Winter holidays are approaching fast, so here’s our little guide to where you can celebrate and buy locally-made gifts. These past two years have been very hard for small businesses, so please remember to support them this holiday season.

Also, please check out the 3rd District Holiday Shopping Guide recently released by Councilmember Jamie Gauthier’s Office and the West Philly Favorites campaign organized by the University City District. More information is below.

Handmade Holidays

When: Saturday, Dec. 4, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Where: Bartram’s Garden (54th and Lindbergh)

Bartram’s Garden is inviting families to celebrate Handmade Holidays with them this Saturday. Some of the planned events and activities include: a local vendor marketplace, pie-making contest, winter tree ID workshop, a Faulkner demo, wreath and holiday greens sale, campfires and seasonal refreshments. Please note that Bartram’s signature wreaths were for pre-sale only and all sold out, but there will be a wreath making workshop where attendees can make their own wreath. Some holiday greens and plants (poinsettias, Christmas cactus and houseplants) will be available for sale on Saturday. Masks are required for this event. Click here for more details.

One Africa! One Nation! Holiday Marketplace

When: Saturday, Dec. 4, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Where: Lucien Blackwell Center (47th and Brown)

One Africa! One Nation!, which holds the Uhuru Market in Clark Park in spring, summer and fall, is hosting a Holiday Marketplace this Saturday. The holiday shopping event will feature clothes, antiques, arts & crafts, jewelry and more!

West Craft Fest (Holiday Edition)

Where: The LAWN & Pivot Park (37th and Filbert)

When: Saturday, Dec. 11, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (Rain date: Sunday, Dec. 12)

The holiday edition of West Craft Fest will return this year after last year’s hiatus. It will be held at a new, outdoor location with COVID safety in mind. The popular holiday shopping event features various handmade holiday gifts, such as warm knits, holiday cards & stationery, artisan jewelry, ceramics, candles, soaps, children’s gifts and more! More info can be found here.

Black Hound Night Market

When: Friday, Dec. 17, 4-7 p.m.

Where: Black Hound Clay Studio (715 S. 50th St.)

This is a great opportunity to buy holiday gifts made by your neighbors at Black Hound Clay Studio. The event will be held outdoors and masks are required. For more info, visit: https://www.blackhoundclay.com.

3rd District Holiday Shopping Guide

The Office of City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier has released its first-ever 3rd District Holiday Shopping Guide to encourage people to support West and Southwest Philadelphia’s dynamic small business community this holiday season. The guide contains listings for shops, entertainment, restaurants, cafes and organizations across the District, and features interviews with a wide variety of small business owners.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our city,” said Councilmember Gauthier. “They sustain our neighborhoods, provide essential services to our communities, employ a diverse array of Philadelphia residents, and foster our local economy, keeping money close to home. I hope this guide makes your holiday shopping a little bit easier, and I hope it gives a boost to our small businesses as they continue to recover from the impacts of COVID-19.”

To access the digital version of the guide, click here.

West Philly Favorites 

Support local businesses and get a jump on holiday shopping with the return of University City District’s West Philly Favorites, a curated series of gift packs filled with handcrafted and locally produced items. All proceeds go to participating businesses. Buy packs for pickup at Trolley Portal Gardens on either Friday, Dec. 10 or Saturday, Dec. 11. Sales for individual packs close one week prior to pick-up.

Details on pick-up, as well as reminders, will be sent at the time of purchase. If you’d like to purchase a pack for someone else, you’ll be sent a gift voucher after your purchase is complete. Learn more and purchase your items at https://www.westphillyfavorites.com/.