Christmas businesses count on customers to spend more on decor

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From eco-friendly, modular Christmas trees handmade in the UK to wreaths, baubles, and tree decorations, this year’s Christmas trends are a mix of traditional and contemporary styling. Some British retailers are already seeing an increase in sales this Christmas. Over 600 retailers are at London's Spirit of Christmas fair, including Rachel Mitchell from AdoreMyDoor. She is expecting the upcoming holidays to be more sociable than in previous years. “I’m not sure that people will be having bigger Christmases. But I think we’ll be visiting more people,” she says. “I think people are just itching to get out there and go and visit different people, catch up with people that we haven’t seen for a long time. Actually, I think the same is true for shopping.” The festive period in 2023 was challenging for many, due to the cost of living crisis. But in 2024, the total value of retail sales made during the festive season is estimated to reach £96 billion in the UK, according to Statista forecasts, up from the previous year’s value of approximately £93 billion. Handmade in the UK, these environmentally friendly, solid oak Christmas trees are debuting at the fair. The wooden structure outlines a classic Christmas tree shape. Its modular design allows the tree to “grow” with ease by adding components and can be easily stored for use again, year after year. “We have zero impact on the environment. And at the end of this tree’s life, which would probably be decades, you've still got something that goes back into the environment with no impact,” says Mike Marchant, Director and owner of Scalable Designs Ltd. “We’ve already noticed this year that things have improved. We’ve probably sold at this point in the year, we’re just at the beginning of November, threefold what we ordered last year,” Marchant adds. At this fair, early signs are that visitors are ready to refresh their Christmas decor. “Our advance tickets were up year-on-year, which was fantastic. And then we also sell tickets online and on the door. So, we’re expecting a bumper year this year,” says fair director Mary Claire Boyd. This article was provided by The Associated Press.