Christmas: Give Brussels Gifts

Visiting Brussels before the festive season? It’s the perfect time to find special Christmas gifts that are truly unique. Here, local craftsmanship meets contemporary creation, and every shop has its own special something: a unique piece, a captivating comic book, a local delicacy… The choice is immense. Let us guide you to the best finds and addresses and give your Christmas shopping an authentically Brussels character.

In Brussels, when you talk about gifts you immediately think of chocolate. The capital has made it into an art form, championed by countless fine chocolatiers. Neuhaus, inventor of the praline, is a must for offering a piece of Brussels history to savour. Pierre Marcolini offers grand cru chocolates, while Laurent Gerbaud focuses on unexpected combinations inspired by travel. To discover these chocolatiers and the range Brussels has to offer, browse our selection of retailers.

Other treats to put under the tree (or take home for yourself, we don’t judge): speculoos and Pain à la Grecque are musts. For the best examples, head to Dandoy, a family business that has delighted Brussels residents since 1829. Here, tradition and craftsmanship are the watchwords, with butter and sugar reigning supreme. Indulge in their sweets at their Brussels shops, notably just steps from the Grand-Place and in the Galerie du Roi. If you’re after more gourmet gems, check out our selection of artisanal confectioners in the capital.

Brussels is also synonymous with beer, another Belgian classic to slip into a gift basket. The city boasts many iconic breweries, each with its own strong personality. An institution since 1900, Cantillon brewery continues the tradition of gueuze and lambic with the utmost authenticity. Brasserie de la Senne crafts beers from natural ingredients in its workshop near Tour & Taxis. The Brasserie de l’Ermitage nanobrewery offers original beers with names like Lanterne, Théorème de l'Empereur, or Soleil. The full range of the capital’s breweries can be found in our dedicated article.

As the world’s comic book capital, Brussels is the ideal place to find the perfect gift for any fan of the ninth art. Traditional bookshops offer a wide selection of albums, but the city is also full of specialist addresses, such as Brüsel, just steps from the Bourse. Named after the city imagined by François Schuiten and Benoît Peeters in their series The Obscure Cities, this bookshop-cum-gallery also offers collector’s items such as prints, screen prints or posters. You should also visit Multi BD, just a short distance away, or Slumberland, present both at the Comics Art Museum in the city centre and at the Gare Maritime at Tours & Taxis. For even more comic book shops, see our selection of specialist bookshops, where you’ll also find figurines, postcards, posters…

For inspiration, take a look at the comic Bruxelles, un Rêve Capital, from the The Obscure Cities series by François Schuiten and Benoît Peeters, albums awarded an Atomium Prize at the BD Comic Strip Festival, as well as our list of comics about Brussels.

The European capital is also bursting with artisanal know-how. Savonneries Bruxelloises have been making soaps since 1926, in their original factory in the heart of the city. Soaps (and solid shampoos) can be bought in their shop in the Galerie du Roi, as well as in other shops like Manneke, Hopono, Smell Stories, Senteurs d’Ailleurs…

Looking for a present for a fashionista or a fan of décor and design? Brussels will spoil you. With renowned colleges whose reputations are second to none (like La Cambre), the city is brimming with talent: jewellery (Olivia Hainaut, Isabelle Lenfant, Christa Reniers…), ethical, sustainable and upcycled fashion (Eva Velazquez, Kaly Ora, Sarah de Saint-Hubert, Retro Reset…), as well as ceramics and design creations (Frédérique Ficheroulle, Gadoue Atelier). The list is so long that we’ve grouped it into a series of articles that you can read here.