St. Paul’s Alternative Gifts Expo returns on Sunday, Dec. 10, 9:00AM-2:30PM in the Great Hall, St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral 2728 Sixth Ave, San Diego, CA
New: a Silent Auction of the 21 piece porcelain nativity by Lenox released from 1986-2009 will be offered. Opening bids start at $400 (Fair Market Value is $1,240). Bids open at 9:30AM and close at 2PM on Dec. 10 in the Great Hall. See it on display in the Great Hall on December 10.
Coming together with common values, our St. Paul’s community demonstrates an alternative to our commercial, consumptive culture-a colorful and festive marketplace with choices of gifts that revolve around issues you care about.
Alternative gifts prioritize meaning over materials — they may include a charitable donation in honor of a family member to provide health care in Haiti, or handcrafted note cards that support a nursing college in Kenya. Donations in a friend’s honor may also provide translators to assist war-ravaged refugees seeking help with everyday government transactions.
Shoppers can also visit tables hosted by non-profit organizations that strengthen the Fair Trade practices by buying handcrafted items produced by artisans in economically disadvantaged areas of the world. When you buy Fair Trade products you are encouraging safe and ethical business practices.
Alternative gifts cost you less money, are less costly for the environment, and are less commercialized—but really, they’re all about infusing the holiday season with more: more meaning, more joy, and more fun.
Enjoy yourself, and bring a friend and the kids! Children will find there is a selection of small priced items that make special gifts for friends or family.
Besides a wintery ambience we will be serving free-of-charge yummy Tomorrow Project soup and bread from 11:30AM-2:30PM, and we will accept Cash, Check and Credit cards for donations and products. Festive recorder music by The Granada Consort will be performed throughout the event.
Vendors Include:
- Equal Exchange/Fair Trade- Chocolate, Coffee, Tea, olive oil, nuts, and more
- Around the World Gifts- Fair Trade products that include decorative gifts, bags, accessories
- Kitchens for Good- Kitchens for Good is a social enterprise with the mission to break the cycles of food waste, hunger, and poverty through innovate solutions in workforce training….Their products feature condiments and spicy jellies that boast a unique and delicious flavor, featuring a spicy kick and local craft beers.
- Episcopal Refugee Network– Donations to assist San Diego refugees from war-torn regions
- Mission in Maseno (Kenya)- handcrafted note cards benefitting the AIDS/HIV hospital and small nursing college
- Haiti Health- Donate to help purchase blood pressure medications for Dr. Bart Smoot’s Blood Pressure Clinic
Plant with Purpose- Donations to renew the earth with gifts of trees, chicks, family gardens, bunnies, tee shirts
Golden Rule Boutique- Handmade clothing Fair Trade products for the betterment of children, women and families
Nonviolent Peaceforce- Buy a Peace Bond or potholder to support this group’s training of civilians to provide unarmed civilian peacekeeping in violent areas of the world - Tomorrow Project- Fabulous soups (enjoy a cup for lunch!), spice rubs, and rice mixes train and empower low-income women for work readiness
- Fair Trade Décor-Decorative home items and personal accessories that provide legitimate and sustainable means for people around the world to pull themselves out of poverty
- Vida Joven de Mexico- Donations to provide Mexican children 3-18 years who have been abandoned or have a parent in jail with love, protection, and education
- Malia Designs- Fair trade producer groups who offer marginalized people in Cambodia exposure to Western Markets to keep a sustainable income through sales of silk items, unusual bags, and wallets
- Lumily- Works directly with partner artisans in Guatemala, Mexico and Thailand to pay a fair wage, give hope, and provide a percentage of profit back to the artisan community through sales of jewelry, large and small bags, key chains, and clothing
- Melinda’s Homemade Jams in support of the Cathedral Memorial Organ
St. Paul’s Youth are also part of the Alternative Gifts Expo. Hand-made knitted and crocheted items will be available.
–Paula Peeling
