2025 certainly began on a high note for the UK’s only festive trade show – Harrogate Christmas & Gift – as exhibitors and visitors turned up in large numbers to not only see the latest products the industry has to offer, but to celebrate a few important milestones too.
While the exhibition – which took place in the North Yorkshire town from January 12 to January 15 – celebrated its 75th anniversary, exhibitor Playwrite Group boasted having attended every single show since it began!
Warren Cornelius, one of the directors of Harrogate Christmas & Gift, first attended the event himself as an exhibitor in 1967. However, his predecessor Syd Vening (who joined the company with his brother-in-law William (Con) Cornelius and took over the reins on Con’s death in 1944), was one of the show’s founders when it began its journey in Harrogate as International Toy Fair.
Fast forward seven decades and the show never fails to impress. The halls of the Harrogate Convention Centre were absolutely packed with an array of fabulous products – not only for Christmas, but for celebrations throughout the year.
“It’s been a great show and we placed lots of orders. I loved seeing more unusual colour mixes this year. It was so nice to see so many bold and retro schemes”
New trends are presented each season, and it looks as though we will be seeing lots of rustic colours with autumnal hues, and pretty bold mixes such as purple with pink and blue with brown.
Quality wrapping and packaging were also trending, with a number of exhibitors displaying giftwrap, gift boxes, labels, cards, and adornments to make gift-giving that extra bit special. The traditional Christmas cracker appears to be returning in popularity – and family pooches will be topping Santa’s wish list, with a selection of dog toys and baubles to choose from.
Kerry Brassil, manager at Listowel Garden Centre in Ireland, said: “It’s been a great show and we placed lots of orders. I loved seeing more unusual colour mixes this year. It was so nice to see so many bold and retro schemes.”
Exhibitors were happy with the quality of visitors too. Tara Hardman, seasonal buyer of RSW International, commented: “We had a great show. Our sales figures were up by a whopping 80% on 2024. Many of our existing customers visited us and we also gained a lot of new customers. Once again, the show was great for networking.”
Alan Pimm, managing director of SIL Interiors, added: “Harrogate Christmas & Gift was very successful for SIL, with both orders and quotes substantially up on last year’s show. Visitor numbers to our stand also increased, and we look forward to rebooking for 2026.”
This was the second year that Jackson’s Comprehensive Retail Supplies exhibited in Harrogate, and the company’s digital marketer and PR co-ordinator Greg Jackson reported that it was the firm’s most successful trade show to date. “We noticed a significant increase in footfall to our stand, which was incredibly encouraging,” he said. “Not only did we engage with more visitors, but we secured numerous orders. This has had a positive impact on our business and we are thrilled with the results.”
Next year, Harrogate Christmas & Gift will take place at the Harrogate Convention Centre from Sunday January 11 to Wednesday January 14 2026. Priority booking (for this year’s exhibitors) will be from February 24 until Friday April 11 2025, before space goes onto general sale.
