On the first Saturday in November, my church hosts a large craft fair. I usually show up, and I frequently buy something. One year I even shared a table with someone. If you know me, you know that this wasn’t my best idea. I’m not gifted at doing crafts. But my husband had been unemployed, so I thought I’d try to supplement our income by selling crafts. (Ha!)
I tell you this to let you know that I have nothing against craft fairs. I enjoy them, and I believe in supporting independent craftspeople.
But if you belong to an organization that hosts such fairs, consider supplementing the fair with alternative and/or fair-trade gifts. If you belong to an organization that doesn’t have a craft fair, consider starting a new tradition with an alternative gift fair.
This takes planning. It may even require you to get approval from others before you can move ahead, so I’m promoting this idea many months before you might host such a fair.
Alternative gift fairs come in many shapes and sizes. New Dream (which I mentioned in a previous post) has a detailed eight-week planning guide for a large alternative gift fair that features several tables offering charitable gifts. When shoppers check out, calligraphers complete cards for gift recipients. There is also a table with information on making the holidays more meaningful.
The gift fair could also feature many fair-trade gifts from different vendors, or it could focus on goods from just one vendor. Both SERRV and Equal Exchange give suggestions about hosting a fair that features their goods.
The fairs that I think could be most attractive feature some combination of gift options. The ELCA has an excellent Good Gifts Fair Planning Guide that suggests adding fair-trade vendors to an alternative gift fair or including a small, relevant gift for each charitable contribution, such as a water bottle for people who donate money to help pay for a well or water purification tablets. This guide also suggests gift fairs at different times of the year, including Easter and Mother’s Day. Equal Exchange has an article on Winter Park Presbyterian Church, which hosts a fair that includes fair-trade goods, homemade gifts, and opportunities to make charitable contributions.
If you’re gifted in event planning, hosting some sort of alternative gift fair could be an excellent way for you to make a difference. If you’ve already done this, or if you decide to tackle this idea, I’d love to hear from you!