First, there's Valentine's day on 14th February. This can take you by surprise after Christmas, if you're not careful!
On 8th March, it's International Women's Day. In Italy, custom has it you give little bunches of mimosa which you purchase from street sellers. There's something charmingly 19th-century about this, if you ask me!
Next, you have Mothering Sunday in the UK. The date changes from year to year, being as it is the fourth Sunday before Easter. (It was once the day you returned to your mother church, with gifts for family and friends: simnel cake and hedgerow flowers picked along the way.) This year, it is 30th March.
And then of course you have Easter (which falls on 20th April this year) and the bank and school holidays that coincide with it.
On 1st May, the French celebrate the Fete de Travail. A little like Women's Day in Italy, it is traditional to give lily of the valley. Many countries have public holidays on this date as well.
After this, Mother's Day takes place on the first, second or fourth Sunday May (i.e. 4th, 11th or 25th May 2014) in many countries.
Before each event, it's important to check your levels of anything anyone could feasibly buy as a gift. Then you should know if there'll be any marketing activity going on. I like to keep an eye on florals, springtime fragrances and colours as well.
Perhaps not so calm after all!
I know there are gaping omissions in the calendar above. These are just the events that affect me most. Every merchandiser has a different year and every year is different to the next.
What would you add? What events generate the most excitement and activity for your company?
Anyway, here's are some pretty spring-y products available at the moment:
Fragrance Free Night Cream 50ml and Lily Detox Mask 75ml Estelle & Thild £32 and £35; Stencil Floral Print Shirt Warehouse £42; Deavon Floral Printed Dress Ted Baker £189; Wildflower Twill Shorts Stella McCartney £465; Spring Meadow Dining Bowl, Creamer, Cappuccino Cup and Pasta Bowl Marks and Spencer from £7.50
