Christmas and chocolates. What better partners? If you’re shopping for your very own pick ‘n’ mix selection of high-class chocolates then this quick guide to the specialist chocshops around town is for you. Well, er, actually I bought some nice chocs from Coco Noir in Headington and wondered if I could have got something similar but cheaper somewhere else. Here’s what I found.

Hotel Chocolat on the High Street sells chocolates in small packs of 6. Pack weights vary but are around 75g. The packs cost £3.25 each, or £2.75 if you buy 3 or more, which would be £8.25 for about 225g. They don’t sell single chocolates so you can’t make up your own selection except by buying several packs of 6. Price per 100g – £4.33 (up to about 150g), £3.66 (225g and over).

Thorntons in Cornmarket and Westgate sells packs of 8 chocolates with a declared minimum weight of 64g for £4.50. Assuming an average pack weight of 75g that works out at a price per 100g – £6.00. They don’t sell single chocolates either so again you’d have to buy a few packs if you want your own mixture.

You can make up your own selection at Chocology in the Covered Market at a cost of £3.90 for 100g. A small box (227g) costs £8.85 or you can simply buy by weight.

Coco Noir in Headington on the London Road (N side) also sells individual chocolates by weight for you to make up your own selection. The cost is £4.20 per 100g. Their smallest box is about 125g, £5.25.

All these shops sell bigger selection packs and other chocolate products too, but as far as I could see only Chocology and Coco Noir offer the full pick-your-own choice. Of the two, Chocology wins on price but their advantage over Coco Noir probably wouldn’t be enough to make you head for the City from Headington. Quality and choice is a matter for your own personal taste. If you’re shopping for larger amounts Hotel Chocolat might be worth considering as long as you want at least six of each sort you buy – at approximately £3.66 per 100g for three or more packs they are the lowest-priced of the four.