The winners and highly commended for the Gift of the Year 2020 competition were announced last night at the annual awards ceremony on the first day of Spring Fair. The awards announcement held on The Inspiring Retail stage attracted a crowd of buyers, retailers as well as the eagerly awaiting competition entrants. The Finalists then went on to celebrate at a special dinner at Awards winning Asha’s Indian Restaurant in Birmingham.

CEO of The Giftware Association, Sarah Ward said “The standard of the entrants and products was very high this year, with many of the judges struggling to find their favourites with so much quality on offer, and there were a few very close calls for the winners. It’s great to see so many companies who made the shortlist stage using the marketing collateral already on their products, and I know this has been echoed by some of the judges of the competition”

Judge and buyer Tina Goeting from The British Shop said “ The Gift of the Year is really important to the trade and when I was at Top Drawer, you could see on various stands that it is a significant marketing tool to the companies.”

Onto thewinners…

Delighted firsttime entrants and small enterprise Squelch Wellies took home threeawards for Children’s Gift, Fashion Accessory and beating off all the othercategory winners for the coveted Judges Choice Trophy.

Billy’sBeach Hut with her Islas Jewellery Collection and Ross and Ross with theirveggie roast dinner kits have both returned triumphantly to the competition totake the crown in the Fashion Jewellery and Gift food categories respectively.

SockAcademy fought off tough success in the under £10 category with their mega cute‘Mummy and Me’ socks from their cucuomelon range.

Otherwinners included Aery, Talking Tables, Professor Puzzle to name a few of thebig name winners.

All winners received a specially designed, ethical wood  trophy in recognition of their hard work and success but the highly commended didn’t go home empty handed with their successes also being toasted with their own special trophy as a huge achievement as to get to this stage of the competition is no easy feat.

If you would like to enter Gift of the Year 2021 with our special super early bird offer then enter here

Seebelow for a full list of winners and highly commended

JUDGES CHOICE – SQUELCH WELLIES – 5K52

BEAUTY, BATH AND SPA

Winner - Botanical Range – Fikkerts Limited – 4J101

Highly Commended- Kushboo Soaps – Kushboo Soaps – 3T62

Highly Commended - Oil Infused Hair Turbans – DanielleCreations – 6C08

Highly Commended - Bathing Beauty Gift Tin – Bathing Beauty– 3U50

BRANDED GIFT

Winner - Beatrix Potter Baby Collection – Enesco Limited– 3D20/3C20/D21

Highly Commended - Blockbuster – Big Potato Games – 4G105

Highly Commended -Harry Potter Invisibility Cloak – Wow!Stuff

Highly Commended -Mr Men Little Miss Love Couples – My IconStory

CARDS AND WRAP

Winner - Wow! You’re…Birthday Books – From You to Me

Highly Commended - Paper Shakies – James Ellis

Highly Commended - Pyramid Gift Boxes – Decorasian

Highly Commended - Sophie Corrigan for Wraptious – Wraptious– 4G90

CHILDRENS GIFT

Winner - Squelch Wellies – Squelch Wellies – 5K52

Highly Commended - Build a Bee Hotel – Apples to Pears –4J109

Highly Commended - Slipfree Shoes – Slipfree – 5M27

Highly Commended - The British Woodland Den Kit – The DenKit Co – 5L57

COMMEMORATIVE AND COLLECTABLE

Winner - Sherlock Holmes – The Case of the Priceless Coin– Professor Puzzle – 4C42 / D43

Highly Commended - Things to do when you are… - A Year ofDates

Highly Commended - VE Day 75^th Anniversary – MooCow Studio – 3E58

Highly Commended - Woohooyoo – Woohooyoo

CONTEMPORARY GIFT

Winner - Host your own Escape Room – Talking Tables –2L30

Highly Commended - Ice and Slice – Nobile Glassware – 3H50

Highly Commended  - NewParents Date Box – A Year of Dates

DESIGN AND CRAFT

Winner - Baby Bunny Needle Felting Kit – The Crafty Kit Company– 4H82

Banjo Robinson – Banjo Robinson

Citygami Berlin – Clockwork Soldier – 4H108

Pocket Hearts – Berserks Glass

ETHICAL GIFT

Winner - Tikiri – Tikiri

Highly Commended - Children’s Earth Lover Beeswax Wraps –Stib

Highly Commended - Planet Happy Giftware range – Milly GreenDesigns – 4J89

Highly Commended - Space Station – Playpress Toys – 5M43

FASHION ACCESSORY

Winner - Squelch Wellies – Squelch Wellies – 5K52

Highly Commended - Donuts – Sock Academy – 4C70 – D71

Highly Commended - PoM Recycled Polyester Scarves – Peace ofMind.925 – 1K30 – L31

Highly Commended - Yvonne Ellen Eclectic Glamour BeautyRange – My Gifts Trade – 8B60 – C61

FASHION JEWELLERY

Winner - Isla Jewellery Range – Billys Beach Hut

Highly Commended - Heart Chain Bracelets with Real Flower Charm– Shrieking Violet – 1G10

Highly Commended - Rosey Rabbits – Life Charms – 2A32

Highly Commended - Spring Millefiori – Carrie Elspeth – 1H19

FESTIVE AND OCCASIONAL

Winner - Tree Planting Cards – Tree Wishes Festive Box –1 Tree Cards -

Highly Commended - Christmas Planer – Wrendale Designs –2J10 – K11

Highly Commended - Plasticine Christmas Advent Calendar –The Lagoon Group – 4D90 – G91

Highly Commended - BoHo Bride Activity Book – Talking Tables– 2L30

GARDEN AND OUTDOOR

Winner - Wonderland Games Queen of Hearts Croquet –Professor Puzzle – 4C42 – D43

Highly Commended - Personalised Garden Printed Hanging SlatePlaque – Personalised Memento Company – 3G22 – F23

Highly Commended - Squelch Wellies – Squelch Wellies – 5K52

Highly Commended - Year in the Garden – Garden Planner – TheGreat British Card Co – 2F70

GIFT FOOD

Winner - Veggie Roast Dinner Kit – Ross and Ross Gifts –3A56

Highly Commended - COCO Twelve bar Collection – COCOChocolatier

Highly Commended  -Devon Coastal Negroni – Tom Savano Cocktails

Highly Commended - Gin Botanicals Tin with Silk Sari Wrap –Spice Kitchen – 3B54

HOME ACCESSORY

Winner - Orbital Candle Holder – Aery – 4D88

Highly Commended - Anatomy Vegan Suede Cushions by SophieCorrigan – Wraptious – 4G90

Highly Commended - Handmade Flat Candles – Flatyz – 3C44

Highly Commended - Leopard Pot Hanger – ParlaneInternational – 20C20 – D21

HOME FRAGRANCE

Winner - Aromatherapy Collection – Aery – 4D88

Highly Commended - Aromatherapy Range – Blend No. 5 –Purbeck Candles -

Highly Commended - Olly – Europium World

Highly Commended - Yvonne Ellen Stacking Candles – WaxLyrical – 5A20 – B21

HOT NOVELTY

Winner - Resteazzz – Puckator – 4C20 – D21

Highly Commended  - AnimalSuitcases – Pikkii -

Highly Commended - Bubble Bath & Bubble Blowing – TheSomerset Toiletry Co – 3R10- 511

Highly Commended - Vegan Not Vegan – Bubblegum Stuff – 4F3F

KITCHEN AND DINING

Winner - W&P Porter Seal Tight Containers – Stone -

Highly Commended - Bread Warmer – Iona Buchanan – 4H109

Highly Commended - Wooden Bladed Cheese Knife – Whispers ofWood

Highly Commended - Wonki Ware – Clayspoon

PET GIFT

Winner - Dog Lovers Gift Range – Apples to Pears – 4J109

Highly Commended - BowDangle – Wren & Rye

Highly Commended - Colour in Animal Houses – NorfolkIndustries for Disabled People

Highly Commended - The Haypigs! Guinea Pig Circus Range –HayPigs!

STATIONERY

Winner - Yes Studio Stationery Collection – Wild and Wolf– 4D22 / G23

Highly Commended - Pen Bookmark – Thinking Gifts

Highly Commended - Sakana Daily Planner – Hello Day

Highly Commended - Busy Life Planner – Busy B – 2L31

UNDER £10

Winner - Mini Me – Sock Academy – 4C70 – D71

Highly Commended - Fair Trade Vegetable Rattles – Best Years– 4J94

Highly Commended  - MyLittle World – Airport – My Little World – 2A63

Highly Commended - History Heroes Art Game – History Heroes