Christmas Shopping in Liverpool – your ultimate guide

With just under two-weeks to go until the most wonderful time of the year, we were wondering… have you sorted everything yet? It’s that time when town is absolutely rammed with last minute Christmas shoppers! 

Unsure of where to go, what time everything shuts, or where you can grab a quick bite to eat? Well this Christmas guide is here to help you out!

Opening times:

Liverpool One

Monday 12 December to Friday 16 December: 9am – 8pm

Monday 19 December to Friday 23 December: 9am – 9pm

Christmas Eve: 8am – 5pm

Christmas Day: CLOSED

Boxing Day: 10am – 6pm

Tuesday 27 – Friday 30 December: 10am – 8pm

New Year’s Eve: 9am – 5pm

New Year’s Day: 11am – 5pm

Monday 2 January: 10am – 6pm

Saturdays in December will remain as 10am – 7pm

(Times may vary for individual stores)

Find out more here.

St John’s shopping centre

Mon-Wed: 9am-6pm
Thursday: 9am-7pm
Fri-Sat: 9am-6pm
Sunday: 11am-5pm

(Times may vary for individual stores)

Find out more here.

Clayton square

Mon-Sat: 8.15am – 7.00pm

Sunday: 10.00am – 5.00pm

More information here.

Church Street/Lord Street/Bold Street

Usual closing times for shopping in the city centre during the festive period is 8.00pm – but just be sure to check with the store of choice to make sure you get there in time to get your bits n bobs.

How to get there:

By Train

Merseyrail have four stations in the city centre – Liverpool Central, Lime Street, Moorfields, and Lime Street. All of which are walking distance from the main shopping hub. 

Check the Merseyrail website here for schedule info during planned strikes.

By Bus

Paradise Street Bus Station & Queen Square are right in the centre of town, so if your bus goes there you’re laughing. 

By Car

There is plenty of Parking in the city centre – Liverpool ONE, Q Park at Queens Square, John Lewis, and St. Johns shopping centre to name but a few. 

Christmas Decorations

Liverpool always pulls all the stops out when it comes to showing off over Christmas. 

You have the iconic tree on Church Street and our traditional Christmas lights that line the street. 

We have a new collection of tree’s in Liverpool ONE where the LOVE tree used to stand… and a big tree has taken root atop the Bar Hutte Alpine Village in Chavasse Park. 

The Royal Albert Dock much-loved light trail is back bigger and brighter than ever with two brand new nautical additions, representing the dock’s rich maritime history. Joining the illuminated characters of Triton, Neptune, Bella and Bertie is a giant yellow submarine located next to The Beatles Story and a twinkling jellyfish duo in-front of the Martin Luther King Jr. building, nodding to the marine life that frequents the dock’s waters.

You can rock UNDER a Christmas tree in Williamson Square, the giant light feature allows you to walk through a tunnel inside the tree which is perfect for a selfie moment! 

The giant reindeer light features are back again in Liverpool ONE… how many can you find?? 

Christmas food pitstop

There’s loads of boss festive goodies on offer throughout the city – let’s help you out with something great to keep that energy up when battling the weather and the crowds. 

Pattersons

Festive burgers are so popular in the city, everyone loves them… and when you have little beauties like this one from Pattersons can you blame them! Here is their Turkey Delight – sage & onion turkey breast, bacon jam, shredded sprouts, stuffing, sautéed sweet potato, and a cranberry mayo! Now that makes us wish it really could be Christmas everyday. 

They have other specials on the menu too this Christmas in Liverpool, including, Patts Loaded Roasties and a Winter Berry Crumble.

Check out the menu here.

The Quarter

There’s just something about the cobbled streets of the Georgian Quarter… You can just imagine a time of Christmas Past, snow falling to the ground, while the horse and carts clip-clop by. The Quarter’s decorations are up and they will be releasing their menu in the coming week. 

Expect festive goodies with The Quarter’s unique style such as; pigs in blankets, sage & onion risotto, and apple crumble mince-tarts. 

Browse the menu here.

GPO

If you head to GPO in Metquarter, Liverpool’s largest food market, you don’t have to worry about finding something on the menu to suit every taste because there are 11 fantastic independent kitchens to choose from, serving dishes from around the world including New York-style pizza, Nashville fried chicken, Korean street food, freshly-baked gooey centre cookies and some limited edition winter specials. Finish off with speciality coffee from In Bloom Coffee Co. or get cosy with a hot chocolate from Bullion Chocolate.

Check out all it has to offer here.

Dale Street Kitchen

Breakfast is definitely one of the highlights of the all-day menu here, and it’s not all about the award-winning classic full English – although it is hard to see past that, especially when there’s the option to pair it up with a Mimosa or a Bloody Mary on the side!

Gaucho

They have a selection of light starters an nibbles so as not ruin your main course, dishes include; steak tartare – sirloin, palm heart emulsion, confit duck egg, cracker, and their seared scallops.

As well as the 20+ variations of steak on the menu, they also have pasta, salads, seafood, and chicken for you to choose from. They have a great range of sauces to compliment your steak including peppercorn, béarnaise and blue cheese. Classic sides such as chips with thyme salt, creamed mashed potato and truffle mac & cheese are available too.

Book your table here.

Albert’s Schloss

Open seven days a week from 9am, Albert’s Schloss Liverpool will be serving up breakfast until 12pm daily. The breakfast menu includes signature freshly haus-baked Kroissant Royale with sweet slow cooked onions, gouda, Burford Brown fried egg, crispy shallots and chives – with a choice of Smoked Back Bacon, Bratwurst, or a vegan Moving Mountains Sausage available.

See a show

Well it is panto season… it would be rude not to wouldn’t it? (Oh no it wouldn’t) – erm yes it would actually. Liverpool has a cracker (pun intended) of a festive programme across its brilliant theatres… so make sure you don’t miss out! 

Scouse Jack & the beanstalk at The Royal Court

Set in Crosby Valley where the cost of living is hitting idle Jack Jones and his mum hard. Expect laugh-out-loud twists and a boss soundtrack including Supertramp’s Dreamer, Limalh’s Never Ending Story and A-Ha’s Take On Me. Runs until 21 January.

Six and the Playhouse

Divorced, Beheaded… LIVE! The Histor-emix is back at the Playhouse theatre and what a show you are in for! Trading in history for HERstory, from Tudor Queens to Pop Princesses, the six wives of Henry VIII take to the mic to tell their tales, remixing five hundred years of historical heartbreak into an 80-minute celebration of 21st century girl power. These Queens may have green sleeves but their lipstick is rebellious red.

It is running from now until 8 January.

White Christmas at Liverpool Empire

No need to dream of one, you can make it a magical family Christmas this year with the brand-new production of Irving Berlin’s classic musical, White Christmas.  Former Brookie fave Michael Starke stars with Bob Wallace and Phil Davis as all-dancing and all-signing duo Jay McGuiness and Phil Davis who, fuelled by love, follow the stunning Haynes Sisters to a Vermont lodge overseen by housekeeper Martha Watson – played by Lorna Luft – for a special Christmas show. There, they discover the lodge is owned by Bob and Phil’s old army general (Michael Starke), who’s in desperate need of their help. It’s on from Tuesday, December 6 to Saturday, December 31.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears at Epstein Theatre

Hollyoaks’ David Tag stars in the Hanover Street theatre’s spectacular Christmas panto which is on from Friday, December 9, to Sunday, January 1. The circus comes to town and Goldilocks, with the help of the Three Bears, tries to save her Big Top from a rival circus owner! Get ready for a whole load of family fun, song, and slapstick – it’s going to be panto GOLD!

Aladdin at M&S Bank Arena

Shone Productions Ltd presents Liverpool’s Biggest Ever Pantomime. Aladdin at The M&S Bank Arena will run from 16th until 27th December 2022. Starring Coronation Street’s Pat Phelan – Connor McIntyre as Abanazar and Radio City’s – Leanne Campbell as The Spirit Of The Ring, make sure you don’t miss this year’s spectacular pantomime featuring: a delicious blend of exotic scenery, colourful costumes, a live band, dazzling dance routines, great songs, and plenty of laughter.

Other fun stuff

The Elfie Selfie Station at St John’s Shopping Centre

Come and join the Elfie Selfie Station at St Johns Shopping Centre this Winter, where cheeky elves are getting ready for Christmas. They’re busy sorting the post for Father Christmas, checking the nice list and have even been known to break into song whilst they work!

Choose from a selection of funky props and costumes and strike a pose in giant photo frames. The cheeky elves will be on hand to pose in your pics or take them for you.

Grab the glitter and join in with some winter crafts where you can make your very own Christmas decoration to take home and decorate your home or tree. Elves are on hand to help you with the tricky bits.

All activities are free and suitable for children and adults alike.

Story time with Santa – Liverpool Town Hall

Join Father Christmas and his friend, Buddy the Elf, as they share magical stories and sing a song or two in front of their cosy log fire.

This unique, festive event is so much more than a traditional Christmas Grotto…. It is an intimate and engaging experience which will leave you and your little ones spellbound. Each child gets a turn of sharing their Christmas wishes with Santa, before receiving a special gift.

With a maximum of 20 children per story session, be sure to book early for this hugely popular family experience that brings the true magic of Christmas alive.

Santa’s workshops at Royal Albert Dock

December will see the dock’s Grand Hall transform into a bustling hub of festive fun, with a series of free workshops for both children and adults taking place across the first three weekends. Little ones can even write their own letter to Santa and send them straight to the North Pole by posting them in a giant ice post box on the 17th December. 

The Grand Hall itself will be given a magical makeover complete with a present drop off point for Radio City’s Cash for Kids charity in ‘Santa’s Workshop’. Dock visitors can leave presents between 5th-9th December from 10-4pm to help Radio City’s ‘Mission Christmas’, which is an annual gift appeal seeking to provide presents for children in need across Liverpool and the North West.

John Lewis Grotto – Liverpool One

John Lewis are partnering with LEGO® to provide a magical in store Christmas experience that the whole family can enjoy at Liverpool ONE.

Meet Santa and feel the magic of Christmas come alive, take home a wonderful LEGO® or LEGO DUPLO® gift and buy a photo taken with Santa. You can even bring your dog to some of the experiences. (Just make sure they don’t bark at any reindeer!)

Price: £15 per child + accompanying adults (inc LEGO® or LEGO DUPLO® gift)

Find out more about Christmas at Liverpool One.