Scottish Souvenir Shopping
Finding Bargains in Scotland's Crafts, Beverages, Foods and More
Despite the high cost of traveling Europe these days, you can still shop in Scotland and save money in the bargain. It's all about going to the places the locals do
No one relishes a bargain more than the Scots. Perhaps that's why Scotland is one of the best places in Europe to stretch your shopping dollars.
Whiskey and woolens are the traditional value items, of course, but you'll be amazed at the other merchandise you'll find at cut-rate prices. The secret is to shop at the places the Scots do -- the variety stores, supermarkets and department stores -- as well as the places tourists traditionally patronize.
Bonnie Buys
Even the souvenir shops can yield great buys if your travels take you to Scotland at the end of the tourist season in late September or October. You'll find ties, paper napkins, tam-o-shanter change purses, kilts, jackets, and dozens of other items in clan plaid patterns selling for half-price.
Several of Scotland's distilleries, including John Dewar & Sons, Ltd. of Perth, Gordon and MacPhail of Elgin and the Glenfiddich Distillery of Dufftown, incorporate salesrooms where you can taste and buy their whiskies. You can also buy drink-related items such as ashtrays, glasses and water jugs at some of the salesrooms.
Woolens and Golf Clubs
Best places to buy your woolens are at the mills' outlets and apparel stores. Cashmere sweaters cost half the price you would pay for them in the U. S. You can buy cashmere sweater seconds for even less (sometimes it is difficult to understand why they aren't considered first quality). Prices are usually cheaper at woolen mill outlets located in parts of the country not frequented by tourists.
Other buys include hand-crafted golf clubs. These top quality clubs aren't cheap. But they cost half as much as you would pay for them at home. And if you can’t afford clubs, how about Loch Ness Monster golf club covers or items such as ball markers bearing the St. Andrews logo.
Regimental Ties and Other Traditionals
You'll find regimental ties, tapes of regimental bands, framed military prints and metal soldiers at gift shops in Scotland’s castles. Gift counters. Reproductions of 18th century cups and saucers, un-circulated sets of Scottish coins , slate and crystal paperweights, and Medieval-patterned gift wrap are popular items sold at museum shops.
Oxfam Shops
The Oxfam shops, located in towns throughout Scotland, use their profits to fund the fight against hunger and poverty. Their wares, made by co-ops in third world countries and by the disadvantaged in the British Isles, are generally well worth buying and attractively priced. Knee-length slipper socks in intricately knitted patterns from Afghanistan, smart kimonos in a black and white batik print design made in Indonesia and Peruvian wall hangings are the sorts of items you’ll see on Oxfam shelves.
Crafts and Culinary Treats
To find out about local crafts, check at the tourist offices of towns you pass through. Some of the offices even have craft items in display cases, along with their creators’ names, addresses and phone numbers. Others put out illustrated brochures showing pictures of crafts with information on where you can obtain them. For a wide selection of good-quality crafts all in one location, go to the Scottish Craft Centre at 140 Canongate in Edinburgh.
And don’t miss the food halls in the big Edinburgh and Glasgow department stores. Oatcakes from Orkney, Scottish cheddar, Highland herb cheese, shortbread, gooseberry chutney are items you’ll want to put on your grocery list.. Supermarkets promise shopping prizes, too, such as ginger conserve, lemon curd and orange marmalade and jelly diamond cake decorations. Since they’re all considered Scottish staples, they cost far less than those in the imported foods sections of North American supermarkets.
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