Shops tend to go big on Christmas window displays – and charity retail is no different.
Three UK charity shops have been picked out as having the ‘best dressed’ Christmas windows, as part of an annual competition run by Acopia.
Acopia, which delivers retail consumable solutions that help multisite retailers, hospitality operators, and e-commerce businesses, has judged the three best charity retail Christmas windows for 2025 to be: Regenerage, Preston; Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland (CHSS), Aberdeen; and Helen and Douglas House, Oxfordshire.
Several aspects of the displays will be reused again and other parts can be sold on through the shops to find new home, according to the charities, highlighting a circular economy aspect to this year’s efforts.
First place
This Nutcracker-themed window was deemed number one in charity retail for Christmas 2025 by Acopia.
The legs of the nutcracker are made from drainpipes and arms from plumbing pipes, with the main body from flexible MDF shaped into cylinders. The base stand is made from leftover wood offcuts.
Accessories used are donated items, and the drum is the box of a recovered broken fishing game. Buttons, chains and trim on the nutcracker were recycled from unsaleable clothing and jewellery and offcuts of ribbon.
The finished nutcrackers stand over 6ft tall, and can be broken down to smaller pieces, stored and used again, according to the charity.
Second place
Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland in Aberdeen
This eye-catching Christmas window features a fox hand-crafted from recycled clothing that was otherwise set to become rag – all of which came from donations into the store over the last few months, according to CHSS.
Depicted in the display is Mr Fox, who has written his Christmas list to Santa and completed it by seemingly shopping at the charity shop.
The fox’s head is made out of a recycled cardboard box, wadding from a quilt, an orange shirt, a cream jumper, a grey jumper, and a pleather skirt for his nose. The arms and legs are composed from wire coat hangers, while insulation tubing decorated with the same fabric comprises his head.
It is another example of how goods potentially destined for landfill can be given a new lease of life at Christmas.
Third place
Helen and Douglas House in Oxfordshire
This Santa’s workshop-themed display features items donated though the year and kept especially for using in Christmas windows.
Wooden items made by a friend of the store are included and this recycled wood can be sold on after Christmas, according to the charity.
Terry Gardner, retail consultant at Acopia, told Green Retail World: “Acopia has worked collaboratively with charities across the UK for the past 15 years, and we never cease to be amazed by the incredible work carried out in charity stores all over the country by many thousands of volunteers and staff.
“The annual Acopia ‘best-dressed’ window competition is simply our way of paying respect to the most inspiring window displays that take countless hours of work and tons of creativity to bring to life.”
He added: “Every year the competition is highly anticipated and we have an increasing number of entries year on year. Well done to all of the participants – it’s so hard to choose the best windows.”
[image credits: Acopia]
