My business head left the building sometime in 2025.

Still coming to terms with life without dad, dealing with the aftermath of my gallbladder giving up on me, and trying to get used to my new scar laden body post (complicated) surgery, I then had my (ex) brother in law and my mum both pass away quickly.

I drifted through that Christmas season. I tried my best to keep upbeat at the markets but I was angry, depressed and hurting so badly both physically and emotionally.

It soon turned to January and I could ‘ignore’ the Christmas Store for a while. Normally I would be stocktaking, ordering and prepping for the next season, but I didn’t have it in me.

Even my hobbies hold little interest for me, and the seedlings we planted (in the hopes it would help me find myself again) have withered through neglect. No home grown cucumbers or tomatoes this year.

Now, I would normally be excited about new Christmas decorations arriving, and be all systems go for the festive run up, but my stock order is still sitting in my online basket. I’m struggling.

Christmas just doesn’t feel the same anymore. Or maybe I’m just not the same anymore.

Maybe a slight change of direction is needed. I have long held dreams that now feel like they should become reality. The UK Christmas Store will still be very much part of my life and I have a full event calendar booked, so we will see you at a market soon (hopefully with some new decorations!)

Cari xx

How are your Christmas preparations going? I’m normally one of the people rushing around full of stress, convinced I’ve forgotten something important. The few days before Christmas are a time for frantically trying to sort the house out while buying last minute gifts and food.

This year is strangely different. We’ve been declutterring the house since May, so all that’s needed is a quick tidy and clean, the presents are all bought and wrapped, and the food shop is done too. I’m wondering if it’s because this year is different, the first one without mum and dad, no rushing around visiting family. I’m grateful for the slower pace but not looking forward to the change in celebrations.

The news of Chris Rea passing has hit us too. As a family we’re not only proud of the Teesside connection, but his music has even more relevance at this time of year. 2024/25 have been really rough for our family.

If you’ve had a difficult year too and don’t feel particularly festive, just give yourself grace and have a peaceful Christmas. Here’s hoping that 2026 is kinder to us all.

Cari xx

We are sending out orders all this week and into next week as well, so there’s plenty of time to snap up some stocking fillers or secret Santa gifts.

Last posting dates for Christmas delivery are coming up, 2nd class is 17th December and 1st class is 20th. If you miss these deadlines don’t worry, just let me know and I can offer an upgraded Special delivery service (cut off is 23rd).

Great secret Santa gift ideas – our Wineminster wooden road sign comes in a choice of options, from the nations favourite cuppa street to hangover lane.

If your recipient is a keen gardener, this glass novelty greenhouse would make a good gift.

There are lots more fun and quirky Christmas decorations online and we will have some with us at our market on Saturday 20th December in Hovingham. It would be lovely to hear from you!

Bowes Museum winter market starts tomorrow, but we won’t be there. I must admit I feel a bit sad about it, but the event hasn’t been the same for us since it was rebranded from a Christmas market several years ago.

I had however still booked our usual outdoor space, with the intention of giving it one more chance in 2025. Then my mum suddenly passed away and I’m not ashamed to admit I’m really struggling. It’s hit me hard, and I’m just about coping with the local markets and my day job. I feel so low most of the time and trying to get a three day event covered between us felt impossible.

So, to all the regular visitors who were expecting to see us there, I’m really sorry, but I just couldn’t manage it this year. I’m not sure if we will be back in 2026 either, but never say never.

Cari xx

I can’t claim to have an eye for design, but I do seem to have a flair for choosing Christmas decorations. If you want to add a bit of sparkle to your tree this year, then our range of glass baubles and mini trees is the place to start.

This spectacular mini chandelier tree decoration will really catch the glow from your tree lights. Team it with our glass trees and some white lights to really shine this Christmas.

If you want colour on your tree, or something to excite the smaller family members, our box of coloured bells will add some jingle to your Christmas tree.

Prefer something a little different? Our selection of quirky baubles will amuse and entertain your guests. They make great secret Santa gifts too!

My daughter has been asking for a while now when we were going to put our Christmas trees up. It’s been a difficult year with my surgery and then mum dying so unexpectedly, but bits of Christmas have been creeping out as and when I felt like I needed a boost.

Well, after a busy weekend of markets (one of which she helped me with) I agreed to getting the Christmas trees out of the loft. This year we are trying to fit two in, as we have offered to host everyone for Christmas dinner. This could include my nieces two children, so I want to make an effort even though it will be hard without mum.

We have one in our living room which will have colour coordinated baubles on it, and one in the kitchen/diner which will have all the random and quirky baubles we have collected over the years. I think we can just about manage now we’ve declutterred a lot, although if everyone turns up it might be a bit snug!

The musical Christmas tree ornament is our bestseller at the markets so far. Online orders are very sporadic this year which has shocked me – I have a packing room full of boxes waiting for the surge of online shoppers which so far hasn’t come. It’s meant I have to rethink the stock order for 2026 as we simply won’t have room for as many new decorations.

Have you got your Christmas trees up yet, and how do you decorate them?

Cari xx

Running a small family business means there’s no big network of staff to take over the reins when life throws a curveball. To be honest, I’m not quite up to being back at work properly but with a seasonal business there’s only a few weeks of the year where we actively trade, so I’m doing what I can.

Let me explain. As some of you will know, this time last year I was recovering from a nasty gallbladder attack. I was struggling to get my fitness back and was still grieving for my dad who had passed away at the start of 2024. Fast forward to July this year and I got my surgery date. What was supposed to be a simple operation with an overnight stay turned into major surgery, a transfer to the bigger hospital and an 11 day stay after complications. Since then I’ve been having regular visits to my GP for wound care but was progressing well.

Then I heard my mum had had a fall at home and was taken to hospital. She had been struggling to eat and hadn’t been well, but was managing. After a battery of tests in hospital she was diagnosed with widespread cancer, then got a chest infection and put on end of life care last Saturday. On Sunday morning my sister told me she had passed away in the early hours.

I’ve been a bit of a zombie ever since. Mum and I had a difficult relationship while I was growing up, we both were stubborn and clashed a lot. I was certainly not expecting to feel quite so broken. But then it’s not even two years since losing dad, so maybe there’s still some trauma from that. Either way, I’m glad we had the opportunity to tell each other we loved them and my sisters and I are trying to support each other the best we can.

Business has taken a back seat but I have stock and events waiting for me, so I need to get back into it. Maybe it will help. Orders are being posted out as usual and I’m getting some comfort from each and every one – my parents were very supportive of my businesses over the years and they both loved making Christmas special for us.

Cari xx

I was talking to a lovely lady at the market yesterday. She stopped at my stall because I had a small display of our Christmas decorations alongside my greetings cards, and she was admiring all the glass baubles we had.

She was clearly desperate to buy more things but held back because she was worried her family wouldn’t approve. She then went on to explain how she has all her glass Christmas baubles in storage boxes and her husband pulls them out every year for her to decorate. She estimated that she has 300 glass tree baubles for her three Christmas trees, I can’t imagine that they all get used each year but it was lovely to meet someone who shares my passion for the festive season.

It’s hardly any time before we will be in the thick of all our Christmas fairs, and I still need to get the rest of my new stock delivery – cutting it fine this year. It’s been tough with mum being so ill just as I’m recovering from surgery, but we will get there.

Our biggest and best event is always the fabulous Luxury Christmas Fayre at Gisborough Hall Hotel. I’ve lost count of the years we’ve been attending this popular Christmas event in such a stunning venue. Will you be visiting this year?

Cari xx