Local chocolatiers says 'Christmas is busiest time of year - beating Easter'
Rumsey's Chocolaterie has been on Wendover High Street for more than 20 years
Christmas is the most important time of year for Rumsey’s Chocolaterie in Wendover, Buckinghamshire, and Thame in Oxfordshire, according to owner Kate Rumsey.
“For us at Rumsey’s, Christmas is our biggest time of the year – it even beats Easter,” Rumsey said. “A lot rides on it. It’s really our first opportunity to get a temperature check of what the next year is going to bring.”
She explained that festive trading sets the tone for some of the other busy months ahead, including Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Easter. While November sales have been slower than hoped, Rumsey says that is not unusual for the business as “people tend to leave chocolate buying quite late”.
Kate believes luxury chocolate remains a popular Christmas gift, offering something special that people may not normally buy for themselves. “Broadly, 99.9 per cent of people love chocolate,” she said. “Our chocolates are more luxurious than supermarket chocolate, so it really feels like a treat.”
She added that boxed chocolates often play a role in family traditions of bringing people together during the festive period. “It becomes a moment – choosing the chocolates, sharing them, talking about the flavours. We’re lucky to be part of so many families’ Christmas traditions.”
The planning for Christmas began as early as January, meaning it can be a stressful time for business owners.
Kate says, “every year I worry that we’ve made too much. Then often we sell out, I think we should have made more. It’s a balance of science and art.”
Now, in the final days before Christmas, Rumsey’s chocolate chefs are focusing on keeping fresh cabinets stocked, while seasonal items such as chocolate figures and Christmas shapes are produced in limited quantities.
“When they’re gone, they’re gone. Empty shelves are a good problem to have”, Kate said.