Video Break

I'm working on a post about fair trade clothing and thought I'd share this video as a warm-up for my upcoming topic...

Party Time

Well, I decided to follow my own advice and host a combination fair trade shopping party and fair trade chocolate tasting. If you're local (Humboldt County, CA), I hope you will join me on Sunday, December 5th for some excellent shopping and tasty chocolate - email me for directions!

I've already received the merchandise from Project Have Hope, Trade As One, and Mayan Hands, and everything is absolutely gorgeous! I've been doing a little advance shopping already. :-)

Fair Trade Christmas Ornaments

The holiday season has provided me with a generous bounty of blog post ideas! Today let's talk about Christmas tree ornaments - they are fun, inexpensive, and everyone loves them. Buy them for your own tree and grab a few more to decorate the tops of your packages with this year! Here are some of my favorites -

Peacock ornament with traditional zardozi beading and embroidery from India.
(There are many other beautiful animal designs also available from Greenheart.)


Beaded reindeer ornament from MayaWorks.


Ceramic star ornaments from Partners for Just Trade.


Blue lotus ornament from SERRV (tons more cute designs here!).


Resplendent Rooster Ornament from SERRV
(note to hubby: I want one pretty please!)


Gold Star Garland from Trade As One


Haitian Straw Stars from One World Project


Llama Christmas Ornament made from reclaimed rubber from DIGS


Hummingbird Gourd Ornament from TurningLife


Hand Embroidered Ornaments from Unity Fair Trade Marketplace

Giveaway Results

Thanks so much to all who entered my fair trade chocolate giveaway! It was fun to read your responses and learn a little more about you all.

Congratulations to Aimee, the lucky winner of the chocolate bars!

Say No to the Mall!

This year, why not spend the day after Thanksgiving relaxing with your loved ones instead of getting up at four in the morning to rush around town like a maniac, fighting the crushing horde of mindless shoppers for that last five dollar sweater?

Not only will you avoid the aggravation of dealing with crowded stores; you'll also be voting with your dollars - telling manufacturers and retailers that you care about fair trade, and want to see it become more widely available. And the gifts that you find will be beautiful and truly unique, and will bring joy and positive energy to your recipients.

Wondering where to start? Right here, of course! I've got you covered, with the Fair Trade Federation's 2010 Holiday Gift Guide, Fair Trade USA's Holiday Gift Guide, the Fair Trade Federation's searchable database, as well as with my own fair trade gift ideas - under $30 and over $30.

If there's something specific that you're looking for, feel free to leave a comment here and I'll do my best to help you track it down. Happy shopping!

Fair Trade Hanukkah - A Few of my Favorite Things

I had to search far and wide to find it, but finally - fair trade, vegan Hanukkah gelt! (Just be sure to select the dark chocolate version.)

Children of Hope Menorah from Ten Thousand Villages

Rainbow Tallit from MayaWorks
(shop entire Judaica collection at MayaWorks)


Crocheted Yarmulke from Mayan Hands
(shop entire Judaica collection at Mayan Hands)

Further Reading:
Fair Trade Judaica

10 Fair Trade Holiday Gift Ideas Over $30

Welcome to part two of my fair trade gift guide! If you're one of the lucky few in this economy who can afford to buy holiday gifts over $30.00 this year, this list is for you... happy shopping!

Tub of Organic Fair Trade Vegan Peanut Butter Bites by Sjaaks Chocolates - $65.00

Because every gift list should begin with chocolate!

Flowers For Good by Organic Bouquet - prices range from $44.95 to $69.95
Dozens of different bouquets available, each benefiting a different charity.

Fireworks Large Lacquer Vase by Ten Thousand Villages - $88.00
Lust... just lust.

Fair Trade Organic Vegan Chocolate Gift Basket (scroll down; it's the second from the bottom) by Garuda International - $76.00
I'm in a sugar coma just looking at the picture...

Amazon Finger Puppet Set by Fair Trade Winds - $38.00
Could these be any cuter?

Mens Organic V-Neck Sweater by Fair Indigo - $59.00
A simple, timeless sweater for your blue-eyed sweetie.

Envirosax Bloom Collection by Fair Indigo - $38
This set of five reuseable grocery bags comes with its own handy-dandy pouch!

Vegan Leather Tote bag by Fair Indigo - $79
What can I say, I'm a sucker for purple, and a sucker for purses (seriously - you should see how many I own!).

Coffee Sampler Basket by Equal Exchange - $57.00
Five popular blends to sample, attractively packaged in a fair trade woven basket.

Grape Garnet and Recycled Sterling Silver Ring by McFarland Designs - $63.00
Okay, I hope this doesn't come across as shameless self-promotion, but it just so happens that I make fair trade jewelry for a living, so why not throw in one of my own designs, right? ;-)

Remember, when you choose to give fair trade gifts this year, your gift does triple duty - first, the gift itself of course brings joy to your loved one; second, it supports workers and artisans around the globe; and third, it will hopefully inspire curiosity and discussion among your family and friends, giving you an excellent opportunity to explain why fair trade is so very important, especially during this magical time of year.