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

How do you decorate your home for Christmas? Do you stick to traditional coordinating colour schemes eg red and green, or do you prefer silver and blue tones? Or maybe you prefer a jumble of mismatched baubles including those decorated by your children?

Whatever your style, we have lots of quirky and interesting tree decorations, ornaments and snowglobes. Musical merry go rounds and big wheels will entertain the children, and elegant, tree light catching glass baubles will coordinate with any themed colour scheme.

We have more decorations ready to ship including lots of red, silver and white baubles and novelty tree decorations including a fried breakfast, a turkey and beer bottles.

However you decorate for Christmas, it’s always lovely to add a new item to your decorations each year. What will you choose?

I’m tired.

I’ve spent the day moving my whole business to new premises, lots of backwards and forwards, up and down stairs but we’re 90% there.

It’s a strange feeling but exciting to have a new space, at least for the next 12 months!

If you order online, you hopefully won’t see any difference as I’m planning on shipping next day as usual, it’s just that we will now have a cut off time each day. I’m still working on the logistics side and will make sure it’s clear on our website.

In other news we are busy booking extra Christmas fairs to try and fill every weekend in the run up to Christmas. We have already started taking Christmas decorations to our monthly markets and have more new decorations arriving shortly.

The run up to Christmas is my favourite time of year and I’m just as excited this year as I was all those years ago when we started The UK Christmas Store. It’s lovely to see the business growing and hopefully we will get to meet some of you very soon!

Cari xx

I’m sorry, it always feels too early doesn’t it?

I’m still mid recovery from major surgery as well, so I’m not officially back at work until September, but when my supplier emailed to let me know some of my new Christmas decorations order was available, I got excited.

I’m not allowed to do any lifting or bending yet though so it’s going to have to wait. I’m so eager to see the items in person, ordering from a website isn’t easy but needs must this year with my ongoing health issues. Hopefully 2026 will be a much smoother ride.

So, what do I have coming for this autumn/winter season? Well, I’ve gone quirky and cute, with tree decorations and more that you probably won’t find in the major retailers. Not everything is available just yet and I seriously need to sort the stock room as right now there is no space for all the new Christmas cuteness (in fact the shelves are overflowing with last years stock).

If you really can’t wait to shop in person, I have the team geared up and ready to send out orders right now (every online order gets an extra ‘thank you treat’ included right up to the end of September 2025). There is plenty still to choose from including one of the spectacular trains which got lots of approving comments at last years events.

If you don’t have the space for such a stunning Christmas ornament, you can choose from our colourful tractors or wooden box set decorations, just remember where you put them until it’s time to decorate your tree!

I will be sharing details of our autumn events soon if you prefer to shop in person with us. I hope you are as excited as we are to be back trading again!

Cari xx

I’m counting down the days until summer break. It’s one hazard of working in a school, everything is measured in terms. I’m always the ‘go to’ person who knows exactly how many weeks until the next holiday.

Of course, summer break also signals new season delivery day, and I honestly have no idea where the new stock is going. My stock room is full to bursting and I am busy declutterring the rest of our space so don’t really want stock cluttering it back up again.

I’m excited to see everything start to arrive though, the run up to Christmas is always my favourite part of the year (apart from the shorter days of course). I hope we have better success selling this year as we honestly can’t manage another 2024! Some bad event choices led to poor sales hence why the stock room is so full!

So, this year will see lots of clearance items available online, plus a smaller ‘new for this year’ order. There’s still a lot that needs to be checked, priced and listed though so I’m hoping my helpers will be available again.

Before all that, let’s enjoy the sunshine and warmer temperatures!

I’m over the moon that we are still getting orders through, I’ve been doing a little dance each time to celebrate. January and February are slower months with no markets to attend, so orders are very exciting!

While some Christmas decorations are now sold out, others are low in stock. This is great for us as it frees up space in the stock room, but means if there’s something you really wanted then waiting might mean it’s gone when you are ready to buy.

Tractors are proving popular and we only have a few red ones left now. We will restock for 2025 but they won’t arrive until September with the rest of our order. We need to restock the glass trees with coloured baubles as well as we’ve sold out of those.

A huge thank you if you have supported our Christmas Store over the festive season, it means the world and every order received now goes towards our new stock order for 2025.

Cari xx

Our trade fair is looming, which is when we get our first glimpse of what’s new for Christmas. It’s room after room of Christmas trees, lights, decorations and gifts – everything you could possibly want!

You may recognise some of these which we chose a year ago for Christmas 2024. It’s such a fun event for someone who loves Christmas as much as I do, but I do have a tendency to get carried away so try to snap what we like there, then choose and order later so I can be more selective. I wonder what we will see this year?

I’m wanting to build on our QuirkyBaubles brand so these may feature for 2025, who knows? Do you think they will find their audience?

Aside from this, my biggest supporter aka Mr Christmas is having a minor operation soon which could stop us going to the trade fair, it depends on his recovery. I will be sad to miss it but his health has to come first.

Thank you if you have ordered recently, we have been quieter than previous years but I always expect that. I still celebrate each and every order and hope that never changes!

Cari xx

Our next Royal Mail collection is booked for Monday, and while we know things will slow down now, I just wanted you to know we are still processing orders. We will ‘down tools’ for Christmas Day and Boxing Day as we need some family time, but now the children are grown up we have more free time to pack your orders. It also means there’s less chance of me shopping in the sales!

I’ve spent some time in the stock room but there’s still a lot to do before Christmas. I still have tubs of Christmas decorations in my dining room which have to move if I want to use the dining table! I’m not sure when it’s all going to get done but somehow it always does.

Do you spend Christmas at home, or do you stay with family? I’ve long held a dream of renting a cottage somewhere so that all the family can be together under one roof, but it’s never happened. What would be your dream Christmas?

Right, I better get on with sorting the stock room as I don’t think Santa can work his magic on that one for me.

Cari xx

Just a heads up, as last year we got quite a few orders over the Christmas break – if you want something to arrive before Christmas please order before 9 pm on 17/12/24. Unless you upgrade your shipping, tomorrow will be our last collection for Christmas delivery.

I’ve just spent half an hour trying to unpack all our market stock. We transport everything in plastic tubs, and to be honest they have seen better days, so that’s something that will need replacing in 2025. I’m not sure what I’ve done differently but I seem to have run out of shelf space despite having sold quite a chunk of the massive order I placed earlier this year. I would show you a picture but I’m honestly embarrassed at the state of my stock room. I had such grand plans, but with working part time around everything business related, it’s become a dumping ground. There’s too much furniture but I have a plan for that, just need some time over Christmas to work on it all. How I’m going to fit a new delivery in there I don’t know!

While today is the last day for ordering in time for Christmas, you can still order right through the Christmas break and I will be sending as frequently as I can. I still get excited every time an order kerchings through, and love locating and carefully packing your purchases. It gives me a lovely break from trying to maintain some order in the house! It might also help me with sorting space in the stock room.

I hope you have a lovely restful Christmas break and we will see you in 2025.

Cari and all the team at The UK Christmas Store