From Antarctica with love: the Port Lockroy team’s favourite gifts

24/11/2025

As December approaches, the team has slowly begun talking about our Christmas plans. For most of us, it will be a Christmas spent at Port Lockroy – and for some, it will be our first Christmas away from home. That thought alone has made everyone eager to plan ahead and make the season feel especially meaningful.

Tiago at work onboard a visiting ship (UKAHT)

Naturally, as we chat about Christmas Day, the conversation drifts toward presents. With no TV and a long dinner table, it’s not unusual for us to linger over meals, talking for hours about anything and everything. This time, the topic was Christmas gifts. We swapped stories about our favourite childhood presents and the best ones we’ve received as adults. Inevitably, someone asked the question: “So, what’s your favourite UKAHT present?”

Lisa Ford, Base Leader

Pick: Port Lockroy Pewter Hip Flask

Lisa’s festive favourite is a true classic: a beautifully crafted pewter hip flask engraved with Port Lockroy’s exact coordinates – and, of course, Antarctica. Made in England by one of the last traditional pewter manufacturers, it’s the perfect blend of heritage and adventure. She’d gift it to her brother, who would treasure it as both a collector’s piece and a nod to the explorers who came before.

Alette Kattenberg, Wildlife Monitor

Pick: Adopt a Penguin

As this season’s wildlife monitor, Alette has spent countless hours with the Port Lockroy penguins – so her gift of choice was pretty clear-cut: our Adopt a Penguin pack! 

Each adoption includes a soft plush penguin tucked, and every purchase helps UKAHT continue monitoring the Port Lockroy colony and sharing vital data with the British Antarctic Survey in Cambridge. A feel-good gift in every sense.

Rachel Wilkinson, Postmaster

Pick: Penguin Footprint Socks

While setting up the shop earlier this season, Rachel immediately fell for these cheerful Penguin Footprint Socks. They’re her ideal Secret Santa pick for her housemate – a devoted fan of colourful socks and someone who’s always turning the heater up. Cosy, fun and unmistakably Port Lockroy, they’re guaranteed to bring a smile.

Amanda Barry, Museum Manager

Pick: Port Lockroy Penguin Decoration

Amanda has adored penguins for as long as she can remember, so it’s no surprise that her festive favourite is the Port Lockroy Penguin Decoration, selected for a few friends back home: handmade, charming and celebrating the birds she works so closely with. After all, who doesn't want a penguin hanging from their Christmas tree?

Tiago Figueiredo, Shop Manager

Pick: Maps of Antarctica

Tiago grew up surrounded by maps, atlases and globes – each one a promise of distant places and undiscovered stories. He still spreads maps across the kitchen table to spark his children’s curiosity about the world beyond home. His festive favourite is a map – or maybe maps – of Antarctica, which he’s gifting to himself, but will happily share with anyone eager to imagine their next adventure.

Julian Knight, Electrician

Pick: Recycled Port Lockroy Antarctica Map Backpack

While Jules is spending the season at Goudier Island upgrading solar systems and carrying out essential maintenance, he’s already chosen the gift he’ll take home: our brand-new Recycled Port Lockroy Antarctica Map Roll-Top Backpack available from our recently-launched apparel store. Practical, sturdy and proudly branded, they’re just the thing for shopping trips – and a small way to bring a bit of Antarctica into everyday life.