Christmas 2026: mastering your seasonal strategy

Most of us are no spring chickens when it comes to preparing for the festive season. Following a New Year break (if we’re lucky) we return to the festive worksheet to decide what we would do differently or better for the next Christmas period – from stocking decisions to staffing levels, experience and merchandising to events…

While you can make the odd tweak here and there, there’s no point trying to reinvent the wheel, right? This is where newcomers may well hold an advantage. With fresh eyes they are able to spot unique opportunities and often view the period with excitement rather than timeworn trepidation and an ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ mentality, so it’s worth taking a fresh look at each Christmas that rolls around if you can.

Time to level-up

One thing’s for sure: Christmas is a time of shared joy, and with plenty of occasions on the horizon – large and small – shoppers are seeking out snacks that make gatherings feel seasonal and special. “Christmas is one of the biggest snacking occasions of the year, with consumers looking for products that help create moments of connection, celebration and indulgence. From entertaining guests and festive movie nights to gifting and seasonal treating, snacks play an important role throughout the festive period,” says Leona McCaugherty, head of marketing at Forest Feast.

Christmas also brings with it a ‘level-up’ mentality, an ‘it’s only once a year’ sense of permission to indulge that bit more than usual in high quality produce that will make everybody at your table smile. “It’s a season when shoppers are more willing to trade up and explore premium products, creating opportunities for brands to drive value and excitement,” she continues.

“Christmas remains one of the most exciting times in the fine food calendar. Despite the challenges facing consumers and tighter household budgets, people still want to celebrate and treat themselves and others,” agrees Mark Wiltshire, co-founder and director at Diverse Fine Food. “What we’re seeing is a willingness to spend on luxury treats when hosting and gifting. Consumers may be spending more carefully, but they’re still looking for moments of indulgence and products that help make Christmas feel special,” he says.

“Retailers who focus on quality, discovery, storytelling and creating moments of joy will be well placed for a successful festive season.”

Sticking to tried and tested products that sell well every festive season is all well and good, but consider branching out into flavours and formats you may have not sold before to tempt a wider range of tastebuds. “Having a comprehensive range is essential because shopper needs become much broader at Christmas,” says Leona. “Consumers are shopping not only for themselves, but also for family, friends, colleagues and hosts, creating demand across multiple occasions. Retailers that offer a strong mix of formats can better meet these needs and maximise sales opportunities.”

Mark shares his simple strategies for levelling up your Christmas game: “Start early and create excitement throughout the season. Curate eye-catching displays, merchandise complementary products together and don’t underestimate the power of sampling. Customers are often looking for inspiration at Christmas, so making it easy for them to discover something new can significantly increase basket spend. Create themed gifting areas, highlight products with a strong story and use theatre and storytelling to encourage shoppers to trade up.”

3 tips for festive success

From Scott Winston, consultant and manager at Westerham Farm Shop

● Use your USP as a foundation. We have a great reputation for fresh meat, so our Christmas strategy is focused on building baskets with that as a foundation – getting customers through the door for our meat then incentivising them to spend more with us beyond that, whether they’re in our shop or ordering with us.

● Be reactive. When I worked at Selfridges, we used to tear down everything Christmas-related on Christmas Eve and focus our attention on Boxing Day. There’s a lot to be said for catering for what your spontaneous customers are looking for in the moment, rather than for the season as a whole.

● Create occasions. Ask your customers if they’ve decided what they’re serving for Christmas breakfast, or for meals between Christmas and New Year. These occasions can be special too – they can be opportunities for retailers, rather than shoppers simply using up leftovers from Christmas Day.

Catering for busy shoppers

As well as being on the hunt for seasonal indulgence, consumers are often busier than ever. Yes, your customers are likely to have some time off work to flop in front of the Christmas television schedule with an array of snacks and leftovers, but first comes the organisation, the cooking and the hosting.

“Delicious shortcuts have become an essential part of the modern Christmas,” explains Leanne Crowther of The Glorious Mess. “Consumers are still looking for food that feels indulgent, special and celebratory, but they’re also balancing busy schedules, hosting pressures and a desire to spend more time with family and friends rather than in the kitchen.”

Premium products like The Glorious Mess range bridge that gap perfectly. “They deliver the sense of occasion people want at Christmas, without compromising on quality or flavour. We don’t want to spend our precious time at Christmas making everything from scratch, but we absolutely want to present something delicious that has that ‘WOW’ factor,” she continues. “And that’s so easy with a crafted sparkly meringue pavlova base. Or our cute hand finished mini meringue Christmas trees that immediately sprinkle Christmas magic on any pudding, from a cheesecake to trifle. In many homes, dessert is the ‘Ta Da’ moment of the festive meal after the main course, so having a reliable, beautifully made option that can be served with minimal preparation is incredibly valuable. A pavlova piled high with lashings of cream or ice cream and berries, finished with a drizzle of salted caramel sauce or a curd delivers this in buckets.”

Convenience without compromise is the name of the game. “Consumers increasingly view high-quality convenience as a form of “smart luxury’,” says Leanne - “they’re happy to outsource part of the cooking process if the end result feels handcrafted and memorable.”

Scott Winston, consultant and manager of the Westerham Farm Shop agrees. “It’s a question of making convenience premium, which is something the likes of Marks & Spencer has done really well,” he says. “We’re looking at prepared vegetables, ready-to-serve sides and desserts, and also elements to dishes that people can assemble themselves at home and have it look as though they cooked it from scratch. Convenience is no longer the preserve of the multiples or last-minute dashes to the corner shop.

“One of the most interesting shifts in festive food retail is the changing perception of convenience. Consumers are no longer simply looking for speed; they’re looking for confidence,” Leanne continues. “At Christmas, people want dishes that will impress guests and reduce stress. Premium shortcut desserts provide that reassurance while still allowing customers to add their own personal finishing touches. Today’s festive tables often cater to a wider range of tastes than ever before.

“Ultimately, products like The Glorious Mess range succeed because they combine three things consumers increasingly value during the festive season: exceptional taste, beautiful presentation and effortless entertaining.”

4 reasons to try foodie shortcuts

1. Premium dessert shortcuts offer several commercial advantages during the festive period, from higher basket, reduced decision fatigue for customers to operational efficiency, says Leanne Crowther of The Glorious Mess.

2. Customers shopping for Christmas are already in a celebratory mindset and are more willing to trade up. A premium dessert can significantly increase the value of a basket, especially when paired with complementary products such as cream, sauces, seasonal fruits, compotes, nuts and curds. Merchandise these items with a special coffee, tea or dessert wine and the basket value has significantly increased.

3. Christmas shopping can feel overwhelming. Offering a curated, ready-to-serve dessert solution makes life easier for customers and positions the retailer as a helpful expert rather than just a supplier.

4. Compared with fully bespoke fresh or bakery items with short shelf life, premium dessert shortcuts can simplify stock planning and service, as well as reduce wastage, whilst still delivering strong margins and premium positioning. Fine food retailers are uniquely placed to redefine convenience as something aspirational. By stocking elevated shortcut solutions, they can meet the growing demand for products that save time without sacrificing quality or provenance.