If we can’t go to the Christmas markets, the Christmas markets shall come to us! These online fairs offer up a wealth of original, artisan Christmas gift ideas so you can #ShopLocal even when your favourite local boutique is closed…

Lead image: freestocks / Unsplash

1 Kensington Mums x The Glorious Edit Christmas Shopping Fair, Online
6-11 Nov & 4-10 Dec
 Kensington Mums is partnering with The Glorious Edit for a Christmas online shopping spectacular. The Glorious Edit is a carefully curated collection of 80 of the best independent brands, saving you precious time when it comes to hunting out new and interesting gift ideas. The event will also raise money for the MeeTwo mental health app, which provides free, safe and anonymous support to young people. Shoppers are invited to donate a voluntary £4 entrance fee, but will also get a Glorious Edit code that gets you exclusive offers across all brands, ranging from 10% to 25% off. The Glorious Edit is designed with the shopper in mind, with inspiring present lists for everyone from the teenager to the teacher. Brands include Wyse London (exclusive to The Glorious Edit fair), Annabelle Hill Jewels, Crosslow London, Spots and Stripes, The Mews Fabrics and Furnishings, St Berts Clothing and more.
thegloriousedit.co.uk

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2 Online Crafty Fox Market
7 Nov & 5 Dec
Crafty Fox Market, which can usually be found regularly at Mercato Metropolitano in Elephant & Castle as well as other sites across the capital, is hosting two online markets this festive season – on Saturday 7 November and Saturday 5 December from 11am-5pm. Shop original gift ideas from craft kits (the new lockdown essential), to jewellery and accessories, artisan beauty goods, homewares, curiosities and cute things for kids. The online market will be hosted online at craftyfoxmarket.co.uk and on social media channels like Instagram. Discover some of the very best in independent creative makers and treat yourself to a wealth of design talent and shop small this Christmas. You can also discover and shop from unique indie designers and makers daily via Crafty Fox Market’s online directory at shoppingwithsoul.co.uk.
craftyfoxmarket.co.uk

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3 SoLo Craft Fair’s 12 Virtual Night Markets of Christmas
Every Monday
SoLo Craft Fair has launched a series or night markets the lead up to Christmas. Taking place on Instagram every Monday from the 5 October (we’re a little late to the party), the market hopes to encourage people to shop from small businesses at an incredibly difficult time for independents. Browse 100s of incredible gift ideas from some of the best makers in the country. Running from 7.30pm-9pm, simply stay tuned to stories and click through to the profile of the maker that catches your eye, then take it from there! If you don’t buy, do give the maker a follow to help grow their audience. You can catch up on anything you missed later through the story highlights.
solocraftfair.com

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4 Royal Trinity Hospice Virtual Christmas Fair
14-22 November
The Wandsworth Friends of Royal Trinity Hospice Christmas Fair invites you to join their Virtual Christmas Fair this month. Royal Trinity Hospice is England’s oldest hospice and the local hospice for central and south west London. Since 2010 this well-loved fair has raised approximately £275,000 for the Hospice. Shop more than 50 stalls, which will all give 10% of their sales to the Hospice. Plus, The Wandsworth Friends of Royal Trinity Hospice Christmas Fair will run their usual prize draw, as well as a new online auction. The event is generously sponsored by Knight Frank. Join by visiting the new Christmas Fair website.
royaltrinityhospicechristmasfair.org

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5 Rugby Portobello Trust Christmas Market
15-18 November
The Rugby Portobello Trust Christmas Market is going online for the first time this year. The annual market is a mainstay of the Notting Hill Christmas diary, supporting the work of The Rugby Portobello Trust in North Kensington, and the market intends to do the same this year, with the same quality of handpicked artisans, designers and brands available at the click of a button. In celebration of the 31st annual Rugby Portobello Trust Christmas Market, you can get a special discount off all vendors using the discount code RPT31 at checkout. This year’s market features the much-anticipated Silent Auction (live from 6pm 4 Nov to 6pm 18 Nov) and the opportunity to have your donation doubled by match-funders. Sales go live from 15 Nov to 18 Nov. All funds raised go directly to supporting programmes for children, young people and families in North Kensington.
rptchristmasmarket.co.uk

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6 Cockpit Arts Digital Makers’ Market
26 November
 Cockpit Arts’ annual Christmas Open Studio events usually entails a charming trip to the studios to sip mulled wine and peek behind the scenes of 150 designer makers across its two London sites. This year, however, no can do. Instead, the Cockpit Arts’ team is launching a new digital Makers’ Market with more than 500 craft products available to buy, from ceramics, jewellery and textiles to leatherwork and glassblowing, priced £3.65-£5,800. From splash-out collectible artworks shown in the likes of the V&A, to readily affordable stocking-fillers and ‘studio exclusives’ created especially for the event, there’s plenty of choice. But if decision making isn’t your forte, Cockpit has enrolled style insiders – including London’s Deputy Mayor of Culture Justine Simons and ex-Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman – to share their picks in The Cockpit Edit.
cockpitarts.com

Powerful words from a Cockpit Art spokesperson:

Resisting the Amazonification of everything feels especially vital this year. For many makers, the impact of Covid-19 and the new lockdown are potentially career-ending circumstances, and – given broken supply lines, limited retail platforms, and little or no government support available – around 47% of craft-sector jobs are reckoned to be at risk. The actions we take every day have a lot of power. How and where we spend our money shapes the world we live in as we vote with our wallets.

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