I love strolling around World Showcase at Epcot while enjoying the sights, sounds and tastes of the 11 different countries (oh, Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, I miss you already). World Showcase is also a great place for holiday shopping. I recently spent an afternoon at Epcot looking for unique gifts in hopes they may inspire you (note – this is the point when my parents, sister and children should stop reading).
There is a wonderful selection of sterling silver jewelry in Mexico Pavilion with a hint of Mickey Mouse. In Italy Pavilion, artisans have created a variety of Murano glass gifts including the colorful bottle seen above. While I’m not the demographic for handbags, I love the entire assortment of items by designer Shinzi Katoh in Japan Pavilion. Finally, I visited Montreal this past March so I know who is getting the moose ornament this year from Canada Pavilion.
My journey around World Showcase continued with visits to the France, United Kingdom, Morocco and Norway Pavilions. Givenchy is offering a set of miniature perfumes this year in France Pavilion. The Morocco Pavilion has an assortment of beautiful wooden bowls and boxes (I love that color of wood). One typically thinks of trolls when in Norway, but I found butterfly jewelry in several colors and sizes. In the United Kingdom Pavilion, four new “super soft” acrylic scarves were introduced to the Lords and Ladies location (something I could have used during that trip to Montreal!).
Food is always a popular gift for the holidays. I’m currently enjoying a cup of Christmas Tea from Twinings in the United Kingdom Pavilion while writing this article. Italy Pavilion has wine stoppers which would complement the exclusive wines created for Disney Parks (hint to anyone looking to get me a gift). If not wine, then I would gladly take anything with Werther’s Original caramel from Karamell-Küche in Germany Pavilion.
I love giving Pocky or Daruma dolls during the holidays from Japan Pavilion. The former is delicious and the latter is believed to be a symbol of good luck. Lastly, I enjoyed the selection of Chinese Zodiac items in China Pavilion (I’m a rabbit!) and the handcrafted Oaxacan wood carvings from Mexico Pavilion.
I would love to hear what gifts you enjoy giving from World Showcase in the comments below. Feliz Navidad!
Comments
Don’t laugh, but we always end up getting a few purses from the Mitsukoshi Department Store in the Japan pavilion. I don’t know why we always gravitate toward the purses when we’re looking for gifts (considering all of the other cool things they have for sale). That’s such a fun place to shop!
love all of them but I do have to say Japan is my fave and then Norway for Laila perfume.
I stock up on the Laila perfume from Norway on every trip. It’s amazing!!!
We read that we must try the gingerbread cookies in Germany. We bought a bag and opened them. We wanted to have a taste while strolling through world showcase and enjoying all of the Christmas decorations. We LOVED them and we ended up buying several more bags to bring home as gifts! (I don’t even like gingerbread, but these are REALLY good!)
If you are a gingerbread cookie fan, you have to try the ones in the blue bag in Germany. They were selling them from a kiosk (sorry, can’t remember the name of the cookies, but they had a couple of different varieties and we enjoyed the chocolate version the most.). Yum! We can’t wait to go back so we can eat them again!
We were at EPCOT in November for the F&W Festival and I wish I had purchased a specific Beatles hoodie in the UK for my son. Anybody know if there is a way to order such things online?
@Shelly – Yes!! Pocky rocks! I’m hungry now. I spoke with the Mitsukoshi team who said there isn’t a gift certificate for the oyster/pearl experience. However if you purchase the experience, you get a voucher at the register which could be used like a gift certificate.
@Wenda – I spoke with the World Showcase team who said that some of the Beatles items may be found outside of Disney Parks. There are some items, however, that were created specifically for the United Kingdom pavilion. Your best option would be to contact the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Merchandise Guest Services team at 1-877-560-6477 or email – merchandiseguestservices@disney.go.com
I have a Pocky addict who will be getting his stocking stuffed! 🙂 LOVIN’ the earrings from Mexico. Personally I’m hoping for the “open your oyster and get a pearl” for Christmas. Can you buy a certificate for that to give as a gift?
I have yet to take in the wonderful Christmas season at Disney World, but I’ll be there with (belated) bells on in January, as a guest then as an intern. Yes, the marketing major who posted her interest in being an intern next year had her wish come true. My Christmas gift came early this year! Maybe we can meet sometime.
@Melissa – Awesome!!! Congratulations and welcome to the family. I’m very happy to hear that you will be joining us. Please look me up when you get to Florida.
The Christmas shop in Germany is a must do!
The Norway land as my wife bought Lailia perfume there and she loved it
That Christmas tea is pretty tasty.
We’ll be down at WDW the week before Christmas. I can already see my wife snagging those earrings. Thanks for sharing!
The Twinings shop is a must for anyone wanting a “taste of the UK”. I can’t pass it without buying a few boxes, and they do make good stocking fillers at this time of the year.
Does the German pavilion have incense smokers? If so, I might have to get some of those and nutcrackers as gifts.
@Brian – I have good news! Yes, the World Showcase team brought back the incense smokers in Germany. Check out the Christmas shop in the pavilion to find them. Personally, I typically get my incense from Japan Pavilion. 🙂
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