The Folk Forecast’s Christmas Gift Guide
Make a difference this Christmas by choosing gifts that help support the future of the folk scene.
Hello, and welcome to a special festive edition of The Folk Forecast! In recent days, you may have noticed some of your favourite artists sharing Christmas gift ideas aimed at supporting artists, using the hashtag #FolkForChristmas. This is a great initiative which was kicked off by Fay Hield, and it’s quickly gained momentum right across the scene.
In recognition of this, we’ve squeezed in an extra issue of The Folk Forecast this week, to draw together some of our top picks for Christmas gifts this year. From cards and decorations to tunebooks and beautiful prints, there’s lots to explore. The good folks at Mudchutney have also offered Folk Forecast readers 15% off clothing in the run-up to Christmas (if you click on the link, the discount will be applied at the checkout).
For more ideas, follow the hashtag #FolkForChristmas on social media. We’ve also put together a folky Christmas playlist, to get you in the festive spirit while you shop!
Christmas cards
Magnetic North East - 11 Pipers Piping card - SOLD OUT
Little and Loud Christmas card packs (business run by Laura Connolly of The Demon Barbers)
Handmade by If personalised Christmas decoration card and Santa’s Coming card (business run by Tiny Taylor of The Demon Barbers)
Bity Booker limited edition illustrated Christmas cards
Christmas decorations
Handmade by If - Various Christmas decorations and personalised ‘nice list’ calendars for kids (business run by Tiny Taylor of The Demon Barbers)
Gifts for singers and musicians
Songbooks
Tunebooks
Lessons & workshops
Instruments & accessories
Folk art prints
Clothes
Mudchutney - A wide range of folky clothing, including band and festival branded clothes and items customised for everything from concertinas to morris dancing. Get 15% off clothing with the discount code FFFNOV20 - click this link and the discount will be applied when you check out.
Kinnaris Quintet - T-shirts, sweaters, and even babygrows for tiny folk fans!
Ninebarrow t-shirts - Featuring the dartford warbler, the bird that inspired their song ‘Nestledown’ on their upcoming album ‘A Pocket Full of Acorns’
Stocking fillers
Amelia Coburn - CDs, vinyl and greetings cards
Bellowhead - CDs, vinyl, t-shirts, tea towels and keyrings
Blazin’ Fiddles - Notebooks, travel mugs, t-shirts, tea towels, tote bags and tunebooks
Breabach - CDs and Glenturret whisky! Get a free Glenturret whisky glass and free P&P with any whisky purchased from 26th Nov to 1 Dec
Cara Dillon - CDs, vinyl, t-shirts, prints, cards, tea towels, coasters, keyrings, tote bags and more
Edgelarks - CDs, note cards and tea towels
Eliza Carthy - Eliza’s back catalogue and songbook, plus a variety of rare and signed memorabilia from the Waterson Carthy Family Archive
Fay Hield - CDs, tea towels, posters and tote bags
Kate Rusby - CDs, DVDs, vinyl, songbooks, t-shirts, mugs, tea towels, tote bags, Christmas stockings and more
Miranda Sykes - CDs and tote bags
Ninebarrow - CDs, t-shirts, greetings cards, books, 2021 calendars, online concert gift vouchers and prints of Jay LaBouchardiere’s photography
Stick in the Wheel - CDs, vinyl, tapes (!), enamel mugs, t-shirts and artbooks
The Gentle Good - CDs and t-shirts
The Lost Words - CDs, books, card games, jigsaws, posters, postcards, tote bags and more
The Rheingans Sisters - CDs, prints, tunebooks and 2021 calendar
Magnetic North East - CDs, books, mugs and more, connected with the artists and traditions of the North East
Little and Loud - music kits for kids (business run by Laura Connolly of The Demon Barbers)
New music
There’s nothing better than the gift of new music - here are a few recent releases that your gift recipients might not have yet!
Eliza Carthy - Through That Sound (My Secret Was Made Known)
Elye Cuthbertson - Covid 19 Compositions - 100% of profits go to Help Musicians UK
Hudson Records are offering 25% off records and merch in their online shop from 25 November–2 December. This includes releases from Karine Polwart, Jon Boden, Sam Sweeney and many more. Head to their website and enter the code XMAS25 when you get to the checkout.
Martin Simpson is offering 25% off everything in his online shop from 27 November–1 December, apart from workshops and his newest release ‘Home Recordings’. Head over to his shop to bag yourself a bargain.
Festive music
Get in the Christmas spirit with these festive records, all of which can be found in our Very Folky Christmas playlist.
We also recommend checking out Plygeiniwch! by The Gentle Good, an EP of Welsh Plygain Carols arranged for solo guitar. A proportion of money raised through the Bandcamp page helps Oasis Cardiff, a charity that works with refugees and asylum seekers in the city.
Patreon accounts
Give some music-based joy every month, with a subscription to an artist’s work on Patreon. Here are a few of the artists we’ve found who are offering exclusive content to their patrons.
That’s it from us for now. We’ll be back next Sunday with the usual round-up of upcoming online gigs. See you then!
Keep up to date - find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The Folk Forecast is created for artists, for audiences and for the UK folk scene. All information is correct to the best of our knowledge. If you have queries about the items listed, please contact the artists or retailers. If you have any suggestions for events to include in future newsletters, please email TheFolkForecast@gmail.com. We may not be able to include absolutely everything, but we’re interested in UK folk events with a broad appeal, and would particularly welcome suggestions from Scotland, Wales and Ireland. The Folk Forecast is compiled by one person, so please bear with me if I can’t get back to you right away.