How We Prepare for the Christmas Rush
ECO EM’S BLOG
HOW WE PREPARE FOR THE CHRISTMAS RUSH: BEHIND THE SCENES
Christmas is always an exciting but busy time at Eco Ems Gifts. Behind every carefully wrapped gift box and handmade product is a thoughtful production process that starts well before the festive season kicks into full gear. We’re committed to making sure that every item is created with love, sustainability, and care, so you can enjoy an eco-friendly and thoughtful Christmas.
Preparing for the Rush: Months in the Making
While most people start thinking about Christmas come November/December, our planning and preparation begins much earlier in the year. The Christmas markets, for instance, are scheduled as early as January to ensure I’m ready to share my products with as many people as possible. Christmas in summer? Absolutely! In fact, that’s when the bulk of the behind-the-scenes magic happens.
The quieter summer months are the perfect time for me to get ahead on stock and plan out the gift boxes. It’s during this period that I:
- Source ingredients well in advance, making sure everything is sourced locally and sustainably, staying true to our eco-friendly ethos.
- Cure soaps – Curing is a key part of the soap-making process and can take 4-8 weeks. Throughout the summer I start thinking about gift boxes so I can order the right scents.
- Create and tweak gift sets based on the previous year’s bestsellers, as well as any trends or customer feedback.
Crafting New Products: A Thoughtful Process
As the festive season approaches, the production ramps up, but sustainability and quality are always at the forefront of everything I do. Here’s a closer look at how some of your favourite gift sets come together:
- Bath Bombs: I start making small batches of bath bombs in October, ensuring that they’re fresh and ready for the winter markets. Because these are handmade, I produce them in limited quantities to keep them fresh and offer a bespoke, artisanal touch.
- Bath Salts: One of the most popular items during the autumn//winter, are our botanical bath salts. I mix up the salts either to order or just before the Christmas craft fairs to ensure they stay fresh and fragrant for the lucky recipients.
- Soaps: As mentioned earlier, soaps require a curing process, so they’re always made well in advance. With the festive scents in mind, I plan early to ensure that our signature scents such as Orange & Cinnamon are ordered and ready for your gift sets.
Inspired by You
Much of the inspiration for the presents comes directly from you—our customers. In September and October, I start running through the trends for the year and asking my community what they’re looking forward to for Christmas. This feedback is invaluable as it helps me tweak the gift boxes and add new scents.
While many of the best-sellers from the previous year make a return (like our beloved Soap & Suds Gift Set and Bath Lovers Set), I’m always looking to add something new.
For example, this year we’ve brought back your favourites like Orange & Cinnamon soap, which was a massive hit last year. As well as, Warm Spice which is also making a comeback this year, perfect for the cosy, wintery vibe.
But we’re adding our Shower Scrub Set which you can pick up at any of the Christmas markets this year, keeping our Christmas Presents all £20.00 or less this year.
Highlighting Our Christmas Gift Set Collection
This year, we are thrilled to introduce our signature Christmas gift sets, each thoughtfully crafted with a festive twist. These gift sets make perfect presents for your loved ones, providing an eco-friendly way to share the joy of self-care this holiday season. Here’s what we have in store:
- Soap Trio Gift Set
A beautiful collection of three of our hand-crafted soaps, perfect for those who love variety. You can choose from Botanical, Christmas or Citrus Scents.
£12.99 - Bath Lovers Gift Set
Everyone deserves some time to sit back, relax, and practice self-care, even if it’s only for 20 minutes. This set includes botanical bath salts, a bath bomb, and a recycled candle in a choice of three soothing scents: Floral (Ylang Ylang & Geranium), Lavender, or Citrus (Sweet Orange, Lemon & Lime).
£15.99 - Soap & Suds Gift Set
Our Soap & Suds Gift Set offers the ideal trio of all-natural self-care products. This bundle includes a lovingly chosen bath bomb, handcrafted soap, and a bamboo flannel, all designed for pampering your skin.
£11.50 - Soap & Sisal Gift Set
Featuring a beautifully crafted soap and a sisal soap pouch, this set enhances your bathing experience while being eco-friendly. Perfect for a gentle exfoliant and to make your soap last even longer!
£8.50 - Shower Scrub Gift Set
A luxurious collection designed to rejuvenate your skin. This set includes our nourishing shower scrub and a soap bar, ensuring that you don’t miss out your loved ones without a bath.
£20.00
Each gift set comes beautifully packaged, ready to be gifted with a Merry Christmas card where you can add your thoughtful message.
Sustainable Practices Over Christmas
Even as the pace of production speeds up during the rush, I never compromise on sustainability. It’s the core of everything I do at Eco Ems, and that’s reflected in every part of our production process:
- Locally Sourced Ingredients: As always, all ingredients are sourced within the UK, and anything not handmade by me is crafted by local small businesses. This not only reduces our carbon footprint but also supports the local economy.
- Eco-Friendly Packaging: Our products are wrapped in home-compostable plant-based wax paper, and the stickers are made from recycled paper. Even the shredded paper in our gift boxes comes from recycled packaging from raw ingredients, ensuring no waste goes to landfill.
Making the most of your Christmas break – Thoughtfully and Sustainably
While this time of year can be hectic, it’s also a chance to reflect on the importance of thoughtful, intentional choices.
Whether you’re looking to stock up on eco-friendly products or want to give someone a Green Gift Set, you can trust that everything at Eco Ems is crafted with a commitment to quality, sustainability, and love.
Visit the website to find your perfect present – www.eco-em.co.uk.
Thank you for reading this weeks blog, How We Prepare for the Christmas Rush: Behind the Scenes.
Peace and love
Eco Em xx
