The retail trade magazines have been asking what our thoughts are on Christmas this year.
What gifts will be trending, how can we ensure sales are strong?

We met Neil, managing director of FROM YOU TO ME, over a delightful coffee at one of our favourite indpendent coffee shops in Bath Colonna & Small’s , and having planned which type of coffee bean to use in our Flat Whites, we turned our attention to discussing this question.

The majority of people have been careful with how they spend their hard-earned money throughout 2024 and yet gifting has remained part of the ’essential’ shopping list. Births, birthdays, weddings and Christmas still drive people to want to celebrate and recognise these important occasions, but our experience has shown people are taking more care with their gift choices. 

As the value of experiences and memories becomes more important than material possessions, there has been a shift towards thoughtful, heartfelt gifting with a growing desire for authenticity and connection.  In our fast-paced, digital world, consumers have been drawn to meaningful gifts that evoke emotion, tell a story, create lasting memories and strengthen relationships.  Whether it's a personalised item or a gift that encourages shared moments, meaningful presents will undoubtedly resonate with shoppers in a season rooted in love and togetherness. 

FROM YOU TO ME believe gifting matters. Our meaningful gifts all tell a story so, without a doubt, top of the list for Christmas gifts for all the family and close friends would be our award-winning range of Journals of a Lifetime. Helping people to capture stories, memories and aspirations from their lives, these gifts retail for only £18 and yet customers, when they wipe the tears from their faces, tell us they are priceless.  You can see this range here:

So we hope Christmas is positive for our retail friends ... and Neil thought he would conclude with some creative festive season top-tips for retailers.

Do you have anything to add? Please do let us know.

1. Create a Gift Guru Station

Dedicate a team member as your ‘gift guru’ who can quickly recommend gift ideas for shoppers, especially last-minute ones. Almost like a personal shopper, have them armed with a list of meaningful items for every budget and age group.

2. Wrap it with Style

Create an upsell with wrappage. Make it fun with different festive paper & ribbon options. Have a wrapping contest amongst your team for the most creative designs. A great way to compete with other shops.

3. Surprise & Delight with Small Treats

Hand out or include small Christmas delights (biscuits, sweets or gift tags) to shoppers. It creates an extra bit of holiday joy and makes them feel appreciated.

4. Deck the Store with Festive Cheer

Set the festive mood with fun decorations, music and a Christmas countdown board. The happier the atmosphere, the more likely the customers will smile and enjoy their shopping experience as well as recommending you to others.

5. Make Your Customers Laugh

Add a Christmas cracker joke every day to your website and near the till. Make it clear that you will add a new one every day. Perhaps add a notice board or blog for customers to add their own!

6. Show Some Warmth

Give the customer eye contact, a smile and a “Happy Christmas” greeting. Think about how you feel when someone, out of the blue, does this to you.

7. Daily “Elf on the Shelf” Challenge

Hide an Elf somewhere in your store each day holding a special code word. Promote to customers that they have to find the Elf. If they use the code at the till with a purchase, give them their special gift … a discount, a small free item, a sweet or free gift wrapping.

8. The Power of Stories

Coach your team to tell the story behind certain products. Sharing unique details can make the customer engage with the gift and it feels more personal and meaningful to the customer.

9. The Playlist Challenge

Invite your team and customers to curate the store’s Christmas playlist. It’s like having a juke box and customers might spend more time in store waiting for their song or even a dedication.

10. Promote Gifts Under £20

Set up easy to shop shelves or pages on the website for items under £20. These should be easy grabs for last minute shoppers or those on a budget.

11. Always ask for feedback

Motivate all the team to ask for online reviews, perhaps use a QR code to make it easy and reward them with a sweet from the tin!

12. Check in with the team

Festive season within the retail industry can be overwhelming, it's important to check in weekly with team members, ensuring they have the support required.

Interested to hear how we can help you further? Then contact the team on [email protected] to discuss Making Gifts Matter.