Christmas in february 2026

Leader 2026

Each year the superlatives regarding the Harrogate Christmas & Gift Fair increase, from the ease of set-up and breakdown to the ever increasing number of buyers visiting the show, not only to look but to place quit substantial orders for the year.

I have attended many shows over the years and certainly in the last 25 years or so, due in main to young buyers who can’t make up their minds or need a committee to finalise their orders, Harrogate is a breath of fresh air.

On page 18 we include a few quotes from exhibitors and without fail, all of them are telling us that orders were well up as well as footfall.

With very few Christmas Decoration companies showing at Spring Fair, buyers coming to Harrogate place orders and they all tell us that not only do they look forward to dealing with existing suppliers, but they are also looking for new companies to make their retail offering even more varied and original.

The 76th year of the show saw an increase in visitor attendance up by an amazing 11%.

When you think that 2025 was 8% up on 2024, that means that compared to just two years ago, Harrogate visitors have increased by almost 20%.

Again, this is against a national background of shows struggling to maintain visitor numbers, let alone show big increases in attendance.

In my January edition I mentioned that I was delighted to see Floralsilk back with us, after a few years away. As I was writing in Christmas in January about Christmas in January, then I’m surprised that any reader may have thought I was alluding to the Harrogate show. Of course any regular visitor to Harrogate will be well aware of Floralsilk’s long history of showing at this exhibition, so my apologies for any misunderstanding.

A most apt description.

Debbie Waudby, Director of Norfolk Leisure describes Harrogate “As the capital of Festive networking.”

My picture shows John Athwal, M.D. of Premier Decorations with well-known gardening guru David Domoney. David worked with Premier in 2025 and so enjoyed the experience that he visited the show and enjoyed a night out with the Premier team and will once again be teaming up with Premier to promote further their 2026 ranges. Our retail interview this month is with a great family run garden centre group – Perrywood. Based in Tiptree, Essex, Les and Mary Bourne bought 15 acres back in 1955. Move forward 71 years and they now have three flourishing garden centres. Our Editor Sarah Welsh catches up with 3rd generation Hannah Bourne to find out more.

I loved the description of the Harrogate show given by Debbie Waudby, a Director of Norfolk Leisure, when Debbie described Harrogate “As the capital of Festive networking.”

As a family publishing group in just our 45th year, it is heart-warming to read of strong family roots that have seen families prosper and grow in these tough economic times.

Next year’s Harrogate show opens on the 10th January to the 13th and I’m already looking forward to the show.

Malcolm Naish

GCA CHRISTMAS COMPETITION

Winning Festive Retail

Last year’s annual Garden Centre Association Christmas display competition saw

a huge number of entries from right across the UK and two judges taking on the inspection process. Sarah Welsh caught up with those in the know…

The level of Christmas creativity that retail teams who enter the highly coveted and hotly contested Garden Centre Association seasonal display competition dream up is nothing short of incredible.

Imagine a seemingly simple festive

display lifted to new heights by which angle Christmas baubles are hung at, props lovingly designed and handmade over weeks with sustainability at their heart and months of effort that build to unveiling pure seasonal theatre in stores.

“The feedback from the 2025 Christmas competition was just how much standards are going up all the time… Our winners really were stand out.”

It is little wonder that the now famed GCA contest, sponsored by Gisela Graham, has become almost as much of a spectacle as the hard-won success of the store entrants that hail from right across the UK.

Last year 58 garden centres entered the competition, and the lucky winners were presented with their awards at the GCA’s special 60th anniversary annual conference which was held at Carden Park, Chester, in late January.

Three centres with a brilliant record in the competition took the top prizes. Bent’s Garden & Home came first in the Destination Garden Centre category, for centres with

a turnover of £8m plus. Garsons Titchfield, which we featured in our sister title Christmas in January, scooped the top prize in the Garden Centre category, for centres with a turnover of £3m to £8m. And finally, Brimsmore Gardens in Somerset, topped the billing in the fairly new Local Garden Centre category, for stores with a turnover of up to £3m.

‘Outstanding retail practices’

Peter Burks, CEO at the GCA, says: “The feedback from the 2025 competition was just how much standards are going up all the time. From the range of displays our members have created to the brilliant festive events they put on, the competition is just getting bigger and better – and our winners really were stand out.

“I’d like to say a massive thank you to all the brilliant members who starred in the competition. The standard was truly exceptional, with stunning displays and outstanding retail practices.”

Last year’s competition was judged by GCA inspectors Alyson Haywood and Pete Walker. To ensure

consistency of judging, Alyson oversaw the Garden Centre category, whilst Pete visited the entrants in the Local and Destination Garden Centre categories.

Returning judge Alyson says: “Last year’s winning Christmas centres showed an exceptional level of creativity and festive brilliance nationwide. From roadside entrances glowing with twinkling lights to immersive journeys filled with scent, storytelling and spectacular displays, participants delivered some of the most magical retail experiences to date.”

Sharing Christmas creativity Pete, who describes him as a ‘GCA newbie’ in terms of being in his first year of carrying out national inspections for the veteran organisation, actually brings four decades of valuable garden centre sector experience to the judging table.

“I started off pushing trolleys for 50 pence an hour at weekends at my local garden centre in

Altrincham before working my way up to being general manager within garden centre groups,” he explains. “I’ve been horticultural manager, trouble-shooting manager – I’ve seen it all! I’ve done everything from landscaping to managing a 35-acre tree nursery.

“I’m not at all surprised at how high the standards are generally in our sector of retail, but at Christmas what members do is incredible. There’s so many learnings to be taken from these inspections as well and GCA members are brilliant at sharing good ideas.

“At our 2025 conference we had customer service and marketing expert Geoff Ramm as one of our speakers, and he said he’d never before come across an industry that shares experiences on the scale we do. Plus, the creativity you see in our sector I think is unsurpassed, it’s really retail theatre.

“It’s because garden centres attract passionate people to work in it, across so many different roles. It’s quite a small, close-knit sector, but also one with vast opportunity to develop and we see that in the teams who contribute to Christmas retail.”

Retail road trip

For the 2025 contest Pete visited 25 garden centre entrants over three weeks, travelling from Kent to Dorset, all the way up to Lancashire and to Cardiff, to name a few destinations.

“I try to judge two centres per day,” he says. “You really want to do them justice so visiting centres at different times of the day is important as well. You’re looking for the delivery of Christmas standards, how the displays take customers on a journey, how a team works together, the lighting display – it’s a very broad criteria we cover.

“Each entry was evaluated on overall ambiance, creativity, product range, layout, flow, tidiness and of course customer service.

“Bent’s won the DGC category because of how well Christmas was delivered through every department in the store, and to the highest of standards. They offered customers the whole festive package.

“And with Brimsmore Gardens who topped the LGC entrants, it was the hands down the team that edged it for them. They are also a little unique as a store in how much they push the sustainability message across the store, reusing materials right down to utilising old points of sale and the suppliers they work with. That aspect of Christmas shopping is really important to customers and they are leading the way.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the judging

“Garden centres attract passionate people to work in (the industry), across so many different roles. It’s quite a small, close-knit sector, but also one with vast opportunity to develop.”

“Ultimately the team spirit we saw in every single store we went to was incredible. Yes staff want to win, but for them it’s always more about the experience they are giving customers.

process and in case you’re wondering yes I do get involved with the festive decorations at home. My wife thinks three Christmas trees is a bit much, but we usually have that many!”

Raising the bar

Louise Burks, director of the Gardens Group, that owns both Brimsmore Gardens and Poundbury Gardens says they were thrilled to have taken the top prize in the contest twice in the past four years, as well as Poundbury securing second place in the LGC category.

“We’re absolutely over the moon,” she says. “The bar is always being raised by our colleagues across

Winning at Christmas!

The top three stores in each of the GCA’s three Christmas categories for 2025 were:

Destination Garden Centre

1. Bent’s Garden & Home, Warrington

2. Gates Garden Centre, Oakham

3. Garsons, Esher

Garden Centre

1. Garsons, Titchfield

2. Sunshine Garden Centre, Bounds Green, London

3. Fron Goch, Caernarfon

Local Garden Centre

1. Brimsmore Gardens, Yeovil

2. Poundbury Gardens, Dorset

3. Pugh’s Garden Village, Wenvoe

the industry, and as we all strive to become more eco-friendly and more immersive every year, we’re incredibly proud to have another trophy to show for our efforts.

“Our Christmas displays are a huge team effort, so these accolades are a tribute to the hard work and dedication of everyone at The Gardens Group.”

Talking about the importance of entering the GCA competition, Lloyd Farrand, assistant manager at GC category winners Garsons Titchfield, explains: “Winning is a tremendous honour for everyone at Garsons. Being recognised by the GCA on a national and regional level reflects the hard work, passion, and pride that our entire team puts into creating the displays and customer experience.

“Everyone plays an integral part and it’s a hugely collaborative process. It’s a really nice feeling to receive an award, and also a bit nerve wracking as well!”

Festive Buzz, Incredible Feedback

Peggy Wilkins, The WIlkins Group told our team ‘Once again, Harrogate exceeded our expectations. It was a pleasure to reconnect with our existing customers while establishing promising new connections.

We are delighted with the volume of orders received and the high calibre of leads generated throughout the event. The quality and focus of the buyers at Harrogate remain consistently impressive.

It was a highly productive few days, and we are already looking forward to the 2027 show. Our sincere thanks to Simon and the entire organising team; their hard work was evident in the seamless execution of such a successful Fair.

“The Harrogate Christmas & Gift Fair is always a highlight for us at Floralsilk. Having attended the show for many years, we still very much look forward to seeing the familiar faces of our long-standing customers, as well as welcoming many new ones who are discovering the brand for the first time. Our product range grows every year, and with us proudly presenting 1,500 new pieces this year, this event provides the perfect opportunity to showcase them.

The feedback we receive at Harrogate is consistently positive, which makes all the hard work worthwhile. This year’s show was a great success for us and once again confirmed why Harrogate remains the best fair for connecting with customers and showcasing who we are and our latest collections.”

Liam O’Flaherty Owner, Floralsilk

Now celebrating their 40th year at the entrance to Hall ‘A’, M.D. David Blower, Milford Collection gave us this quote. “ Harrogate Christmas is such a

well organised friendly show, we came in to this year’s show from just having celebrated our 40th year in supplying the gift trade and I am always apprehensive that the bubble will have burst but we have genuinely just had our best show ever both with orders placed and enquiries to follow up. Having a healthy order book for the second half of the year just makes life so much easier.

Sales Director Steve Webb, Straits Trading had this to say about the Harrogate show. “Harrogate Christmas & Gift 2026 was a tremendously successful exhibition for Straits. Moving to a bigger stand and increasing our product offer both contributed to a significant increase in order intake. We are delighted with the number of orders taken and an increase in the average order value. This show is always enjoyable, with buyers who are committed to placing orders. We look forward to returning next year.”

Debbie Waudby – Director of Norfolk Leisure – “The success at Harrogate acts as a springboard for the rest of the year. With the “Harrogate Effect” in full swing, BOSK is moving into the spring season with a robust order book and a reinforced reputation for premium artificial trees and decorations.

Harrogate is the ‘capital of Festive networking’ and the most enjoyable show of the season. The team always enjoy the buzz of a busy stand and the constant order taking. This year buyers were drawn to our new launch premium BOSK autumn collection. The bright autumnal colours of the new range proved to be a highlight on the stand.

The BOSK stand was reported as one of the busiest in Hall B throughout the four-day event. By Monday afternoon, the team had already secured significant orders from both independent garden centres , boutiques, and major

national accounts, reinforcing BOSK’s position as a frontrunner in the UK and Irish festive markets.

The feedback at Harrogate is clear that BOSK has been a success in 2025 and customers are ready for a higher standard of artificial trees and decorations both traditional realism and new innovative decorative models.

‘We always look forward to Harrogate Christmas & Gift ‘ says Nick Anderson MD. ‘the quality and numbers of customers at Harrogate never let us down, and the atmosphere is uniquely super friendly ‘

Lesser & Pavey’s Jonny Greves told us “Harrogate Christmas & Gift proved to be another resounding success for our team this year. Footfall was strong with numerous buyers visiting our stand, and our latest collection garnered excellent feedback across the board. While we retained the same booth size as 2025, we expanded our offering significantly – showcasing over 350 new products, bringing our total display to approximately 1,000 items. Many customers noted that the stand felt both welcoming and brimming with fresh, engaging product.

As a key platform for connecting with garden centres – a major channel for our Christmas business – the exhibition is essential to our calendar. We were encouraged to hear that partners enjoyed a solid Christmas trading period in 2025 and are eager to place orders for their 2026 ranges.

The in-house designed Tinsel Town collection drew widespread praise, particularly for new gift pieces like the LED light offerings.

Buyers also expressed enthusiasm for the updated Highland Cow design from Jennifer Rose, which had already been a hit the previous year.

Our stained glass-inspired LED lights, tea lights, and aroma lamps were standout performers. The

introduction of an optional second flickering feature was especially well-received, with customers highlighting that it represents a notable step up from comparable products available in 2025.

For those who have previously stocked our food gift range, the new additions were a welcome sight – including a mug and bowl set filled with cookies, all presented in entirely new packaging created for the 2026 season.

Madelaine by Hearts Designs emerged as another customer favourite, driven by the launch of two striking new colourways: a warm, festive deep red and a subtle sage green that quickly became a top choice among buyers.

Peter Rawingson, Blue Studios – sales director and co-owner told us “This was the second year that we have exhibited at Harrogate Christmas & Gift, and we really didn’t think 2026 could be better than 2025.

As always, the organisers’ team did everything to make it easy, from start to finish; and what surpassed our expectations was not only the footfall of visitors but yet again the quality of buyers enjoying the whole experience and wanting to see our products.

We had a very important launch for 2026 – our partnership with our superb charity partner Spread a Smile, which is included on all of our Christmas 2026 Boxed, Counter & Gift Bag ranges. We supported this launch with a visit from one of the charity’s team, visit manager Amy Berry, who amazed our stand visitors with some superb magic tricks.”

Premier slam the industry price cutters whilst enjoying record business at Harrogate

Harrogate Christmas and Gift has proved to be a very buoyant Show, with many customers reporting strong sell-through for Christmas 2025. Visitor registrations at the front gate are up approximately 12% year on year.

There was a genuine buzz around the fair, alongside growing recognition that continued price cutting across the industry is damaging Christmas sales. Many trade buyers expressed concerns that they are being forced to sell higher volumes simply to maintain turnover. They also highlighted that supplier-led price reductions are often achieved through product de-specification, which in turn leads to increased returns.

In short, the industry is working harder when it should be working smarter. “ ”

Processing these returns is not only wasteful but also causes retail customers to lose confidence in products. Premier’s commitment to maintaining product specification while remaining competitive is widely appreciated by customers.

In short, the industry is working harder when it should be working smarter.

So, what is selling well?

The Revolving Tree Stand was undoubtedly the star of the show, with most customers reporting sell-outs for 2025. Premier was first to market and has already secured early deliveries for the 2026 season, while also introducing white and grey colour options alongside the existing green model. Although revolving stands are not new, this design ensures cables do not tangle while rotating a full 360 degrees. To further support retailers, Premier has introduced an FSDU holding 24 boxed units, available free of charge on orders of a minimum of 64 pieces.

Premier is launching a new Golden

Elegance sculpture collection for Home and Garden in 2026, and the response at Harrogate was overwhelmingly positive. The collection takes the increasingly popular gold and warm white look and gives it a far more contemporary feel through the use of micro twist ribbon, increased pin wire bulb counts across all shapes, and multi-action lighting. This approach eclipses much of what is currently available in the market place. With over 30 pieces in the collection, customers have the opportunity to mix containers, ship direct, reduce costs, and increase retail margins, whether buying on a delivered basis or container mix.

The Champagne Glass Gel Candle range once again proved extremely popular for the 2026 season. Premier has expanded the range to include Martini glasses, Wine glasses, and a Stout glass inspired by a well-known dark beer brand. Demand is so strong that both a martini glass and a beer glass disappear from the display—suggesting some

customers simply cannot wait for delivery! Or was there another reason?

The Exclusive Stained-Glass series, introduced by Premier at the 2025 show, was among the first ranges to sell through at retail level. These exclusive designs are beautifully produced, featuring black raised beading that delivers a strikingly authentic finish. Several customers reported that the range was “flying off the shelves.” While back-up stock was available, it sold out quickly as retailers secured remaining units. Premier sales managers are able to advise on the strongest-performing designs within the range. Practicality is further enhanced through the addition of a dual-purpose jack plug to the battery box, allowing the product to operate on batteries or via mains power with the addition of a transformer. Many of Premier’s battery operated products; Lit Villages and Glitter Waterspinners already have the additional jack plug capable of taking the transformer.

All battery-operated products also benefit from Premier’s Battery Terminator, available for 2, 3, and 4 AA and AAA battery compartments, eliminating the need for battery replacement. Originally introduced for display purposes, this solution has also proved popular with consumers.

The USB 8cm Etched Lit Glass Ball continues to sell in significant volumes, with Premier again first to market. For the

The 2026 National Tree range was also very well received, with the introduction of a Europeanstyle Christmas tree while retaining the shape and size that National Tree is known for.

upcoming season, a 10cm version has been added, while the 8cm remains a strong performer with new designs introduced, including the highly popular robin.

Other notable areas of interest include LumaBrights Candles, which were launched for the first time and are well received as a premium upsell option to standard LED candles. The range includes 10 products, supported by a remote control function and fullcolour packaging, and is expected to perform strongly at retail in 2026.

Premier’s new SMD Candles proved to be a standout success. Introduced across two products, they generated immediate demand, with customers already asking for further designs featuring this flame technology. The two tree candles were so realistic that many customers thought they were genuine.

Scentsicles continues to be an important product category, with strong sell-through reported by almost all customers. For 2026, the addition of Gingerbread has been extremely well received, with customers planning to incorporate it into their themed displays to add an extra sensory element.

The 2026 National Tree range was also very well received, with the introduction of a European-style Christmas tree while retaining the shape and size that National Tree is known for. Customer feedback has been extremely positive, with many commenting on a shift in buying behaviour during 2025 towards higher-end products. This trend is proving beneficial for retailers, resulting in increased spend per transaction. While competitors focus on lower-quality alternatives, Premier continues to prioritise quality—a strategy that clearly resonates with customers.

Visit Premier’s showroom....

Showrooms in Ruislip and Wrexham are now open. For a visit to view the entire range, please contact your sales manager on sales@ premierdec.com or by phone to the head office 0208 624 5555.

Premier annouces

latest buyer

Ron Allinson recently joined Premier Decorations as a Buyer. I first met Ron when he worked for Triflora and then with Edelman and he now joins the Premier team.

January 2027

Wednesday the 1st July 2026 At

Puckrup Hall – Nr. Tewkesbury

Along with sister publications Toys ‘n’ Playthings, Nursery Today, Gifts Today, Greetings Today and Tableware International we shall be organizing an Industries’ Cup that will see players from all those industries vying for the ‘Industries Cup.

Depending on the response we shall also have individual cups for each of our magazines. The day will begin with a nine hole Texas Scramble, followed by the afternoon individual Stableford, team four-ball and yellow ball competitions.

With good weather guaranteed we shall end the day with a barbeque and presentation of trophies.

Cost for the day will be £110 with bacon rolls and coffee/tea from 8 p.m.

The Hilton Hotel offers very good rates for staying overnight which I will be giving very soon.

They say that all work and no play, makes Jack a very dull boy, so forget work for the day and join us at Puckrup Hall. Contact Tiger Naish on 0788 9991513 or email malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk

RETAIL Perrywood Garden Centres

Retail with Roots

Creating impactful festive retail can be emotional, and when you take a garden centre group that is family-owned and run it only adds to the story. Sarah Welsh spoke to Hannah Bourne from Perrywood Garden Centres

In 1955 Mary and Les Bourne purchased some land in Tiptree, Essex, and founded a nursery business. Located next to an area of woodland, Perry’s Wood, which inspired its name, it has grown from humble beginnings to a highly successful trio of garden centres which positively shine at Christmas.

Once focused on growing potatoes and offering ‘PYO’ strawberries, Perrywood now attracts customers from right across Essex and Suffolk and beyond – and not just during the festive season. But one thing’s for sure, Perrywood know how to build Christmas in a way that truly inspires an audience, and even brings a tear to the eye.

Hannah Bourne, communications and HR director for the group, is part of the third generation of the family who founded and still run the business. She spoke to Christmas in February about seasonal retail that sings…

“Christmas is so important for us as a business and we’ve refined the process over the last five years. It’s a real combination of skills that makes it happen.”

The family story behind the Perrywood group is really heartwarming. What can you tell us about it?

My parents Alan and Karin bought the business in 1984 when I was six, and my brothers Simon and Tristan were four and two. It had been founded by Dad’s parents Mary and Les. We moved on site to a bungalow next to the garden centre and we grew up in it really. We all left to do other jobs – but then came back. Simon first in 2008, myself in 2010 and Tristan in 2016. They’d been working as engineers, while I’d been in PR and marketing. I’m now the communications and HR director, Simon is the retail director and we all play our part.

But of course, it’s not just about Dad and the three of us, we have a team of 330 people now with more than 20 senior managers. We have a really clear focus, we know where we’re going, and being so involved in the business we were raised in means we have the extra level of passion and dedication about Perrywood.

Your clear vision for the business really does centre around plants… Perrywood started very much as a nursery business and that plant ethos is still right at its core. Dad left school at 16 and went to work at the Colchester Parks Department. He brought back his knowledge of growing bedding plants and he’s still at the heart of the business in his 70s.

Perrywood as a business is really in tune with the seasons. We inspire people to get more plants in their lives and in other areas, such as home and gift, there are botanical references. It’s all carefully curated to fit with flow and narrative to the plant side. That’s what sets us apart, alongside our brilliant visual merchandising, buying team and retail team.

What can you tell us about Perrywood’s three distinct stores?

Well Tiptree is our original store and has the biggest footprint. We’ve really evolved over time there.

With Sudbury we bought the site in 2018 and went on to open a brand-new garden centre. It’s a huge site, 35 acres, and needed

some real investment. It’s located in a rural area with not much competition and we wanted to appeal to customers from Ipswich and Bury St Edmonds. We knew we had to get it open either before Christmas or Spring, the two big cash generators in the year, and the Christmas deadline worked well for us.

When Buckhatch came on the market it was a real opportunity for us. The business had been partly rebuilt following a fire at the restaurant there in late 2022, but we knew we could bring extra turnover and the Perrywood approach.

As a business when do you start looking ahead to Christmas?

We started looking ahead to Christmas 2026 last October. The buying takes place from December to February and our buyers work in parallel with the festive themes. These need to be broad enough to fit in product ranges and festive suppliers, but narrow enough to excite the audience. Our team work up mood boards and supplier and showroom visits and trade shows all feed into the process.

We fast forward then to July by which time our visual merchandising manager has been working on detailed floorplans for Christmas. Props are built off site, while

festive stock starts coming in and is put in the warehouse in theme categories. We have one overarching festive theme and five sub themes, Buckhatch and Sudbury stores don’t necessarily have them all but Tiptree does. We built Christmas at the Tiptree store over three weeks last year and opened at the end of September, with Sudbury and Buckhatch’s Christmas offerings opening in October.

Christmas is so important for us as a business and we’ve refined the process over the last five years. It’s a real combination of skills right across the teams that make it happen.

Last year you celebrated 70 years of Perrywood, how did that special anniversary help you bring Christmas to life?

We brought back five themes that had been really popular in previous years, from 2017 to 2023, inspired by ones our customers really loved and ones our team did. These included ‘Christmas Step Back in Time’ from 2023 which was inspired by the 1940s and the wireless playing, which had some of our older customers tearing up. I remember we had one couple dancing to the music in store because the theme was so evocative, but then good retail is emotional.

Festive Show Reflections

“In terms of Christmas the most important trade show for us is Harrogate Christmas & Gift,” says Perrywood seasonal buyer, Rachel Stapley.

“It’s a can’t-miss for us as Harrogate is where we meet a lot of our suppliers and place orders. I don’t have time to visit all of their individual showrooms so it’s a one-stop shop for Christmas.

“We also find new suppliers at the show and it’s great for comparing quality and prices. We are also guaranteed to bump onto other garden centre buying teams and find out their take on this year’s trends. I also visit Spring Fair every other year for Christmas.”

“Our Christmas themes need to be broad enough to fit in product ranges and festive suppliers, but narrow enough to excite the audience.”

Another popular theme we brought back was ‘Country Christmas’ which was inspired by the countryside around the UK. The display included a stag from Scotland and a boat filled with baubles and starfish. Our business is after all about attracting people to come in to our stores and inspiring them to buy.

Why do you think garden centres as a sector do Christmas so well?

I think we’ve really seized the opportunities festive retail brings within the sector. Christmas in garden centres is never boring and we also learn from each other. Big garden centres like Barton Grange in Preston led on making Christmas massive and the rest of us as an industry really got behind it too.

Storytelling is a big part of it. At Perrywood we attract new customers every Christmas and we want to convert those to regular customers. It’s a huge amount to balance but the opportunity the season offers us is so exciting. It’s far more than just a load of baubles and lights.

My daughter is only 12 but she and I helped our visual merchandising manager create a small part of one of the Christmas displays last year and she loves coming in to see all of them. At Perrywood it really does come back to family and helping people to make memories.

www.perrywood.co.uk

“Autumn

& Halloween 2026 – when two became one

Two did indeed become one and it was very well received…..

The launch of the new Autumn and Halloween ranges at the Harrogate show was highly successful. Footfall across both ranges exceeded expectations, with strong interest from both existing customers and new contacts, with buyers responding positively to the seasonal direction and overall product innovation and design.

The Autumn Collection was well received for its warm colour palette of oranges, deep yellows, olive and cinnamon across a wide range of home décor products. Buyers highlighted its suitability for early seasonal transitions and everyday retail with emphasis on seasonal longevity. The range was praised for its balance of trendled styling and dependable performers, resulting in encouraging orders placed.

Stand out winners ranged from the everdependable lit maple tree range (increased in product count this year), stunning floristry, Flickabright LED candles, ambient lighting and rustic woodland characters.

With it’s success proven in Christmas, even more customers gravitated to the new Scentsicles Autumn fragrances of Apples & Autumn, Pumpkin & Cider and Into the Vanilla Woods all of course supported by well-designed merchandising solutions.

With Autumn well shopped, customers were naturally drawn to the thoughtprovoking displays of the Halloween Collection from Witches Hat Trees and Neon Lighting to the essentials

With Autumn well shopped, customers were naturally drawn to the thoughtprovoking displays of the Halloween Collection from Witches Hat Trees and Neon Lighting

of trick-or-treat “must haves” and quirky plush characters, all supported with a softer, more playful tone and the punchy colour palette of lime green, purple, orange and black.

Products which performed particularly well were our spooky door bells, witches hats light chains and the animated bubbling cauldron, and of course not forgetting our spooky fog machine. Autumn and Halloween seasons beautifully overlap with many product categories ranged across both, and this was no more evident than in our lit door and window garlands range with customers scanning across all colourways. All products shown at Harrogate are displayed in both of our showrooms and our expert Sales Account Managers are ready and happy to assist you in making the best choices. Don’t delay, book a showroom visit today.

“We look forward to seeing you!”

REVIEW Harrogate

New year, new edition of Harrogate Christmas & Gift. It’s always a sparkling way to see in January, but the 2026 show has broken records and received acclaim from exhibitors and visitors alike.

The UK’s only trade show entirely dedicated to Christmas and seasonal celebrations, took centre stage at Harrogate’s convention centre from 11 to 14 January, welcoming a record number of buyers with attendance up 12% from last year.

Across nine packed and beautifully decorated halls, veteran exhibitors and the biggest names in the Christmas retail sector shone alongside new brands at the show, offering an inspiring and massively diverse range of festive product lines. Several companies described Harrogate 2026 as their best show to date.

Show director Simon Anslow, says this 76th outing for Christmas & Gift was ‘truly exceptional.’

“The show has grown in popularity year on year for the past decade. But this year was something very special. The halls were buzzing throughout the event, with exhibitors’ stands constantly busy and the vast majority reporting an outstandingly successful show.”

And exhibitor feedback really echoes this sentiment. Peggy Wilkins said the show had exceeded their expectations, highlighting the high quality of buyers, while the Keel Toys team has reported that they’ll need more show stand space in 2027 to meet demand.

Out of the Blue Studios said they didn’t think the 2025 show could be topped, but 2026 had outperformed it and BigJigs – who were exhibiting for the first time – reported a high level of interest throughout the four days.

David Cree, sales director at Joe Davies, adds: “The show was very good for us and the perfect place to showcase our new Christmas ranges. Both the quantity and quality of visitors were excellent, with many new accounts opened. We will certainly be returning next year.”

Debbie Waudby, director at Norfolk Leisure, reports: “The quality and number of buyers was excellent once again, with incredible support from Ireland. There’s nothing quite like the buzz of the Harrogate halls in full swing. We’ve had a fantastic few days – the energy was incredible and feedback on our new collections has exceeded expectations and forecasts.”

Simon and the Harrogate Christmas & Gift team would like to thank all exhibitors and visitors for making the 2026 show truly unforgettable and look forward to welcoming everyone back from 10 to 13 January, 2027.

The UK’s ONLY Christmas trade show!

Harrogate Christmas & Gift

SHOW PREVIEW Spring Fair

Five Decades of Festive Inspiration

2026 marks 50 years since Birmingham’s NEC began playing host to Spring Fair, for many the biggest trade show in the retail calendar. But what can Christmas buyers expect? Sarah Welsh reveals all…

Spring Fair has been leading the way in retail events since it was first founded back in 1950.

Last year it celebrated its 75th anniversary, and 2026 marks a whopping 50 years since it made the move to Birmingham’s famed NEC, when Queen Elizabeth II opened the 1976 edition.

In 2025 the show welcomed around 38,000 visitors over its four-day run and in the region of 1,500 exhibitors. And this year’s show which kicks off on 1 February, taking place until the 4th, promises to be even bigger and better with a real sense of anticipation building.

The Christmas category is moving to Hall 6, and seasonal and gifting exhibitors that buyers will be able to enjoy both here and across the other halls include Lesser & Pavey, Penny Kennedy, Ling Design, Joe Davies and Keel Toys, to name just a few.

The show has also announced a series of six groundbreaking new feature spaces at this year’s event, designed to elevate the

“Spring Fair continues to be a cornerstone for seasonal buying due to its unparalleled scale and diversity.”

traditional trade show format into a fully immersive, sensory experience.

For example, in Hall 4, visitors will find ‘The Licensing Lab’, a space celebrating the art of brand collaboration and how it can unlock growth and innovation. In Hall 3 you can experience ‘The Buyers Retreat’, a calm, garden-inspired ‘sanctuary’ created as a serene space where buyers can recharge, connect and plan their show visit.

And there’s also a packed programme of trend insights, live showcases and headline talks to enjoy, all taking place across six different stages.

Portfolio Director Jackson Szabo says the sheer scale of Spring Fair is one of the main things that makes the show unique. “It’s a destination for every season, from autumnal décor, floral arrangements, wreath foliage to full on festive décor and show stopping Christmas trees,” he says. “Festive buyers will find the perfect seasonal and floral products at the show.

“We’ve moved the Christmas, Festive & Floral category to sit in Hall 6 this year. This is to give it a more direct affiliation to Home, Living & Décor, The Summer House Edit, plus the returning Glee at Spring Fair sector. It will provide visitors with a much better offering and an enhanced experience.

“Spring Fair continues to be a cornerstone for seasonal buying due to its unparalleled scale, but also the diversity and breadth of product ranges on display.

“Unlike boutique shows we’re not just about Christmas - it’s about offering buyers a 360-degree view of retail trends

and opportunities for the entire year. For seasonal buyers this means they can source Christmas collections alongside complementary ranges in gifts, home, greetings, fashion and more, all under one roof.”

Jackson says festive buyers to the show this year can look forward to an inspiring mix of big Christmas names showcasing incredible product alongside new and up and coming brands. One supplier he’s particularly excited about is Lotus Imports, as the team behind the brand has taken their biggest ever show stand – 350sqm – and will be featuring a brand new Christmas collection alongside their elaborate floral designs.

“Spring Fair is an industry showcase, a time stamp for everyone in the retail community to align from,” he explains. “We’re extremely excited about all the new features and stages across the show. This new era signals Spring Fair’s evolution from a traditional marketplace into an immersive experience, a living, breathing celebration of creativity and connection.”

What: Spring Fair | When: 1-4 February

Where: NEC Birmingham | Web: www.springfair.com

& Pavey

Taking Off in Style

For gifting and homeware veterans Lesser & Pavey Spring Fair really is the show that provides them with the launch pad to introduce thousands of amazing products to customers old and new. Sarah Welsh caught up with Director Jonny Greves…

For the team at Lesser & Pavey making the journey from Dartford to Birmingham’s famed NEC for the annual retail extravaganza that is Spring Fair is no mean feat.

By far the biggest trade event of the year for the renowned gift, homewares and seasonal suppliers, for 2026 Lesser & Pavey will be exhibiting in the region of 5,000 items at the show and almost half will be brand new to the audience.

The visual merchandising inspiration for our Spring Fair stand is to ensure it’s neatly displayed for customers to view and buy. “ ”

No wonder then that Director Jonny Greves describes the work that goes into making it all happen as a ‘fairly major operation.’

“We take our full product range to Birmingham,” Jonny explains. “In our eyes Spring Fair is the most important week of the year for us. We just love the event and it’s such a fantastic opportunity for us to catch up with customers, meet new ones and show off what we’ve been working on.

“Planning has been underway for some time. For example, we’ve added another thousand-plus new Christmas lines on top of what we showed at Harrogate Christmas & Gift.”

The home fragrance category has been a big area of growth for Lesser & Pavey in recent years, and as Jonny explains the company has made some adjustments to their Spring Fair show stand to allow for the exciting launch of the rebranded home fragrance ‘Maison Parfum.’

“Our home fragrance range is still growing year on year so we thought the time was right to rebrand and elevate it,” he reveals.

“The visual merchandising inspiration for our stand is to ensure it’s neatly displayed for customers to view and buy. It’s about making things easy for customers and we always receive good feedback for this. What buyers want is to be able to view the ranges Lesser & Pavey offers easily.”

The company is headed to the Midlands on the back of a hugely successful show in Harrogate. For 2026 the team took the biggest festive range to date to Christmas & Gift, including brand new tableware and exciting collaborations with popular, long standing licensing partners, and the feedback was hugely upbeat.

“Harrogate Christmas & Gift was once again a very positive show for us,” Jonny says. “We saw lots of buyers and had a great reaction to our new ranges. In terms of our show stand we had the same space as last year, but this time we had more than 350 new lines on display – which was around 1,000 products in total.

“The response from our customers was that it looked inviting and full of exciting new lines. Harrogate is a vitally

important show for us in terms of being able to catch up with of the garden centre teams, which make up a large part of our Christmas trade.

“It was good to hear that they’d all had successful years in 2025, and were in good spirits to be ordering in the new festive collections for 2026.

“Tinsel Town, created by our in-house art department, was widely admired. Customers liked the new gift items such as the LED lights and buyers also commented that they were pleased to see a new Highland Cow from Jennifer Rose, which was also popular last year.

“Our stained glass LED lights, tea lights and aroma lamps were also extremely popular. And with our second option flickering function, the feedback was that they are a great improvement on what was on the market last year.”

In terms of food and drink festive gifting, Jonny says that visitors to Harrogate were pleased to see the new additions to Lesser & Pavey’s collection. This included a mug and bowl gift set packed with cookies, and available in brand new stringing packaging for 2026.

Those who follow the company closely will know that Lesser & Pavey has carved out a real niche for itself in terms of collaborating with artists, including

long-standing partnerships with Jennifer Rose and MacNeil Studios.

For 2026 they are also working with Madelaine by Hearts Design, with a new take on a festive Hellebore flower, on striking red, green and cream backgrounds, embellished with bows and gold foiling.

“Madelaine by Hearts Design was another show favourite at Harrogate,” Jonny reveals. “Customers really bought into the new colours – the deep, rich Christmassy red and a soft sage green which was incredibly popular.

“But of course in one breath its Harrogate and the very next is Spring Fair!”

So, what is Jonny personally most looking forward to at the upcoming show?

“I think the launch of Maison Parfum,” he says. “In general I just think this edition of Spring Fair is going to be a really strong show for the brand and I can’t wait to put out all the new ranges we have developed and see the reaction.”

Looking for something different?

Davies Products provides the perfect solution for customers wanting to stand out from the crowd, offering fabulous products that are on trend and competitively priced.

This year Davies Products feature over 600 new lines in its 2026 collections. Their Christmas decoration ranges focus on timeless nostalgic themes which proved so popular at Harrogate and promise to dominate 2026.

Davies Products have an appealing array of products in a variety of tones and materials that create modern focus on the traditional, classic Christmas palette of burgundy, reds, greens, creams and golds complimented by iced berries, frosted and naturally styled foliage.

Rich Velvets and Gilded Glamour is where luxury takes centre stage, whilst fun is the focus of the Kitsch-mas and Santas’s Toy Shop, take a stroll through an enchanting Frosted Forest and Winter Woodland and cuddle up with cosy furry Nordic Nights.

From bows to baubles, garlands to stems and home decor – with a perfect blend of contemporary and classic, there is something for everyone.

Customers are always welcome to visit our Liverpool showrooms, see a rep or request a catalogue to view our full array of Christmas, Halloween, Autumn, Easter & Floral products.

Proudly serving the Christmas trade for almost 80 years!

For more information visit: www.daviesproducts.com

Industries golf day

With 5 trophies up for winning, plus nearest the pin in one and two plus the longest drive. Our golf day is a fun golf day for all golfers good or very average (that’s me). Ladies are also most welcome. The morning nine hole Texas Scramble begins the day, followed by lunch, The afternoon round includes the team four-ball Babystyle trophy – a handsome trophy held for a year by the winning team and won last year by Red Kite. JMDA supply the trophy for our Yellow Ball competition won by Red Kite. For the less gifted golfers we also have a cup for the 24-28 handicap golfers.

A barbeque for the presentation of trophies concludes the day and to keep the occasion as relaxed as possible the dress code is casual allowing those wanting to leave for home after the presentation a reasonably early evening journey, leaving those of us staying over able to discuss the day at the bar till closing time. Whilst most teams come as team four-balls, individual golfers are very welcome. Any team/player NOT staying for the presentation will not receive any prizes they might have won had they stayed.

For full details contact Malcolm Naish on 0788 9991513 or email malcolm@lemapublishing.co.uk to book your team’s place. Christmas, Gift, Toy, Nursery,

Malcolm Naish looks back to 1989, 1999, 2009 and 2014

January 1989

● Having had a chat with the M.D. of Porth Textiles - Klaus Benedict (then the largest manufacturer of Christmas Trees employing over 1,000 staff in the Welsh Valleys), I decided that the Christmas decoration industry should have its very own mouthpiece to be heard by their customers.

● In that first issue a fledgling Premier Decorations who were then based in Wembley were offering from their stand down in basement, that throughout most of the year was a car park a range of foil garlands and lanterns in red/gold, green/ gold and a very striking blue/silver.

● They told us back in January 1989 that their lights conformed to the very highest British standards, offered in a variety of styles.

● Noma were celebrating their 50th back then and proudly boasted that they were the only light manufacturer who had never had their kitemark suspended, with their involvement with the BSI going right back to the early sixties.

● Move on 37 years and Noma will be celebrating their 87th in Harrogate 2026.

● Ti-Well were another established company, having launched into the party business with their ‘Party Concept’ collection.

● Tom Baker of course was soon to leave Ti-Well to launch his own company.

● Other names no longer in the business in my first issue include Anglocentrop, Damio, Christmasworld representing French company Droguet, Pifco, Artek and Porth.

● We also ran an interview with the Christmas buyer at House of Fraser. A lady answering to the name of Janet Saunders – I wonder where this lady is now?

January 1999

● This particular year marked the 50th anniversary celebrations for the Harrogate Christmas & Gift Fair. Snowtime were

on our front cover with their fibre optic rainbow Christmas tree.

● One of the topics under discussion then was ‘Should suppliers when describing their products in their catalogues give the size in inches or centimetres?

● I confirm that fibre optics are still big sellers, as indeed they are today.

● I also urge buyers to keep an eye open for Millenium lighting and other Millenium products just right for the big build up to New Year.

● Widmanns were another company celebrating 50 years of continuous exhibiting at Harrogate and a few years later they celebrated their 100th year of trading. Sadly, they are no longer with us now, but what a great company to work with, I’m referring of course to Vernon Butler and Andrew Widman.

● Wang’s International had purchased Porth back in 1995 and whilst they had closed the manufacturing shortly after the acquisition, they were now trading as Wang International. It wasn’t to last sadly, yet another Christmas name in Porth bites the dust.

● Bert Wood had just celebrated his 70th and was still going strong at Puleo.

● The very first Christmas Trades golf day occurred in the June organized by John Hughes at Hill Valley golf club in Whitchurch. Over 40 attended including such luminaries as Colin Eccleshall, Carl Raysun, Julian Stein, Ron Bent, Ian Jones and Tracy Cannon from Spring Fair.

● Christmas companies who still appear within our columns 27 years later include Premier Decorations, F.D.L. Puleo, National Tree, PMS, Spring Fair, Gisela Graham, Weiste/Morris May and Noma.

January 2009

● As the state of the banking industry affects us all, I begin my Leader page with attacking those greedy bastards in the City. I worry about the dollar that has plunged

to $1.55. How we would like that exchange rate in 2026!

● For the first time Hall ‘A’ is being used as a Christmas decoration hall. During the show two companies celebrate their 50th anniversaries including Peter Harvey Ltd. and Christmas Concepts.

● The show also celebrates its Diamond jubilee and according the to show torganisers are giving away plenty of goodies to mark the milestone.

● Wholesaler Abbey Cards are celebrating 25 years and feature in a two page article where Harry Rai gives us the history of his company. Whilst a card wholesaler first and foremost, they do big business in Christmas decorations.

● We also interview Fermoys Garden Centre in Ipplepen, near Totnes Devon. A thriving garden centre.

January 2014

● Festive create a ‘Suppliers’ charter in China that over 70% of their suppliers have signed up to which stipulates that as long as Festive give their orders early enough, that they will guarantee to deliver on the promised date, I wonder if this still applies today.

● Noma Lites are acquired by the Leisuregrow group with Frank Kaminski heading up sales and marketing.

● We also salute Weiste who are celebrating their 90th year.

● Harrogate Christmas & Gift continue to grow their numbers when it comes to Christmas Dec., exhibitors with quite a number of new exhibitors.

● Festive had our front cover and were in the pink highlighting their ‘Kirsty Allsopp’ range. Our Editor visits three well-known garden centres All-in-One, Snowdonia Nurseries and Armitage Penine Garden Centre.