23/11/2025
As the dark nights draw in, with the invitation to slow down, I remember the conflict I had being in full time retail this time of year. It was so out of sink with the natural flow of the seasons.
Christmas buying began in April, with pre orders of hand knits, and the bulk of the big Xmas orders went in at the end of Summer. The stress of cash flow and risk of how much stock to have was quite a learning in budgeting, intuition and trust.
Then going straight into preparing for the January sale and back at trade shows in mid Jan for the gift & homeware buying for Spring/Summer, Clothing having been done the summer before. Retail is a relentless cycle.
But come the last week before Christmas we entered this magical madness and in many ways I lived for that time of year. It was the crescendo of a year’s hard work, a celebration. As a team we’d be in a dizzy delerious state, wrapping gifts and navigating restocking in a busy shop.
As the years went by, I witnessed the gift buying getting later each year. Will they come? Are we done with Christmas? Yet the last week became bonkers. Indigo came into her own. So much laughter and mayhem, like we were all peaking together, ignited by the true spirit of Christmas. A warm glow emanated out of our little shop, spilling out onto the Cowley Road, bustling bodies inside and the windows steaming up.
So this year we’re back, to recreate a little Indigo merriment and last minute, or just the right time, Christmas shopping magic.
At our first Pop Up, I found the space in Hurst Street worked really well. It has more width and height than the shop, more space to move around, and we all love the backdrop of brickwork. I think we can co create a really magical festive vibe in there. And I’ve some of the team, Izza and Evie, joining me.
** DECEMBER POP UP DATES **
Fri 19 10-6pm
Sat 20 10-6pm
Sun 21 11-5pm
Mon 22 10-2pm
Get the dates in your diary and start spreading the word….
Can’t wait. It’s going to be magic 🌲✨
