The Story Behind Our Holiday Window

In November, something special happens in stores all over the country. Have you noticed? Suddenly, front windows are beautifully transformed into magical works of art. Whether you live in a big city or a small town, half the fun of searching for the perfect gift is window shopping.

We hope some of you got a front row seat to view the Ten Thousand Villages’ holiday window and enjoy the story we shared, but we know getting to a local store was not possible for many this year. So, we’re bringing the window to you!

From Pasadena, California to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, all across the country, Ten Thousand Villages’ stores radiated a bit of cheer into their communities.

At Ten Thousand Villages, we put people and planet first, and this year, our commitment to caring for the Earth was reflected in the story of our holiday window. 3-D snowflakes handcrafted by artisans working with the Highland Women’s Multipurpose Co-op, our fair trade partner in the Philippines, were the stars of the show this year.

Our Brand Environment Design Manager, Kasia, was inspired by an image of the artisans in the co-op working with stacks of soon-to-be-repurposed newspapers all around them. The Co-op’s feature in our holiday window is our way of celebrating their work to reduce waste by reusing newspaper to craft lovely works of art, like the Artsy Snowflake Ornament.

We highlighted our commitment to eco-conscious living in a few other ways. Can you spot them? Traditionally discarded evergreen branches were repurposed for a touch of greenery in the Recycled Tire Planters from Noah’s Ark, our partner in India. We put a spotlight on our branded gift boxes to showcase our sustainable packaging and the joy of gift giving. “Gifting boxes as a highlight of the window bring focus to gift giving in person but also across the miles,” says Kasia. And, of course, we couldn’t make an eco-conscious window without including a few fan-favorite recycled sari gifts!

While it wasn’t an easy year for our stores across the United States, they remained committed to bringing you ethically made gifts from around the world and maintained their investment in our mission to help artisans live lives of dignity — even in hard times. You can continue to support your local store by shopping in store or calling to learn about curbside pickup options. You can also shop online and choose your local store at checkout to show your support while you shop from home. Here’s to another year of fair trade! We hope to see you next year for the unveiling of the 2021 holiday window at your local Ten Thousand Villages store.