There must be something romantic about the setting of Santa’s Grotto in garden centres as it is prompting proposals of marriage.
First we learned that the grotto at the award-nominated Brookside Garden Centre in Kent was the location of Harry Halford’s proposal to Rebecca Jones on Christmas Eve (pictured below).
Then we were told that a similar thing happened at Endsleigh Garden and Leisure in Devon, where Jeremy Pearson popped the question to Jess Steer.
Simon Shead, from Brookside Garden Centre based in East Peckham, said: "Even the girl didn't know her boyfriend was going to propose to her.
“Both Harry and Rebecca are local to the Tonbridge area. The reason why he chose to propose in our grotto was because she was fascinated by Christmas.
“They heard about our grotto and Harry asked us in advanced if he could 'book' a slot on Christmas Eve so they could walk around and then he would propose. Clearly this was a secret to Rebecca! And she did indeed say yes.”
Meanwhile at Endsleigh Jeremy Pearson, from Plymouth, proposed to Jess Stear exactly a year after meeting his girlfriend at the garden centre, and after Jess said yes, the couple sealed their engagement with a kiss (above).
Jeremy met Jess through an online dating agency and they arranged to meet face to face at Endsleigh in December 2011.
"He came in to the store one afternoon and spoke to me, with what he said might be 'a strange request'," said Justin Avery, Endsleigh’s marketing manager. “His girlfriend thought they were just meeting up for a coffee and a wander through the pet section, with Jeremy's best mate.
“After the friends had met he made his excuses and left the others to look around another department, but really he was setting Jess up for a special moment.
“I tannoyed Jess to go to the Christmas department, where Jeremy got down on one knee and proposed - just next to the singing Santa band!
“Fortunately she said 'yes' - so there were smiles all-round with a ripple of applause from the not-so-well hidden staff looking on.
“We treated them to a free visit to Santa's Grotto and photo with the Santa himself.”
Brookside Garden Centre and Endleigh worked hard to make their Christmas displays extra special, so it’s no surprise that both are finalists in The Greatest Christmas Awards taking place this weekend. Among the categories for which they are competing are: The Greatest Garden Centre Team at Christmas as voted for by the public, and The Greatest Christmas Grotto Team.
