With Christmas now just over a month away, many of us will be racking our brains for what to buy our loved ones this festive period.

While online shopping and high street brands are an easy option, local gifts are an excellent choice for Christmas gifts.

They have a distinct local touch, capturing the spirit and uniqueness of East Lancashire, and also support small businesses and the local economy.

Here, we have listed just a few of the many great independent businesses across East Lancashire, and why they would make your holiday season that much more memorable.

Five of the best East Lancashire-produced Christmas gift ideas

1- Oh! Gifting Company

A small local business based in Rossendale, it was founded earlier this year after an accident happening with a tumble dryer started a fire at the family home.

Taking inspiration from the care packages that friends and family gave them to help replace things the family had lost during the fire, every time the founder Oliver Peck would open a package, he would always say ‘oh.’

With high quality and luxurious gift box sets filled with unique, ethically sourced, sustainable treats, the newly established business aims to make gifting simple and easy.

These gift boxes are suitable for any budget, with prices ranging from £11 for a mini hamper containing a peal sheet mask and a pack of prosecco rose gummies, to £135 for a self-spa box containing everything anyone would need to have the perfect spa day at home.

Visit the Oh! Gifting Company to browse the full range of products on offer.

2- Finch Bakery

Baked good are a delightful Christmas present, bringing joy and warmth to the holiday season.

Sisters Rachel Finch and Lauren Sinclair originally opened Finch Bakery in Queen Street, Great Harwood, when they found a passion for baking after making their own 21st birthday cake.

With a wide variety of brownies, cake jars, treat boxes and cookies on offer, this will be a perfect gift for that special person who has a sweet tooth.

Treats range from £10 for a jar of cakes to a December festive advent treat box for £55.

The tasty treats can be bought in the Blackburn and Great Harwood stores, which are open seven days a week, or online for those family members who live a bit further away. 

3- Melt Candle company

Candles make an amazing Christmas present as they create a cosy and warm atmosphere, perfect for the holiday season.

A perfect gift for a person who is obsessed with a specific scent filling the entire room, Melt Candle Company has got you covered with more than 30 scents to choose from.

Melt specialises in producing hand-made, high-quality fragranced candles, and 89 per cent of its ingredients and packaging come from Lancashire companies, working to source their raw materials locally.

You can either buy these candles from Backridge Farm in Waddington or online on the firm's website.

Prices ranging from £9.95 for a travel candle to £42 for their biggest size candle.

4- Heather Scott Jewellery

Heather Scott is a jewellery designer and maker based in Mawdesley.

The pieces are handcrafted from silver, yellow, or rose gold using traditional jewellery making techniques.

Necklaces, earrings, bangles, and cufflinks are among the various jewellery pieces available, making them the ideal present.

These pieces of jewellery are timeless, beautiful, and sentimental.

Prices ranging from £16.50 to £335 for some handmade pieces, and can be viewed on the Heather Scott website.

5- The Lancashire Gift Company

Gift hampers are a fantastic Christmas gift for the variety of goodies and treats all in one box.

The Lancashire Gift Company in Waterfoot is a one-of-a-kind gifting company that uses quality products with a Lancashire connection, perfect for any occasion.

Find boxes that include craft beers produced by different Lancashire breweries, coffee roasted locally, accompanied by some delicious biscuits and a hand-finished slate coaster, or a gift box containing a beautifully scented, candles and some delectable, handcrafted chocolates.

There really is an item for everybody.

The company's passion is for high-quality, ethically sourced, dependable products that are as environmentally friendly as possible.

Boxes ranging from £38- £115 for a more deluxe box, and can all be viewed on the company website.