Winter Sale time is here

Get even more value for money than usual with some great deals in the Stock Shop winter sale!

We’re clearing out our left over products from this season so this might be your opportunity to grab something you’ve had your eye on.

Here’s some examples of what we’ll have on offer:

The Origins Of The Christmas Tree

No one knows for sure the exact origins of the Christmas tree. However, many believe that the tradition of bringing a tree into the home around Christmas time and then decorating it with ornaments originated in Northern Germany around the 16th century. This tradition spread over the centuries throughout Germany, Eastern Europe and eventually reaching Britain and the United States around the 18th century.
But why use the Fir tree? It is believed that St Boniface, who converted the Germans to Christianity, came across a group of pagans worshipping an Oak tree at Geismar. This angered St Boniface and as an act of defiance, he decided that he would cut down the Oak tree. St Boniface then noticed a Fir tree starting to grow from the roots of the Oak tree. This was seen as a sign of Christ to St Boniface and the German people. The Fir tree then became a sign of Christ amongst German people and eventually a world-wide symbol of Christmas.
The tinsel used to decorate the trees was invented in Germany and was made from actual silver, right up until the 20th century. In 1846, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert (who was German), were shown in the Illustrated London news standing alongside their decorated Christmas tree with their children. This set a trend amongst the British, who copied their queen and it is believed that trendy East-Coast Americans followed suit as well. The decorations that were initially used, were very much the home-made variety. Many hours were spent making little pouches, which would hold gifts and snowflakes and stars were made to decorate the tree. This must have been a great time to spend with the family around Christmas time, preparing for the festive season.
Angels were then imported from Germany to sit on top of the tree and glass ornaments began to filter in to Britain by the 1870’s. It was thought that the more glass ornaments on a tree the better, which was a way to show your social status. The electric light for the Christmas tree was then invented in America in 1882, by Edward Johnson, who electrically lit a Christmas tree for the first time. The tree was in the parlour of his New York home, which was one of the first sections of the city to benefit from electricity.
There is no doubt that there is a vast selection of Christmas trees available today, with a huge choice of materials, colours, sizes and decorations to choose from. However, what hasn`t changed over the years is that decorating your Christmas tree is a great way to put you in the mood for the festive season. If you are looking for Christmas gift ideas or to decorate your home please check out our product range at The Stock Shop.

Christmas Office Party

The Christmas party season is underway, so it is time to let your hair down and enjoy the festive season. Along with Christmas, comes the office Christmas party and it is time to think about your party wardrobe. Every woman understands the benefits to the black dress, with it`s timeless appeal and versatility, it is simply an essential item.  The Stock Shop have a fantastic sleeveless black shift dress available from our online store and a range of accessories to help you turn heads at the office party. Priced at just £35 and available in a range of sizes, who says Christmas has to be expensive? Alternatively, we have a superb range of skirts and tops to choose from. Our personal favourites are the 24” black tulip skirt, which would go great with the white sleeveless scoop neck large gem top. This will have you looking simply stunning and If you enjoy wearing jewellery, we strongly recommend the sterling silver cubic zirconia range from Kyle Lewis London. The Kyle Lewis collection consists of contemporary styled 925 sterling silver jewellery which contains the diamonique gemstone which will compliment any outfit .
Don`t forget that we also sell a range of seasonal decorations to help transform your home in to a winter wonderland and to get you feeling festive.  Why not take a look at what we have to offer and as an added bonus you get free delivery on all orders until Christmas!

Christmas Is Rapidly Approaching!

If you are like us at The Stock Shop you will leave your Christmas gift shopping to the last minute. Christmas should be a welcome break with the family but can become a time of stress, with the overcrowded shops and the traffic on the roads. There always seems to be something more pressing than looking for gifts and stocking fillers. However, your saviour is here! The Stock Shop has brought together a collection of great gift ideas all in one place and better still, you don`t even have to leave the comfort of your own home as you can buy online.

To get you in the festive mood we have a fantastic selection of Christmas decorations to get your home looking fantastic. If you want to get the children excited we have baubles that you can paint yourself which is a great way to interact with the kids, re-usable felt advent calendars and Santas sack’s to put those presents into.

We have a great selection of gifts for your children, the home and his and hers gifts as well. Our particular favourite gifts at the moment are our 9” Nurse Bear which is perfect for a child or the Sparkle Knit Winter Warmer Giftset which is the ideal stocking filler for the wife or girlfriend. This gift will keep her snuggly and warm on those cold winter days and comes in a variety of feminine colours.

For the man in your life, we have the sports car mug giftset and the book light which are the perfect gifts for those cold nights in front of the fire drinking tea and reading his favourite book.

So remember to not leave your shopping to the last minute and to relax and have fun this Christmas as it only comes around once every year.

The buying team goes to India

We didn’t really know what to expect on this trip. We had been filled with horror stories of what not to eat, what not to do, what awful things we would see, but now having been to India I am pleased to say that these stories were exaggerated. There were three of us on the trip and all of us loved every minute. So much so that our director is returning in December to go back packing!

The trip was for three days going from one supplier to another to buy spring summer 2010 samples and see how Indian factories work.

It was my first time visiting a factory and I didn’t know what to expect. I wasn’t looking forward to it, but again like India it wasn’t as bad as I had imagined. However it was not what you would see in a factory in the UK and a working day for a factory worker in India is a million miles away from my working day.

When a buyer selects a style for a range you just cannot imagine the work that has to be done to even produce a sample. Samples have always just appeared in the post and now having seen the various processes I can appreciate why sometimes it has gone wrong or the colour or print isn’t quite right.

It was a successful trip selecting over 100 styles for the spring summer range. We selected an amazing tie dye range of dresses and skirts for high summer that are fantastic! There were lovely tunics and printed t-shirts that are starting to be seen on the high street at the moment and look to be big going forward.

We were also very excited to find a new supplier of beautiful printed scarves. They are incredible and should be in shops early next year.

Rockin' Robin

"Rockin' Robin" is a song written by Leon Rene under the pseudonym Jimmie Thomas and recorded by Bobby Day in 1958. It was Day's only hit single, becoming a No. 2 Billboard Hot 100 hit.

Michael Jackson recorded and released a cover version of "Rockin' Robin" in 1972, which was taken from his 1971 first solo album titled "Got to Be There". It was the biggest hit from the album, peaking at #2 on the Pop Charts and Black Singles Charts.

We love robins and have several different types on sale for Christmas on our website.

“He rocks in the tree tops all day long,
Hoppin' and boppin' and singing his song,
All the little birdies on jaybird street,
Love to hear the robin go tweet, tweet, tweet.

Rockin' robin, rock, rock,
Rockin' robin',
Blow rockin' robin,
'cause we're really gonna rock tonight.

Every little swallow, every chick-a-dee,
Every little bird in the tall oak tree,
The wise old owl, the big black crow,
Flappin' their wings singing go bird go.

Rockin' robin, rock, rock,
Rockin' robin',
Blow rockin' robin,
'cause we're really gonna rock tonight.

Pretty little raven at the bird-band stand,
Told them how to do the bob and it was grand,
They started going steady and bless my soul,
He out-bopped the buzzard and the oriole.

Rockin’ robin…”

Come and bag your very own Rockin’ robin visit us today and check out our seasonal ranges!

Affordable doesn’t have to mean unfashionable!

There is no need to worry about the credit crunch with our range of handbags and jewellery!

They do not need to be a guilty secret on your credit card.

And you will still have change from a £10.00 note! How often do you hear that?

Over half of the range of Ladies handbags are priced at £9.

If you prefer a small organised bag the stitch pocket accross body bag is for you. It has a simple design on the outside but a range of pockets on the inside including a mobile phone pocket.

Alternatively, if like me you insist on having a bag you can get the kitchen sink in, the padlock gathered base bag is perfect.

Our jewellery range is almost unbelievable. You can buy a necklace, a bracelet to match and another necklace (just to be greedy) and only spend £12.00. The cluster bead necklace is a must have in autumnal reds and oranges.

We are all trying to find ways to spend less, and this range is an ideal way to do this and keep up to date with this season’s colours and trends.

This has all been launched on our new website just in time for your new autumn wardrobe!

Indian Summer vs. Autumnal splendour?

It’s that time of year again – the children are safely back at school , our summer holidays seem a distant memory and we are hoping for an Indian Summer to help extend the warmer months. Yet if you are anything like us, you are enjoying the Indian summer, but are more than ready to start your autumn wardrobe, so the launch of our new website couldn’t be better timed!!


It’s true for many of us that the autumn season fills us with dread as the nights close-in with the inevitability of defrosting cars on cold wintry mornings not far away, but for us it’s a chance to put on your new winter woollies and go for a winter walk and a pub lunch! Our new range of hats, scarves and gloves are available online now.


And you will have noticed that the Christmas (yes, we said Christmas) catalogues have started to drop through our letterboxes. It seems that even in a recession, every retailer is encouraging us to spend lavishly for “the special occasion”. I have overheard many a disapproving conversation at the supermarket, at the apparent need for shops to display Christmas goodies before the summer is finally out. But this is the way of retail – planning far in advance. In fact, at The Stock Shop our Christmas stock was ordered well before Easter and we are currently working on our colour palettes for next Summer! And just in case you thought we had forgotten the start of our Christmas gifts are available in our seasonal range online. Where do the seasons go?


So if you are holding onto the last of the summer’s warmth and the thought of Christmas is too much to bear, spare a thought for our buyers, who in mid-February visit the Christmas showrooms and endure joyful burst of “Jingle Bells” whilst purchasing next Christmas’s ware ! Enjoy all that Autumn brings.

Gifts trip to the NEC

This week we spent time at the Birmingham NEC visiting the spring fair to find new and exciting giftware ranges.

This is a pilgrimage that we make twice a year to keep abreast of what’s new and exciting in the world of gift retail.

Every time we visit we are staggered by the quantity of exhibitors and the size of the show. However this year we were staggered for a different reason.

We all know that the current economic climate is tough but for us the show proved just how tough it is out there.

This year for the first time there seemed to be fewer people attending and more importantly committing to purchase. Every stand was staffed by sales reps hungry to make a sale and if I’m honest it all felt a little desperate.

However for us the show was essential. Not only have we found a fantastic new supplier to add to our growing catalogue but we were able to place substantial orders too to increase our gift shop range.

For us there is just no point in treading water. We know that everyone is reporting doom and gloom but what we want to do is bring you outstanding value for money on giftware you won’t see in every shop on the high street.

So keep an eye on the featured products page as you’ll soon see some new and exciting things!

NEW ONLINE SHOP OPENS

The new online shop opened on 1st September 2009.  If you register before 15th September you will benefit from our launch promotional 10% off discount.   Register with us at: www.thestockshop.co.uk

welcome to the recently revamped stock shop website!

Welcome to the all new and improved stock shop website! We have now made it even easier for you to shop with us. Please take your time and have a look around at www.thestockshop.co.uk