more likely to sell ‘overpriced tat’ that can easily be found on Amazon, Temu and Etsy. Pictured, a stall at Leeds Christmas market
In Leeds, one stall sells wooden presents including a duck ornament (pictured left) wearing brightly coloured polka dot wellies, priced at £19. However, a similar version (pictured right) can be found on Temu for just £2.74
Leeds: Ornaments nearly seven times more expensive than Temu
Leeds’ Christmas market opened its doors on November 21 – after last year’s festive activities brought the city centre’s busiest day for footfall in five years, according to the BBC.
But when the Mail visited the ‘magical’ Christmas fair we found outraged shoppers drowning under the price of festive essentials and begrudgingly shelling out for everything from £12 candles to £15 hashbrowns.
To add insult to injury, several of the presents on offer were up to nearly seven times more expensive than similar versions found on websites such as Temu and Etsy.
For instance, one craft stall sells wooden presents including a duck ornament wearing brightly coloured polka dot wellies.
Costing an eye-watering £19, the item is almost seven times the price of a similar version found on Temu for just £2.74.
Meanwhile, a wooden drunken duck wine holder will set customers back between £20 to £24 on Etsy and Amazon. But for Christmas market shoppers, it costs £29.
Snowmen ornaments, priced at £10, will also set customers back more at the stalls, with very similar versions online for just over £7.
A colourful decoration at Leeds Christmas market, pictured left. Pictured right, a version of the product available online at Temu
A decoration at Leeds Christmas market, pictured left. Pictured right, a version of the product available online at The Range
A decoration at Leeds Christmas market, pictured left. Pictured right, a version of the product available for cheaper on Amazon
London’s Winter Wonderland:
Visitors from all over the world travel to London’s annual Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, ready for a day of festive fun.
But the fair no doubt leaves many a wallet or purse suffering after customers shell out for rides, food, drinks and possibly a ticket into the event during peak times.
And let’s not forget, there’s also the gifts and souvenirs to think about – and they’re not cheap.
One white faux fur coat on offer at the Christmas occasion costs £150. Yet, savvy customers could wait and buy the jacket online at Boohoo for just £85.20 in the sale.
Elsewhere, one stall sells fun, moving hats of unicorns, pandas and even Pokémon’s Pikachu for £20.
But a quick search online reveals that they can be purchased elsewhere, on Temu, SHEIN and eBay for between £4.77 and £9.99.
Then there’s the festive coasters – costing £12 for one, £19 for two or £27 for three – at one of the Winter Wonderland stalls.
One stall (pictured) at London’s Winter Wonderland sells fun, moving hats of unicorns, pandas and even Pokémon’s Pikachu for £20
But a quick search online reveals that the hats (pictured) can be purchased elsewhere, on Temu, SHEIN and eBay for between £4.77 and £9.99
Then there’s the festive coasters – costing £12 for one, £19 for two or £27 for three – at one of the Winter Wonderland stalls (pictured). On Amazon, customers can purchase a beginner set to create their own for a fraction of the price. Six ready-to-make coasters cost £7.69
One white faux fur coat on offer at Winter Wonderland costs £150 (pictured left). Yet, savvy customers could wait and buy the jacket (pictured right) online at Boohoo for just £85.20 in the sale.
On Amazon, customers can purchase a beginner set to create their own for a fraction of the price. Six ready-to-make coasters cost £7.69.
Manchester: Fabric Christmas tree bauble for £14 (but only £7.99 online)
Boasting at least 270 stalls, shoppers likely expect Manchester Christmas market to tick off their festive to-do list and help them secure all the gifts they need this year.
However, it’s unlikely to do so – at least not without breaking the piggy bank, with customers claiming the offerings in 2025 are a ‘rip off’.
Retired photographer Steve Moss, 66, told the Daily Mail: ‘I used to come a lot more but it’s now become a bit of a rip-off. There’s just very expensive stuff which you don’t need.
‘People will go through a lot of money here but I guess it’s become a tradition for people. I think the big Ferris wheel ride is a good addition mind and it looks great by the town hall.’
For example, a fabric Christmas tree bauble costs £14 at one of the stalls – despite a version of the festive decoration being available on H&M for £7.99.
A fabric Christmas tree bauble costs £14 at one of the stalls at Manchester Christmas market – despite a version of the festive decoration being available on H&M for £7.99 (pictured left)
Handmade Gnorbit gnomes are available at Exeter market (pictured), priced at £12 each or two for £20. Yet similar offers online cost £9.99 for two of the gnomes
Birmingham: Yoga Santas at twice the price
Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market supplies live music in the heart of Victoria Square, gallons of delicious mulled wine and plenty of mouthwatering food options – from traditional Bratwurst to must-have garlic bread and fried potatoes.
The festive offering is a firm favourite with both residents and visitors, boasting stalls filled with sweet treats, savoury delights and the perfect gifts, including jewellery, lights and ornaments.
However, like many of the markets in the UK now, Birmingham’s Christmas extravaganza isn’t without its ‘tat’, as some critics would describe the ‘useless’ items.
This year, customers looking for gifts that arguably make no sense at all can purchase yoga Santa decorations for their trees.
Priced at a reasonable £6, they capture Father Christmas posing up a storm, including performing the splits. Yet for savvy shoppers, the decoration is available online for £2.99 from Southwood Christmas Shop.
Meanwhile, an LED Reindeer, featuring a cute red scarf and embellished with stars, costs £16 at the market. The same one could at one time be purchased on Etsy for £9 (it’s since sold out).
Elsewhere, a robin heart shaped metal bauble is thought to cost £8 at one of the stalls. Online customers pay just £3.99.
An LED Reindeer, featuring a cute red scarf and embellished with stars, costs £16 at Birmingham’s Christmas market. The same one could at one time be purchased on Etsy for £9 (it’s since sold out).
This year, customers looking for gifts that arguably make no sense at all can purchase yoga Santa decorations for their trees. Priced at a reasonable £6, they capture Father Christmas posing up a storm, including performing the splits. Yet for savvy shoppers, the decoration is available online for £2.99 from Southwood Christmas Shop (pictured right)
Elsewhere, a robin heart shaped metal bauble is thought to cost £8 at one of the stalls. Online customers pay just £3.99
Exeter: Gnomes for double the money
Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market – where bison and elk burgers cost £10 and £9 respectively – also didn’t escape the accusation that it was too expensive for what it was offering.
Arabic and Politics university student Toby, 19, forked out £16 for a glass bauble for his girlfriend. ‘It’s lovely and I know she’ll adore it, but it did feel like quite a lot of money for what it is.
‘Overall, this isn’t the place where I intend to do the bulk of my Christmas shopping because it’s just too expensive. I’ll be doing most of my buying on eBay this year.’
The student will perhaps recognise some items on the website – with the market also offering products that can easily be found online.
For instance, handmade Gnorbit gnomes are available at the festive fair, priced at £12 each or two for £20. Yet similar offers online cost £9.99 for two of the gnomes.
Playful £1 hooks from IKEA, in the shape of a dog’s tail, were available at York Christmas market, sold on a plank of wood to spruce up the design (pictured left). But the reinvention costs £14 for a single hook and £28 for a double
Popular gifts such as ceramic garlic grater plates (pictured), sun catchers and molten glass decorative bowls are also being sold in the Yorkshire city, despite being available online for the fraction of the cost
York: £1 IKEA hooks for £14
A stall at York’s award-winning Christmas Market – running from 13 November to 21 December 2025 – also sold items easily found online.
Playful £1 hooks from IKEA, in the shape of a dog’s tail, were available at the market, sold on a plank of wood to spruce up the design. But the reinvention costs £14 for a single hook and £28 for a double.
