We can’t keep up with the number of special events, late night shopping and pop-up Christmas stores that are taking place across London in December. Here is our pick of just a handful…

First up, don’t miss The Temporium in Covent Garden. This is a pop-up shop curated by architecture and design website Dezeen, which brings together a mix of new and established designers and brands in a festive shopping frenzy!

1st-24th December, 65 Monmouth Street, London WC2H 9DG

A large show of over 100 designers and brands is taking place in Shoreditch in the form of East London Design Show. This three day event shouldn’t be missed if you’re in the market for Christmas gifts.

2nd-4th December, Shoreditch Town Hall, 380 Old Street, London EC1V 9LT

Online design store Theo is hosting a sample sale at its warehouse in Bethnal Green with some eye-watering discounts on most of their stock for four days only!

1-4th December, Unit 14-15, 10-14 Hollybush Gardens, London E2 9QP

The Republic of Fritz Hansen store in Fitzrovia is creating a Winter Wonderland for adults and children. The store is being transformed into Santa’s workshop for one day with families invited to enjoy Christmas decoration making, Danish mulled wine and other Scandinavian treats.

Sunday 4th December, 13 Margaret Street, London W1W 8RN

Leading furniture producer Vitra is hosting the Vitra Christmas Market at their Clerkenwell showroom. Seven stalls are offering special gifts by small producers and designer/makers. 10% of all takings will go to Shelter.

5th-22nd December, Vitra, 30 Clerkenwell Road, London EC1M 5PG

Tom Dixon Shop is hosting a four-day shopping extravaganza and a Sunday food and wine market at their Ladbroke Grove space. Plenty of great Christmas gifts are on show as well as some other surprise treats.

8th-11th December, Wharf Building, Portobello Dock, 344 Ladbroke Grove, London W10 5BU

Copies of LONDON DESIGN GUIDE 2012-2013 are available to purchase at all of the events mentioned above!

Other great events:

- Cockpit Arts is hosting Open Studios at their Deptford location, with designer makers selling direct to the public (2nd-4th December).

- Alfies Antique Market is celebrating 35 years in business with a Christmas shopping party on Thursday 8th December.

- Designers Makers Handmade Christmas Market is open at 18 Exmouth Market (Clerkenwell), selling unique items by UK designers.

There are plenty of other great events to mention so we’ll keep adding to this page as we discover them. On the whole, you can assume that most shops are open late each Thursday throughout December!

We’re giving away 5 signed copies of “The Design Work of Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby” – the first monograph celebrating the work of this leading British design duo (published by Rizzoli). Enter our competition to win a copy! (entry deadline: 1st June 2011)

The award winning studio, founded in 1996, is headed by two of the most innovative industrial designers Britain has to offer, Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby. Distinguished by clean, modern lines, BarberOsgerby works across a wide range of disciplines to create everything from furniture and products to consumer electronics and architecture.  The duo make their mark with technical craftsmanship, formal vigor, and inspired use of colour.

In permanent museum collections worldwide, BarberOsgerby’s work includes iconic designs like the best-selling Tab Lamp for Flos (2008) and the recent Tip Ton chair for Vitra (2011).

With a portfolio ranging from accessible work to custom one-off pieces, their work has been produced by manufacturers and clients such as Cappellini, Swarovski, Stella McCartney, and Coca-Cola.

The book presents images of the pair’s iconic designs and the inspiration behind them, as well as concept sketches and technical drawings revealing the true craftsmanship involved. The publication is organised thematically with an emphasis on materials and process and includes essays written by some of the industries biggest names: Deyan Sudjic (Design Museum), Zoe Ryan (Arts Institute of Chicago) and Simon Andrews (Christies).

COMPETITION: To win one of the 5 signed copies of “THE DESIGN WORK OF EDWARD BARBER AND JAY OSGERBY” (worth £45), simply email your name and delivery address to competitions@londondesignguide.com with ‘BarberOsgerby’ in the subject line.

Five winners will be chosen at random and notified by email on 1st June. The competition is open to readers from any country and books will be dispatched to the delivery address you supply.

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED. Congratulations to our winners: Oliver Rix, Patricia Chavez, Scott Berry, Nathan Morse, Ross Kimball.

The legendary one day showroom sale at Vitra‘s Clerkenwell showroom returns on Saturday 23rd January 2010. This presents a rare opportunity to snap up super-discounted Vitra furniture. Warning: arrive early to avoid disappointment!

ONE DAY SHOWROOM SALE, open 9:30am on Saturday 23rd January 2010

VITRA

30 Clerkenwell Road, London EC1M 5PG

This January, we decided to boycott reporting on the sale season altogether. In most cases, stores look like they are suffering a heavy hangover and they temporarily turn a blind eye to any importance that they have ever placed on smart displays and merchandising. Vitra’s sale, however, is thankfully only one day of madness and a prime time to get some quality deals. As they put it themselves, “Don’t join the throwaway society – now is the time for investing in things that you will cherish forever.”

Covetous designs are available with at least 40% off everything. In some instances, the discounts are extreme. This year, there are five ‘star buys’ including the iconic Eames Lounge Chair (above) reduced from £3904 to £199! Also, there is a Jasper Morrison 3-seater sofa in red leather reduced from £4595 to £299; a special version of the Cite chair by Jean Prouve upholstered in white leather and reduced from £2450 to £99; Philippe Starck’s Baobab desk in light yellow is reduced from £1782 to £99; a set of four MVS bar stools in burgundy are only £49 for the set.

The keen are known to arrive early – sometimes several days early. This year, in order to boost morale in the queue, Vitra have teamed up with Coffee Cartel who will be selling hot drinks and snacks outside the showroom from 6:30am.