Revealed: Super seasonal shopping destinations on your doorstep

From Christmas markets to craft fairs, we've sourced some of the coolest Yule suppliers of unique and super sustainable gifts

Fri, 07 Nov, 2025 - 20:12

Carol O’Callaghan

Wouldn't it be lovely to have a weekend mini-break and fly off to the Christmas markets in Dresden, Berlin or Prague?

There’s something about the crisp, chilly days on the continent that feel invigorating and get our cheeks all rosy and glowing, although that might also have something to do with glugging gluhwein while browsing for special, handmade gifts with plenty of sustainability credentials.

Close to home, we have our own markets and fairs, a mix of the firmly established and random pop-ups at farmers' markets or even an obliging car park, which will also free you from needing carbon-hungry airline travel.

Craft and design fairs

The biggest is Gifted: The Contemporary Craft & Design Fair running from December 3-7 at the RDS, with plenty of homewares and a bonus Christmas Food Emporium if you can’t bring yourself to stir up a few plum puddings. It’s also indoors, so happily rain-proof.

County Cork’s Ballymaloe hosts its craft fair over two weekends, November 14-16 and 21-23. It’s also one for the foodies, given the hosts’ reputation, but as it’s spread across several buildings, make sure to take your umbrella.

Stable Door Pottery crafts the Málaí Tae ceramic vessel for storing a favourite brew; €32.50, Cork Craft & Design.

But what does it actually mean to buy sustainably? The term can be quite a general one. For Ava Hayes of Cork Craft & Design, where she’s director of the annual Cork Craft Month, it’s about how the product is made and how long it will last. “Sustainability isn’t only about using eco-friendly or responsibly sourced materials, though that is an essential part of it,” she says.

“It’s also about the longevity and emotional value of the piece. A truly sustainable gift is something made from durable, mindful materials that age beautifully and stand the test of time.”

Winterval and Corkmas

With outdoor events like Waterford’s Winterval running from November 21 to December 23, and Corkmas from November 21 to December 22 on Emmet Place, there’s plenty of time for more mindful, sustainable shopping for gifts for the home, plus the opportunity to verify the authenticity of the products, which has become increasingly important. “As awareness grows, so too does imitation,” says Ava.

For stocking filler ideas, chef-turned-potter Daniel Woodsmith of Arucaria Ceramics makes dinky little egg cups; €18, Irish Design Shop.

“Large companies now cloak mass production in phrases like ‘one of a kind’ or ‘locally sourced’, blurring the line for even the most conscious buyer. That is exactly why stores like Cork Craft and Design feel so special. Every piece in-store is made locally, and the person behind the counter is often the maker or knows them personally. If you ask a question, you’ll hear the story straight from the source.”

Festive markets

It's part of the value of shopping locally, which for Corkonians includes the Benchspace Christmas Market, December 6-7, at Marina Commercial Park. Unusually for a location within walking distance of the city centre, it has ample free parking to allow for leisurely browsing for some lovely wooden gifts, including chopping boards and wooden bowls for Christmas entertaining.

Just a short walk away is the Marina Market with its foodie focus. Open all year, it’s running The Big Freeze Christmas experience from November 22 to December 23, with entertainment and family activities happening while indulging in some post-shopping refreshments.

The Nollaig essential oil candle sums up the fragrances we associate with Christmas: Clove, pine, cinnamon and orange; €28, Cork Craft & Design.

For time-pressed shoppers, there are online options, but it can be a minefield. Etsy and Temu have been dealing with allegations that some of their sellers have been passing off mass-produced items as handmade and selling inferior quality design knock-offs. Although they’ve been working to resolve these issues, it doesn’t exactly inspire consumer confidence.

Local retailers

It brings silver linings, though, for more local retailers like the Irish Design Shop, which hand-selects its homewares and has long-standing relationships with suppliers. It has a shop on Dublin’s Drury Street, with an online option for out-of-towners or shoppers who can’t face the crowds of people at weekends, and they have in-depth knowledge of their products. “Most pottery would be considered a sustainable product as the clay comes from the land,” says co-owner Laura Caffrey.

“Nicholas Mosse pottery in particular is made from local clay dug from the ground right near the factory in Bennettsbridge, Co Kilkenny.”

The Lime Fizz carafe is part of the Sweet Shop collection of handblown glassware made for the Irish Design Shop in collaboration with Jerpoint; €205, Irish Design Shop.

There still remains the carbon-hungry issue of shipping online purchases, but it’s somewhat mitigated by buying from retailers at home, according to Laura. “It means the products aren’t being shipped long distances by air. Being conscious of this rather than shopping for mass-produced items and shipping them across the world is a good start at being more eco-friendly.”