I wanted the Lancashire Local Christmas Gift Box to be something that little bit extra, a Christmas version of the best Lancashire has to offer.
People wanting to send classic Lancashire products could send one of our traditional Lancashire gift boxes , but what about those people who wanted to send Lancashire products with a Christmas theme?
After sitting down and talking with different people, it was decided that a Lancashire Christmas Box should contain a mix of savoury, sweet and classic Christmas items.
The first two were easy to include but the ‘classic Christmas’ was tricky.
Lancashire mince pie makers are not as visible as you might think and miniature Christmas cake makers even less so!
But I knew I wanted high quality and someone who actively wanted to work with me, and of course they had to be based in Lancashire.
I scoured the internet and social media, as all good e-commerce businesses do, and eventually discovered a beautiful website with even more beautiful products.
Caroline Bakes Cakes is a café and bakery operating in Lytham St Annes (Lancashire box ‘checked’) and her website oozed quality (quality box half-checked!).
I emailed Caroline who, it turns out, was also on the cusp of emailing me! A match made in heaven. (Wanted to work with me box checked!)
We arranged a socially-distanced cup of tea while she showed me the products that could be made for my Christmas boxes (quality box fully-checked!).
Caroline had also made me some shortbread to take home and asked if it might be included in the Christmas box.
I had a different sweet biscuit supplier in mind, one better known, and so I was reluctant to add another sweet biscuit into the box.
While thinking about the shortbread dilemma I returned to the ethos of the business I had started.
I wanted to promote small businesses and, during times of Covid, support businesses that had been affected by the lockdown however I could. It also helped that Caroline’s handmade shortbread is delicious!
So it was decided that Caroline would provide the fresh baked items for my Christmas box. All of which are fantastic quality, handmade, and made in Lancashire. What more could you ask for?!
I have created two Christmas boxes, regular and deluxe which can be sent either as gifts or bought for yourself.
You can also include a Christmas card made by a young Lancastrian artist, Flora, which we will write and include in the box for you.
Both boxes feature all 3 of Caroline’s handmade treats, and you can order them here: Lancashire Local Christmas Gift Boxes.
