Next Christmas’s Gifting Bestsellers Crowned At Gift Of The Year Awards - Home & Gift Buyer’s Festival 2026

The 2023 Gift of the Year Awards were presented at a black-tie ceremony held at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in central London, bringing together retailers, suppliers and industry figures to recognise the year’s standout gift products.

Winners were named across 20 categories, covering everything from beauty and home fragrance to food and drink, games and sustainable gifting. The awards are closely watched by the retail trade because past winners have often gone on to become strong sellers in the run-up to Christmas.

Top honours

Two products took the evening’s headline prizes. The Fabulously Flat Paper Pens, entered by IF, won both the Cards, Wraps & Stationery category and the Judges Choice Award. The Bottled Baking Co’s Baking Mixes in a Bottle, handmade in Yorkshire, took the My Gift of All Time award.

Full list of winners

• Beauty, Bath & Spa: BrambleWood Handmade Soaps, Bramblewood Soap Co
• Branded Gift: Build Your Own – Wallace & Gromit Rocket, Build Your Own Kits
• Cards, Wraps & Stationery: Fabulously Flat Paper Pens, IF
• Children’s, Educational and Pre-School: Make Your Own Dinosaur Timeline & World Map, Clockwork Soldier
• Commemorative, Collectable and Charitable: Corgi Toys James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5, Blue14 D2C Ltd
• Contemporary Gift: Brick Compatible Letters, Made Happy Gifts
• Design & Craft: County Map Art Prints, AVMS art
• Ethical and Sustainable Gift: Love Coco Coconut Bowls, Love Coco
• Fashion Accessories & Jewellery: Recycled Polycarbonate Sunglasses, Peace of Mind .925 Ltd
• Festive & Occasions: Festive Gingerbread Cat Playhouse, Puckator Ltd
• Food & Drink: Steak & Chips Gift Sets, Ross & Ross Gifts
• Games: Sounds Fishy, Big Potato Games
• Home and Garden: Solar Powered Light Up Terrarium, Gift Republic
• Home Fragrance: Pick and Mix Soya Wax Melts, Freckleface
• International: BosilunLife Trendy Breakfast Mugs Gift Set, AllGoodThings
• Kitchen & Dining: Personalised Glass Chopping Boards, Dinky Artist
• My Gift of All Time: The Bottled Baking Co Baking Mixes in a Bottle, The Bottled Baking Co
• Novelty, Tech and Gadgets: Leaf Cleaning Tongs for Kikkerland, WITH Creative
• Under £15: The ‘How to become’ series, Recent Toys
• Judges Choice: Fabulously Flat Paper Pens, IF

About the awards

Now in their 43rd year, the Gift of the Year Awards recognise new products from across the gifting industry. Open to both small businesses and global brands, the categories span beauty, bath and spa, food and drink, ethical and sustainable gifts, novelty items, tech and gadgets. Entries are assessed by a panel drawn from across the trade, including retailers, buyers, industry press, bloggers, vloggers and influencers.

The competition offers entrants exposure through trade shows, websites, brochures and social channels. Spring Fair hosted the 2023 judging. Category winners gain industry-wide recognition, and organisers say previous entrants have seen significant boosts to sales and revenue, often becoming bestsellers in the lead-up to Christmas.

The awards are run by The Giftware Association, established in 1947 and the UK’s only national trade body representing the gift and home industry. It supports members ranging from retailers and suppliers to high street brands and individual craftspeople.

Sarah Ward, chief executive of the Giftware Association, said the awards were vital to the health and prosperity of the gifting industry, providing a platform for businesses launching new products and an opportunity for attendees to network and connect. She described the ceremony as a celebration of the imagination, innovation and talent in the sector, adding that she looked forward to the journey ahead for all finalists and winners.