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Can’t quite believe it

My weeks seem to consist of work, study, family, dog and Christmas fairs at the moment.    Amidst the dashing from one thing to the next, I am always reminding myself to be grateful for being busy, however challenging that can be at times!

As I’m planning  my Friday, with a van to collect for the weekend and cars to load with stock etc around my work commitments and dog mum duties, I realise that I’ve only got one more weekend of events before Christmas.  The season that I spend most of the year planning and prepping for is almost over.  It always flies past, but this year it seems quicker.  Maybe because I’m getting older….

The main reason I created this business was to indulge my love of all things Christmas.  It’s been running for many years now, and each and every sale still brings joy to my heart.  I agonise over what stock to select, hoping that you love it as much as I do, not always getting it right (yes we still have some stock from the early days!) and in the early years I even made some of the decorations myself.  I hope to be able to go back to that, possibly once the business is making enough to allow me to partially retire?

The company has grown as my kids have grown, albeit not as quickly, and I still love running it so much.  There’s something magical about Christmas and I hope the decorations we stock help spread that magic a little more.  Perhaps we will get to meet you over our last few events for 2022 and help bring the magic to your home?

Cari xx

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It’s always a tricky one – our last Christmas markets of 2021

I really love Christmas markets.  There’s something magical for young and old, especially at the best ones.  Even as a stall holder you can feel the excitement, that tingle down your spine in anticipation.

Bowes Museum has long been towards the top of our list for ‘must attend’.  I remember one year it was so cold the fountain froze over enough for the more daring visitors to stand on.  That was tough.  The cold seeps in no matter how many layers you wear, and obviously the more layers, the longer it takes when you need to ‘pay a visit’.

I’ll leave that one there.

Bowes Museum Christmas market is over three days.  This causes problems at Our Grotto as I’m usually at work, unable to take the day off.  I try to persuade the Head Elf to go instead, with varying degrees of success.

We were facing the same dilemma this year. Friday would be my last day of work before Christmas.  Head Elf was all set to go, taking the teenage Elves along for assistance.

Then our plans changed.

Work was having to shut a week early, which was really disappointing as the last week before Christmas break is the best – filled with class parties and Christmas Dinner.

The one silver lining is that I can now go to Bowes on Friday – YAY!

I’m so excited to be there all three days this year.  I think we might have to have a special offer or two to celebrate.

Cari