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The Sunray Holiday Cottages – Gift a Dorset Getaway
About: Give someone a break to look forward to this Christmas with a stay at The Sunray’s holiday cottages in Osmington, near Weymouth. With one, two and three-bedroom properties, they’re a thoughtful gift for couples, families or anyone who loves escaping to Dorset.
For a cosy retreat, The Piggery and The Dairy feature log burners and private courtyard gardens, while The Lambing Barn offers a wood-fired hot tub for an extra-special getaway for two. With an on-site pub and children’s play park, there’s plenty to enjoy without venturing far. Book a stay as a Christmas surprise and give the gift of time together.
Location: Chapel Lane, Osmington, Weymouth, Dorset, DT3 6EU
Price: Check your chosen cottage and dates online. Stays can be secured with a 25% deposit.
Telephone: 0330 3338727
The Life Savers Cookbook
Price: £25
Perfect for: Foodies, home cooks and anyone looking for a Christmas gift that gives back.
Looking for a Christmas present for the foodie in your life with a meaningful story behind it? The Life Savers Cookbook brings together a lifetime of recipes while supporting the lifesaving work of the RNLI.
Created by former professional chef and BIPCOM Telecom Director Gary, the cookbook features around 87 recipes, drawing on years of experience working alongside award-winning chefs in the West Midlands, London and Oxford. With influences spanning English, French, Italian and Asian cuisine, the recipes have been collected and perfected over many years.
The inspiration behind the book was simple: to preserve a lifetime of recipes and stories for family, friends and future generations. In fact, there were too many recipes for one book, with a second edition already in the works!
There is also an important charitable element. Gary has been an RNLI lifeboat volunteer for nearly 10 years, making the charity a natural choice to benefit from the project. The cookbook has received the RNLI's official fundraising endorsement, with profits from sales intended to support the charity. Gary has also personally set aside £250 from initial cash sales for the RNLI.
Since officially going on sale on 9 August 2026, the cookbook has already sold 75 copies, with copies also making their way into independent shops.
For those wondering where to start, Gary recommends the Napoletana Sauce – one of the most versatile recipes in the book and a staple that can be adapted into a variety of dishes. And apparently there's a particularly good story waiting on page 149... but you'll have to buy the book to discover that one!
At £25, The Life Savers Cookbook makes a thoughtful Christmas gift for keen cooks while helping support a fantastic cause.
Buy The Life Savers Cookbook: Available to order online from BIPCOM, with postage available for online orders.
Find Christmas Gifts at The Dolphin Shopping Centre
About: Stuck for gift ideas? A browse around The Dolphin Shopping Centre in Poole could help you find something for everyone on your list. Explore more than 90 retailers for fashion, beauty, books and stocking fillers, then head to nearby Kingland for independent shops and more unusual finds.
It’s a handy way to see gifts in person, pick up a few presents in one trip and enjoy some Christmas shopping along the way.
You can look for beauty gifts at Boots and The Body Shop, jewellery at Pandora and H Samuel, toys at Toy Town, or books and entertainment gifts at TG Jones and HMV. The Dolphin says it’s home to more than 90 occupiers, including shops, places to eat and other businesses. View The Dolphin’s store directory.
For something from a local independent business, step outside onto Kingland. Its shops include Loope Vintage Fashion, Lavender Moon & Onyx and Wild Roots, giving you more options for clothing, accessories and home gifts.
Where can I find independent Christmas gifts near The Dolphin?
Kingland Road is directly outside The Dolphin and is home to independent Poole shops. Browse Kingland if you’re looking for vintage fashion, homeware or a gift from a local business. Explore Kingland’s shops.
Theatre and Show Tickets
Know someone who loves a night out? Tickets to a show make a Christmas gift they can look forward to long after the festivities are over. From comedy and live music to theatre and dance, Dorset has plenty of performances to choose from.
TGt recommends:
- Bournemouth International Centre – for concerts, comedy and live events
- Bournemouth Pavilion – for theatre, dance and live entertainment
- Tivoli Theatre, Wimborne – for shows in an intimate theatre setting
Check each venue’s programme before buying so you can choose a performance and date that suits the person you’re treating.
A Weekend Away in Dorset and the New Forest
Give someone time away together this Christmas. A night or two away offers a change of scenery and something to look forward to once the festive rush is over, whether they’d prefer a riverside hotel, a countryside stay or a spa break.
The Priory Wareham offers a stay beside the River Frome, with restaurants on site and Wareham on the doorstep. It also offers gift vouchers.
Shilvington near Portesham has a holiday cottage and other farm stay options for a Dorset countryside escape.
Careys Manor & SenSpa is an option for a hotel and spa break in the nearby New Forest. It’s in Brockenhurst, Hampshire, so I’d label it as a nearby getaway rather than a Dorset stay.
For more places within the county, browse our guide to accommodation in Dorset. Check availability and gift voucher terms with your chosen venue before buying.
Gift a Pilates Class in Dorset
For the Pilates lover in your life, Vagabond Pilates has gifts they can use in the studio and beyond. Choose a gift card for classes at their Dorset studios in Lytchett and Blandford, or browse their merchandise for T-shirts, hoodies, jumpers and a Pilates mat.
Class gift cards:
- 1 class – £28
- 2 classes – £56
- 4 classes – £100
- 8 classes – £180
A gift card is a lovely choice for someone keen to try Pilates, while the merchandise shop has options for someone who already loves it.
Monkey World Vouchers
Gift your loved one, coworker or friend an experience!
You can purchase single ticket vouchers, family vouchers, guided tour vouchers or even 'Monkey Cash', for your giftee to spend within the park at the cafe, stalls or gift store!
Monkey World offer 1 hour 15 minute long guided tours where you can learn more in depth about the monkeys and where they come from. If this does not interest you then just go for a regular entry ticket and your giftee can tour the sanctuary at their own pace.
Treat Them to Some Time Out
Give someone a little time for themselves this Christmas. A hair appointment, grooming treat or sunbed voucher can be a welcome gift for someone who enjoys a bit of pampering.
TGt recommends:
- Swaffield’s Barbers & Hairdressers in Lilliput or Upton for a hair or grooming treat
- Consol Tanning Studio for a sunbed voucher
- JEN. Colour + Keratin for a hair transformation
Check with the business directly about gift vouchers and booking options before choosing a present.
Fitness and Wellness Gifts in Dorset
For someone who loves staying active, choose a Christmas gift that suits the way they like to spend their time — whether that’s a swim, a game of padel or new kit for the court.
David Lloyd Poole offers membership options with access to facilities such as the gym, pools, exercise classes, racquet sports and spa areas. What’s included depends on the package.
Advantage Padel Mudeford has indoor padel and pickleball courts, coaching and a pro shop. It’s one to explore for someone who already plays or would enjoy trying a new sport.
Quay Rackets sells tennis and other racquet sports equipment, making it a place to look for a present they can unwrap.
Family Fun at Farmer Palmer’s Farm Park
If the children in your life already have plenty of toys, give them a day out to look forward to instead. A Farmer Palmer’s Farm Park gift voucher lets parents plan a family visit to the farm park near Poole at a time that suits them.
It’s a lovely option for grandparents, relatives or friends who want to give children an experience they can enjoy together.
Explore Farmer Palmer’s gift vouchers
Gifts for a New Car Owner
Know someone who’s just passed their driving test or picked up a new car? A useful accessory for their vehicle could make a thoughtful Christmas present.
Breeze Motor Group has dealerships in Poole, including Volkswagen and Suzuki. If you know the recipient’s car make and model, ask the team what accessories are available and compatible before you buy.
Restaurant Vouchers in Dorset
Give someone a meal to look forward to after Christmas. A restaurant voucher lets them choose a date that suits them, whether they’d enjoy a relaxed lunch, a special dinner or an evening out together.
Dorset has plenty of places to explore, from seafood restaurants to Italian favourites and steakhouses. Browse our recommendations below for inspiration, then check your chosen restaurant’s gift voucher options before buying.
TGt Recommends:
- The Sunray Osmington
- Nusara Thai
- Drgnfly Pan-Asian Restaurant
- Guildhall Tavern
- Da Vinci's Italian Restaurant
- Britannia Parkstone
- The Oaks, Highcliffe
- The White Hart, Lymington
- Elevate Brasserie
- Little Pickle At The Mill
- The Coconut Tree
- The Goods Yard
- The Old Thatch
- The Greyhound Inn
- The Old Beams
- Careys Manor
- BOMO House
- BH Live Lookout at Littledown
- Indi's Restaurants - Ashley Cross
- Indi's Restaurants - Bournemouth
- Lore of the Sky
A Day Out at Wimborne Model Town
For a Christmas gift the family can enjoy together, plan a visit to Wimborne Model Town. This miniature version of 1950s Wimborne has more than 100 tiny shops, banks and cafés to explore, along with gardens, a model railway, dolls’ houses and crazy golf.
It’s a fun choice for children who love spotting little details, and for adults who’ll enjoy a glimpse of Wimborne as it was decades ago. You could make the gift more personal by putting a homemade “day out together” card under the tree, ready to arrange a visit when the attraction reopens.
Check the visitor information before planning your trip.
Watersports and Seaside Sauna Experiences in Dorset
For someone who loves being by the sea, give them an experience on the Purbeck coast to look forward to after Christmas.
At Studland Watersports, you can buy a voucher for activities on Studland Bay and let the recipient choose what they’d like to try. Vouchers are currently offered in £25, £50, £75 and £100 amounts and are valid for one year.
If a slower visit sounds more their style, Studland Sauna Hut has two beachside sauna huts with views towards Old Harry Rocks and offers sauna gift vouchers. Further along the coast, Swanage Bay Sauna offers shared sessions and private hire beside Swanage Bay, with gift vouchers available.
It’s a lovely gift for a partner or friend who would enjoy some time by the water, whether they choose an activity, a sauna session or make a day of it together.
Afternoon Tea for Two in Dorset
An afternoon tea for two is a Christmas gift that gives someone something lovely to look forward to in the new year. It’s a chance to catch up over sandwiches, cakes and tea, whether you’re treating a parent, spending time with a friend or planning a date with your partner.
Across Dorset, you’ll find afternoon tea in cosy tearooms, hotels and countryside venues. Choose somewhere your recipient already loves, or make it part of a day out somewhere new. If you’re buying it as a surprise, a gift voucher can let them pick a date that suits them.
Before buying, check the venue’s current menu, voucher terms and whether they need to book in advance.
Take a look at our list of the Best Tea Rooms in Dorset HERE!
Active Experience Gifts in Dorset
For someone who would rather try something new than unwrap another present, an activity can be a great Christmas gift. Dorset offers plenty of ways to get moving, from time on the water to outdoor adventures and dance classes.
For a watersports lover, explore Rockley Point Activity Centre, Shaka Surf or Land & Wave. You can find more inspiration in our guide to watersports in Dorset.
For other active days out, take a look at Poole Park Activity Centre and Buddens Activity Centre near Wareham. Individuality Swimming & Fitness could suit someone who wants to build confidence in the water, while Dance Majic offers a different way to get active.
Gift tip: Check directly with your chosen provider about vouchers, lesson bookings, age requirements and availability before buying.
Creative Gifts and Experiences in Dorset
For someone who loves making things, give them an experience they can enjoy after Christmas — or choose a piece made with creativity and care.
At Studio Poole, the Have-A-Go pottery painting experience lets visitors decorate their own ceramic piece. It could make a fun outing to share with a friend or family member. You can also browse the studio’s pottery and homeware if you’d prefer a gift they can unwrap.
Uptown Junk specialises in refinished, hand-painted furniture. It’s one to explore if you’re looking for a distinctive present for someone who enjoys interiors or upcycled pieces.
If you’d like to give an experience, check current session dates and gift options with Studio Poole before buying.