I’ve written a lot how I am not a huge gift giver as I much prefer to give the gift of time to friends (a trip, a spa, a fancy dinner out…) or the unexpected gift. But when I do buy, I tend to lean towards handmade, unique, specially crafted goods whether they come from a chain store, a local shop or Etsy. So when I read the “Buy Handmade” Pledge for the holidays, I thought it was a great idea.
I have a lot of favourite items on Etsy, Decor8, Poppytalk Handmade, and Sew Green also have fantastic handmade lists. There are a lot of great stores that do handmade on a bigger scale like:
- Anthropologie (a lot of the home goods and jewelery are artisan made and quite a few done by charitable organizations).
- Branch Home (a lot of recycled and handmade items. I’m partial to these.)
- Shabby Chic (her furniture is artisan, not the Target Line),
- Whole Foods (they have handmade products from Africa that range from jewellery to home goods),
- Mothology
Another thought is to donate money or time to a charity in someone’s name – a great gift for the person who has everything.
There’s so many fantastic ways to buy handmade or locally – what are yours?
Online since 1995, Alex was one of the first bloggers and has consistently been creating content, sites and communities to share stories that matter. In 2004 she created Hygge House to embrace her Danish heritage by sharing thoughts and inspiration on living well and simply. In 2001 Alex Immigrated to America and currently resides in a 1900’s converted barn on a ranch in the Santa Barbara California mountains.
Ten Thousand Villages is one of my favorite places to buy handmade items from around the world. http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/ Even when I don’t buy gift there, I do find a lot of Christmas decorations that I like in their store. I also try to make as many gifts myself as I can.
I agree about Ten Thousand Villages. I used to volunteer there and had so much fun unpacking new merchandise. They have a real social conscience.
Their main store in Ephrata, PA is a real treat to visit.