The Retail Time Wrap: Living in the Present Season When Christmas Starts in August (But, We Secretly Love It)

As the golden hues of late summer finally grace the beautiful Welsh coastline here in Porthcawl, most people are soaking up the last rays, perhaps planning a final beach day or a blustery walk along the prom. But for those of us wrapped up in the wonderful world of retail, our reality is… a little different. While you're still debating whether it's too early for a pumpkin spice latte, we're already knee-deep in tinsel and baubles.

It’s an occupational hazard, a peculiar quirk of the retail calendar. You see, while the world enjoys the present season, we’re living three months in the future. Come August, when the sun is high and the holidaymakers are still flocking to Trecco Bay, we're unpacking boxes of Santa hats and planning Christmas displays. There’s a certain surreal quality to arranging festive jumpers while the seagulls outside are dive bombing moving ice cream targets. It feels almost against nature to be thinking about frosty mornings when the air is warm and heavy with the scent of chip shops and sea salt.

And it’s not just Christmas. Even before the last festive cracker is sold, we’re onto Valentine's Day chocolates and Mother's Day gifts. Then, before you can say "spring clean," Easter eggs are appearing on shelves, only to be swiftly replaced by summer swimsuits as the daffodils are still blossoming. It’s a relentless, forward-thinking cycle that makes truly living in the moment a challenge. Trying to appreciate a crisp autumn day when your brain is calculating stocking filler quantities can be tough.

Yet, here’s the secret truth: we wouldn't have it any other way.

There's a strange kind of thrill in being ahead of the curve. We get to see the new collections first, feel the quality of the fabrics, and smell the seasonal changes of the candles, chocolates, and savouries, before anyone else. We feel lucky to be the curators of your future celebrations.

There's immense satisfaction in planning. When you finally see a customer's face light up at the perfect Christmas present you ordered months ago, or when a beautifully arranged autumn display (which you put together back when it was still T-shirt weather) draws admiring glances, it’s incredibly rewarding. We’re not just selling products; we’re curating experiences and helping to craft those special seasonal moments for you, our community.

So, the next time you pop into one of our stores and spot a rogue Halloween decoration in September, or a shimmering Christmas ornament well before bonfire night, remember us retail peeps. We might be living in a constant time warp, but we’re doing it with a smile, secretly loving every minute of bringing the future festive spirit to your present day. And honestly? It just makes us appreciate our actual days off in the current season even more.

Rachel & Bethany x