70 years young and still going strong
It’s that time of year again, the heating (for the less hardy) has been switched on; it’s dark earlier and earlier in the evening; and irresistible bright coloured tubs of chocolates are loaded onto supermarket shelves – yes, it is less than 70 days until CHRISTMAS!
It is also less than three months until the UK’s favourite festive trade show – Harrogate Christmas & Gift – and celebrations will be high as the 2020 event marks 70 years!
In 1949 manufacturers of toys, gifts and Christmas novelties gathered in the hotels of Harrogate for the first time to share their new wares with the industry. In the days before internet and limited TV and telephone access – Harrogate Christmas & Gift would have been imperative to every shop owner in the country. Can you imagine the excitement of children when they discovered their village stores packed with unimaginable, never seen before goodies?
In these days of instant gratification, much of the incredulity of Christmas has gone astray, but retailers can still ensure they extend customers the very latest that the industry has to offer by attending this ever-evolving, fast-growing event.
Harrogate Christmas & Gift is the number one trade show for any retailer which endorses celebrations and we Brits certainly enjoy a bit of merriment – whether it be Christmas, Easter, Hanukka, EID, Mother and Father’s Day, Halloween, birthdays… the list goes on. It appears that there is always a good reason to buy a gift and have a party.
Visitors to the show this year can expect to see everything from Christmas trees and decorations; candles and lighting, food and beverages, gifts for absolutely every occasion, cards and pet accessories, garden and homeware – the list goes on. If you are in retail – whether that be a department store, independent shop, garden centre, tourist attraction gift shop – or even an event planner seeking inspiring decorations; Harrogate Christmas & Gift is a not-to-be-missed event.
It’s free to attend – register online at www.harrogatefair.com
Lost your marbles?
If you’re looking for a huge selection of pocket-money toys, retro games and festive books that will make wonderful grotto gifts and stocking fillers this Christmas, then head to the House of Marbles stand at Harrogate Christmas & Gift.
Don’t miss its new Christmas Mould and Paint Decorations Set - a wonderful activity kit that includes everything you need to make your own personalised tree decorations, fridge magnets and pin badges for all your friends and family! They’ll also be launching festive table skittles and eye-catching Christmas Snow Globes with well-loved characters including Father Christmas and a Snowman.
Whether you’re an independent gift shop or garden centre, there’s such a unique range of Christmas gifts to choose from and carriage paid orders start from only £150. Visit House of Marbles on Stand C26
Cute and ethical
Felt so good specialise in supplying creative, design-led, colourful and high quality handmade felt products that are simply bursting with character. All its collections encompass a variety of occasions, whether it be Christmas, Halloween, Easter or Nautical. The Christmas collection consists of beautifully intricate, traditional decorations; 
think Mistletoe and Holly, Santa’s and Angels – but all with a Felt so good flare. There are also collections perfect for the slightly quirkier Christmas enthusiasts – Bumblebees, Dinosaurs and Sloths all in Santa hats and festive gear!
Felt so good launches its new products in January, so expect to see hundreds of fabulous new little characters across all our collections as well as garlands, miniature plants and cacti and other gorgeous homewares.
All the materials used are natural and biodegradable with a strong focus on the importance of Fair Trade. Each product is made by hand via traditional needle felting techniques in Nepal, so when you purchase a Felt so good product you are supporting ethical practices and ensuring the team of incredibly skilled artists are employed in safe, non-discriminative work environments with a fair rate of pay. Visit Felt so good on Stand C5