Thursday,  November 20, 2008 - Sunday, November 23, 2008

Open 09:30 - 17:00

NEC

Birmingham, United Kingdom

One of the biggest and best indoor Christmas Fairs of the season, now in its thirteenth year.
This will be our sixth year at the Festive Gift Fair, we look forward to seeing you all there. We will be on Stand H12.

Festive Gift Fair site
Tickets prices for this event are from £7.00

The Medieval Festival takes place on the two Sundays of the 7th  and the 14^th of December 2008. Entertainment throughout the town from 10am on both Sundays.

Details to follow.

FACHHANDELSRING Erzgebirgische Volkskunst (Specialised Retailers Association)

Wonder In Wood is at the moment only the third shop in the world outside of Germany to be a member of the association.  

FACHHANDELSRING Erzgebirgische Volkskunst

Manufacturer’s guarantee

With the “Fachhandelsring Erzgebirgische Volkskunst” Specialised Trade ring, the manufacturers from the Erzgebirge mountains succeeded in achieving their goal that only their original high-quality products may be sold. This step was necessary because primarily the charming Erzgebirge figurines are still being imitated in the Far East.

Members of this association are retailers of high-quality products in all Germany an abroad. The customer’s satisfaction is guaranteed by the certificate handed over with the product, in addition to the registered trademark the products bears, this certificate proves that the item bought was manufactured in the Erzgebirge.

The Medieval Festival takes place on the two Sundays of the 2^nd and the 9^th of December.Entertainment throughout the town from 10am on both Sundays.Medieval Re-enactments ( Knights in Battle ) take place at 11:30, 13:00, and 14:30 approx. near the Skipton Town Hall.

Festive Gift Fair 2007 - Update

Please note that this year it will be held in a different hall to normal, HALL 9

Open 9:30 - 5:00 each day. We are on stand H12, we look forward to seeing you all again.
http://www.festivegiftfair.co.uk/

Festive Gift Fair 2007

Once again we will be attending the fair at Birmingham NEC 22 - 25 November and look forward to seeing you all again, please note that this year it will be held in a different hall to normal. Details of hall and stand number will be posted here shortly.

Wonder In Wood is situated in the historic market town of Skipton North Yorkshire, also known as the ‘Gateway to the Dales’. The High Street leads up to the church, behind which stands the impressive 900 year-old castle, and Skipton Woods.
The High Street, home to the famous market with its many varied stalls which is on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Skipton has many independent specialist shops, but also has branches of the larger national stores. Exploring the side streets and alleyways you will find individual shops, cafes and restaurants nestled in the town’s history and character. Skipton has ample parking with all car parks within a short stroll to the High Street, Castle and the Canal where boat trips are available.

Skipton has many attractions throughout the year including the famous Medieval Market in December, details of this and other events can be found on our A Great Day Out page.

Among the New Arrivals are Three fabulous Wise Men, The Three Musketeers, which were previously only available as a limited edition piece and a Bride and Groom ( know anyone getting married, this couple may make the ideal gift )

……….View

German Town’s Craftspeople Fight Chinese Imports

The Christmas market in the eastern German town of Seiffen has become a globalization battleground as local craftspeople try to protect traditional, handmade decorations from a store selling cheaper Asian imports.

Christmas angels and nativity figures may not be the first items that come to Germans’ minds when they think of globalization, but the small wooden figures that have been handmade in the Erz Mountains of eastern Germany for hundreds of years are being threatened by cheap imports from Asia, according to local business owners.

Seiffen’s businesses have come to rely on visitors to its Christmas market, and the town is filled with stores selling Christmas angels, lights, nutcrackers and tree ornaments  nearly all of which are made by hand in local workshops.

“We have thousands of visitors every day,” said Dieter Uhlmann, the director of the Erz Mountains Handicraft and Toy Manufactures Association. “On the weekends up to 30,000 people come in almost 200 buses. The town can barely handle it, but on the other hand it’s nice so many people are interested in the Erz Mountains’ folk art and that they come right to Seiffen to see it.”

However, locals say that even with all the visitors, there is no more room for Johannes Schulte to sell his goods. Schulte employed 300 workers in China to manufacture the wooden figurines, which he sells for about half the price of the handmade versions.

Click here for full DW News Story

You might think that German manufacturers of traditional Erzgebirge Christmas ornaments would be peaceable folks. But a businessman who imports cheap knock-offs from China has led the artisans to violence to protect their cottage industry. Erik Nebel reports on the battle for the Christmas decoration trade.

Click here  for full story