Independent retailers are making their final holiday buying decisions this month with an eye on what they think will wow their customers come Christmastime. Many said they plan to take a maximalist approach while leaning into tradition.
HAT retail columnist Christina van Blake, who owns Home Design in Dover, N.H., begins building holiday anticipation in her store around Thanksgiving through her merchandising displays. The week before Thanksgiving, Home Design hosts a giant open house. “We’ll showcase table runners and the tableware that people want for entertaining that week,” van Blake said. “We focus on evergreens, burnt oranges and the fall colors associated with being in New England. We’re not open on Black Friday, but on Small Business Saturday, that’s when the reds and greens and Christmas holiday décor come out.”
In New England, the winter season goes through March so van Blake focuses on holiday décor that customers can be displayed all season with a few tweaks. She features deer and trees, for example, decor for Christmas that still works in January. “We leave trees with lights up until February but we take away the super holiday stuff,” she said. Van Blake’s merchandising is done in such a way that customers can look at a mantle display, for example, and buy all the pieces to do that at home.
Once the holiday décor she sourced in January starts arriving in July, Van Blake starts planning how she will set the store. Her expectations for colors this season include reds and greens, which don’t go out of style, to “Hot Girl Christmas,” a blend of hot pinks, teals and bright greens. She’ll feature such things as candy cane pillows in pinks, hot pink and aqua colors on ornaments. She expects those colors to be strong again this holiday.
On the more traditional side, Van Blake expects gingerbread and nutcracker pieces to sell well, and whimsical collections such as Maileg Christmas Mice and Scandinavian Pixies appeal to her customers.
She sets up six holiday trees in her shop with different themes — from “dude” trees to traditional. She also decorates the mantle, and displays candle holders, trays, wreaths, pillows and throws. “I want my customers to leave happy with smiles on their faces,” Van Blake noted.
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