What’s the worst thing that could happen at Christmas? We’ve all had panicked dreams about forgetting to buy a turkey, or somebody stealing the presents on Christmas Eve. But what’s the solution when the worst actually takes place? And who’s there to save the day?
Luckily, there are some helpful small businesses out there who are on hand to make sure that Christmas isn’t ruined if you have a mind like a sieve. We talked to companies who, thanks to a car and bucket loads of enthusiasm, have rescued their customers from festive disaster.
The Taxi Company
Jemima Hardcastle thought it was all over when she realised that she’d left her three year old son’s presents in a taxi after a shopping trip in Derby. “It was the first Christmas that he was walking, talking, and communicating, so I wanted to make sure it was really special. He was so excited and had been counting down the days.
“It had a busy final few weeks at work, so I’m afraid to say I left the Christmas shopping until the last minute. It was the 23 December, and I was just unlocking my front door, when I realised that I’d only picked up my shopping from the front of the car. My heart sank: the rest of the Christmas presents were in the boot of the taxi. I hadn’t thought to get them out because my mind was on one hundred and one other things. The taxi company closed for Christmas. In fact,the taxi driver said I was one of the last bookings before he put his feet up, so I had visions of him locking his car up in the garage while we had a rubbish Christmas.”
Luckily for Hardcastle, her taxi driver was conscientious. “He told me that he’d started cleaning out the taxi on the evening of the 24 - just giving it a quick vacuum because he was working Boxing Day - when he found all my bags in the back. He spent an hour calling up through all the bookings he’d had that day to find out who’s presents they were, and finally got through to me. I was overjoyed. He came all the way out to my house, which was about 45 minutes from his.” Hardcastle invited him in for a coffee and mince pies to say thank you. “He saved my Christmas, thanks to his speedy driving, and kind heart. On the plus side, my son had twice the number of presents that year, because I went out and bought some other things. I gave one of his new toys to the taxi driver, who had a nephew the same age, to say thank you. It made my year.”
The Cleaning Company
Christmas can be a fraught period when you know you’re hosting guests and you’ve got to keep your house clean and tidy. Rune Sovndahl, the director of Fantastic Services cleaning company, said that his business has brought joy to people at Christmas before: “We got a call on the evening of the 23 December one year. It was from a client who, following a children’s party with relatives due to arrive for Christmas the next morning, had discovered that some of her small guests had managed to cram one of her toilets full of toys”. It is the sort of thing you laugh at, but if the whole family, plus guests, end up sharing one bathroom for the whole of Christmas it could cause family friction. “We were able to send a handyman to retrieve the toys - no doubt they were soon replaced by Father Christmas!”
The furniture company
Simply Bows and Chair Covers manufactures chair covers and accessories for special events. This means that they are especially busy during the Christmas season, when many people choose to host large dinners or weddings that require extra furniture or furniture coverings.
Sarah Pittendrigh, managing director of the company says: “We’ve been called at all sorts of times- New Year’s Eve at 7pm for example - a five star hotel had been let down and didn’t have enough table linen.” Simply Bows and Chairs stepped up and delivered the extra linen before the guests arrived. “We’ll do anything to help our clients and make their events successful,” says Pittendrigh. “We always keep more than enough stock so we can provide what’s needed- and more. We’re always prepared at this time of the year.”
Content on this page is paid for and produced to a brief agreed with Kia Fleet sponsor of the Guardian Small Business Network Accessing Expertise hub.
