London Souvenir Shopping Confession–I hoard Fortnum and Mason biscuits tins

Sharing is caring!

When souvenir shopping in London, the best gifts come in pretty packages

I am not usually seduced by pretty packaging when souvenir shopping. Give me a homely but delicious cookie over a frilly but bland one any day.  Overly fancy packaging can make me suspicious and cause me to wonder whether the goods would still sell in their unadorned, natural state.

But this all goes out the window every time I step into London’s Fortnum and Mason.

Fortnum and Mason biscuit tins are my kryptonite.

I walk into London’s glamorous Fortnum & Mason store, lined with rows of shiny, colorful biscuit tins and my hoarding instinct kicks in.

Fortnum’s artfully arranged displays makes for a fun shopping experience.

There are almost too many biscuit tin options at Fortnums.  There are tins of different sizes, designs and colors, and on top of that there are usually special limited-edition tins.  And of course the biscuits inside the tins come in all different flavors– but this barely factors into my decision.  For me it’s all about the tins.

Grapefruit biscuits sound crazy but actually have a delicate, slighty tart flavor.

Are these the very best biscuits in London?  I wouldn’t know, because I can’t bear to buy any others.

Fortnums has great color schemes, I love this pink and gold together.

Fox with a crown? Yes please.

Fortunately, Fortnum and Mason biscuits are very subtly flavored, which is important considering you can’t really try them before you buy.  It also means you can choose your biscuits based on your favorite designs and don’t have to worry about getting a dud.

I couldn’t resist these tall orange cylinder-shaped tins with the image of Lucifer and a tag line that reads “devilishly deceptive.”

But perhaps I should have given more thought as to how to repurpose them later.  Right now the empty tin is tucked away on a shelf, awaiting further inspiration.

This Fortnum and Mason biscuit tin not only plays music, but also spins around like a merry-go-round.

Some of the Fortnum and Mason biscuit tins have a built-in music box.  Just turn the knob on the bottom of the tin to hear classic British melodies.

While I definitely recommend the tin packaging, on my last visit, I decided to try some lighter weight packaging as I was veering dangerously close to my check-in weight limit (and in fact ended up exceeded it by two pounds).

My London Shopping Haul:  the Fortnum and Mason Biscuit Tin collection (so far)

This is my favorite Fortnum and Mason tin as I am especially partial to anything that says “coronation” or “her majesty”.  Bonus– this Tiffany blue tin plays “God Save the Queen.”

The best way to approach London Shopping:  A gift for you, a gift for me

Fortnum & Mason’s biscuit tins are the perfect gift to bring back– packable, pretty and tasty.  But, being the tin hoarder that I am, I found I had a hard time parting with them when I returned home.  Now I makes sure to only buy duplicates for gifts, so I’m not tempted to keep them for myself.

Do you hoard any souvenirs?  Tell us about it in the comments!

[box type=”info”]Souvenir Shopping Tip Sheet

• What to buy: Pretty biscuit tins of different sizes
• Where to Get it: Fortnum & Mason (also available online for armchair shoppers)181 Piccadilly, London W1A 1ER, United Kingdom (a new shop will be opening in Kings Cross Station). You can also pick up a limited selection of Fortnum and Mason items at the airport– look carefully in the duty-free area and you’ll find a small wall with items (but no separate, free-standing shop).
• What to Know: Warning, collecting these tins is addictive.[/box]

Want to read more London posts?  Start here:
Why this New Yorker loves the London Underground (and my picks from the London Transport Museum Shop)
A walk through the Harry Potter gift shop at Platform 9 3/4, London
Fashion Forward Brits Declare Love for the Onesie– Not just for Babies
Big Ben, the British Flag and a Telephone Box:  Why we love British Kitsch
I got it at Primani, dahling.  Why frugal tourists love London’s Primark.

All photos by Souvenir Finder, copyright 2013.

Sharing is caring!