Record attendance at Harrogate Christmas & Gift

Featuring an impressive line-up of exhibitors – from established industry names to exciting new brands entering the market – the show delivered a vibrant and commercially focused platform for Christmas and gift buying. Across nine packed halls of the Harrogate Convention Centre, visitors discovered an inspiring and diverse showcase of festive and gift products, with many exhibitors reporting exceptionally strong trading.

According to the majority of exhibitors, the show attracted an excellent calibre of buyers, alongside a significant number of new customers, with several brands describing 2026 as their best show to date.

Show director Simon Anslow commented: "Harrogate Christmas & Gift has grown in popularity year on year for the past decade, but this year was truly exceptional. The halls were buzzing throughout the event, with exhibitors' stands consistently busy and the vast majority reporting an outstandingly successful show."

Exhibitor feedback echoed this sentiment. Leanne Smith, UK account manager for Heart and Soul Studio, said: "The show was fantastic this year. It was wonderful to see so many new exhibitors and buyers. We love exhibiting here – there's always such a great atmosphere and a real buzz, and it felt busy from the moment the doors opened on Sunday. At a time when many trade shows feel to be in decline, Harrogate Christmas & Gift is going from strength to strength. We can't wait to be back in 2027."

Strong commercial results were reported across a wide range of exhibitors. Playwrite confirmed that orders doubled compared with 2025, while Sifcon reported being up 15 percent so far, with orders still coming in. Peggy Wilkins exceeded expectations, highlighting the high quality of buyers, and Keel Toys described the event as an excellent show, noting that they will require more space next year to meet demand.

Out of the Blue commented that they didn't think 2026 could outperform the previous year – but it did, while BigJigs, exhibiting for the first time, reported a high level of interest throughout the show. Lesser & Pavey also emphasised the strategic value of the event, stating: "The show holds critical importance for us, as it is our prime opportunity to meet with garden centre partners, who are an important sector for our Christmas sales."

David Cree, sales director at Joe Davies, added: "The show was very good for us and the perfect place to showcase our new Christmas ranges. Both the quantity and quality of visitors were excellent, with many new accounts opened. We will certainly be returning next year."

Debbie Waudby, director at Norfolk Leisure, also reported a highly successful event: "The quality and number of buyers was excellent once again, with incredible support from Ireland. There's nothing quite like the buzz of the Harrogate halls in full swing. We welcomed many repeat customers as well as a strong number of new buyers and connections. A fantastic few days – the energy this year was incredible, and feedback on our new collections exceeded expectations and forecasts. Now the real work begins bringing these orders to life!"

Simon Anslow and the Harrogate Christmas & Gift team would like to thank all exhibitors and visitors for making the 2026 show truly unforgettable and look forward to welcoming everyone back from Sunday 10th to Wednesday 13th January 2027.