Blenheim Palace has opened its annual Christmas Market, with around 80 stall holders selling a variety of produce.
Stalls include everything from handcrafted silver and gold jewellery, paintings and pet portraits, to fresh flowers and natural coconut bowls. Handpicked British cheeses and locally sourced charcuterie are perfect for seasonal feasts and those with a sweet tooth will discover artisan cookies, Belgian chocolate brownies, ginger bread and traditional sweets.
There will be a range of stalls present at Blenheim Palace during the festive season, including:
TuckersFX Candles, Jessica Walker
A sculptor who created a candle in the shape of a music icon’s dog is trading at this year’s biggest ever Christmas Market at Blenheim Palace. A mutual friend of Stormzy, Britain’s most successful hip hop artist, asked Jessica if she could produce a cast of his beloved pet Rottweiler for a birthday present.
Jessica, from High Wycombe, had begun creating the beautiful wax sculptures during lockdown, when her regular job as a creature creator on film and TV sets was put on pause.
Jessica said, “This will be the third Christmas I’ve been making bespoke candles. I started because I wanted something to keep me occupied during the pandemic. The moulds began as special gifts like the one I did for Stormzy and the business has continued to grow.”
Jessica has created new moulds for Christmas, such as an elegant, Victorian-style Gingerbread House, while other dog casts include a French Bulldog and a Golden Retriever.
Edgy Threads, Sarah Wilkinson
Sarah decided to pursue her passion since childhood for crochet when she began Edgy Threads in 2019. She used various videos, websites, books and magazines to make endless shawls and blankets.
She said, “My ‘eureka’ moment came when I discovered I could crochet with a chunky recycled cord which she had previously used for macramé. I finally realised I’d found my niche, my new obsession and at last, my passion.”
Sarah’s focus is on decorative and useful items – all her products are hand crocheted and most are created using 100% recycled cotton T-shirt fabric, which has been braided into cords.
The Cocktail Society, Tom Bronock
Another business which emerged from the pandemic is Oxford-based The Cocktail Society, which won Best All-Round Subscription in BBC Good Food magazine. A sister company to The Cocktail Service, which began in 2009, the society was formed 18 months ago, in response to the growing popularity of home drinking.
Co-founder Tom Bronock said, “The UK is a nation of cocktail lovers and having looked at trend forecasts, we set up a subscription for DIY cocktails, complete with how-to guides.
“British people like to try different things and we offer bar-quality cocktails, bottled by our experts in Oxford, either for people to enjoy themselves or as a great gift.”
Entry to the Christmas Market is free and access is also included as part of a ticket to The Snow Queen reimagining inside the palace and the illuminated trail in the gardens.
The Christmas Market is hosted by leading events promoter RGL (a division of Sony Music), in partnership with Blenheim Palace and Living Crafts Events.
The Cocktail Society and TuckersFX Candles will be trading at Blenheim Palace’s Christmas Market until 18 December.
For more information on prices, opening times and to book, please visit the Blenheim Palace website.
