Bring Joy to the World

This holiday season, we plan to bring joy to our family, friends and people around the world with thoughtful gifts from Ten Thousand Villages, where every handcrafted ornament, nativity and gift feeds families, provides health care, sends children to school, helps to build safe homes and inspires women. Here, our top gift picks that give back, from Ten Thousand Villages:

Large Red and Gold Washed Candleholder ($18). Made with red- and gold-washed metal, this item was handcrafted by Tara Projects, an organization that works with more than 1,000 artisan families in Northern India.

Standing Reindeer Ornament ($16). This item was handmade with iron and wood by CCAP, which provides benefits to over 600 artisans in the Philippines.

Twilight Ruched Dress ($89). This dress, made of 95 per cent fair-trade cotton, was designed in collaboration with Mata Traders, an ethical fashion company.

Gold Tone Star Ring ($8). Made from brass, this ring was handcrafted in India by Asha Handicrafts, an association that provides more than 6,500 artisans with benefits like medical care and educational scholarships.

Paper Christmas Tree Ornament ($12). This ornament was handcrafted with quilled, recycled paper by Mai Handicrafts, which provides work for marginalized groups, particularly women, in Vietnam.

Red Jacquard Throw ($58). Adorned with red and white tassles, this cotton throw was also handcrafted by Asha Handicrafts.

Wool Garland with Socks and Mittens ($40). Six socks and six mittens adorn this adorable wool garland, handcrafted by Kumbeshwar Technical School, a school that provides training in wool spinning, hand knitting and carpet weaving to low-caste communities in Nepal.

Along with its exciting lineup of holiday items, Ten Thousand Villages is proud to introduce Giving Change, a program that was developed in an effort to reduce the financial barriers that prevent maker groups from taking out loans to purchase materials. With access to interest-free micro-financing, makers don’t need to worry about where the monetary support will come from to make their products. It’s easy as pumpkin pie to make a donation online. —Vita Daily

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