CHRISTMAS is coming and this year in Malton festive gift shopping is even easier. You know how it is, we all would like something special, something a little different, and something at a good price.

Well this year the new Visit Malton website has a festive shopping guide with some top original shopping ideas.

You can’t find these products in a supermarket, or on any old high street, but you will find them all in Yorkshire’s Food Capital, though.

Take for instance our top 10 of festive foodie treats. Where else, other than Malton, could you find Christmas pudding or mince pie gelato (Groovy Moo)?

What about YO Bakehouse and their beautiful Christmas baking. There’s panatone, stilton and figgy puddings a plenty at Malton Relish, plus “Yorkshire Pots” at Derek Fox Butcher – that’s a bird inside a bird, inside a bird, inside another bird for those in the know.

Over in Talbot Yard Food Court, Florian Poirot has created a family of limited edition Santas, Christmas trees, as well as snowmen, all made of 100 per cent chocolate, and let’s not forget his insanely tasty macarons too.

But it’s not all about food; quietly over the last few years Malton’s gifts, interiors and homewares sector has really been building in quality.

Kemps General Store in Market Place is literally packed with perfect presents and stocking fillers. On Market Street, Hare & Wilde have a beautiful display of homewares and gifts, while Bowley & Jackson and 9-11 Interiors are also full of festive gift ideas for the home.

And to prove it isn’t just about fab food and drink, Malton CIC’s massive Christmas market takes place on Saturday, and for the first time will offer non-food gifts as well.

I’m excited to say that we’ve got a whopping 60 stalls booked along with some fantastic street food options like Pav’s Dhaba serving authentic and tasty Indian snacks.

There’s the Game Shack again with sizzling local game burgers, Hepy’s Hog Roast as always, Hun Street Kitchen offers an intriguing taste of Budapest, plus The Baking Bikers with their award-winning treats.

We are also introducing my new personal favourite, a local trader called La Raclette. Melted Raclette cheese on potatoes or on sausages; frankly it’d be good on anything really.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish one and all a very Merry Christmas. There are a few exciting happenings planned for 2018 so do watch this space. To keep things new and exciting you’ve got to innovate and that’s what Malton CIC plan to do.

I hope your Christmas and New Year will be fun. Make sure you grab some of those special delights that cannot be found elsewhere. Malton truly does have it all this Christmas to put a smile on your loved ones faces, so bring home the bacon, gelato or pumpkin spiced macarons! This is Malton after all…

Malton Christmas Market runs on Saturday, from 9am to 3pm. Free parking and free entry.