Shop NOVICA! Christmas Ornaments from Around the World

NOVICA, one of my favorite online shops, advertises itself as "in association with National Geographic". Their website doesn't really explain how they are associated, except that if you look at it, the layout, products and tone reflects something National Geographic would endorse.

NOVICA's mission is also pretty generic. It starts with, "We want to give artists and artisans around the world a global platform to express their true artistic talents and to spur their creativity. And, we want to provide you with access to unique, hard-to-find items at great values that only the Internet infrastructure can allow..." Although it is a member of Co-op America, NOVICA does not seem to ally itself with the fair trade movement in a specific way. Despite all of this, NOVICA's model is about as fair as you can get. I used to buy wholesale from them when I had my brick and mortar store and now Fiber Focus is an affiliate, supporting the concept through ads they potentially generate a commission.

The movie clip at the top of this post is a good illustration of the impact NOVICA has had on the lives of the many artists and artisans it works with around the world. Every item on its website tells the story of the person who made it. Many started out as individuals and went on to grow their businesses into collectives. For this post, I thought it would be fun to look at some of the ornaments made from some of their suppliers around the world. This is a small sampling and I only picked fiber ones. There are also lovely pieces made from wood, clay and glass.

India

Beaded ornaments, 'Burgundy Heart' (set of 5) Velvet hearts in a deep wine color speak of a timeless love. Covered with glittering zardozi embroidery, beadwork and diminutive flowers, the hand-crafted ornaments are luxurious. Parvez A. Warsi crafts the beautiful set of five to showcase traditional Indian arts. Warsi includes a drawstring pouch; its colors may vary.

Ornaments, 'Glittering Joy' (set of 6) Affan welcomes the holiday season with a glittering set of ornaments that includes a star, a tree, a heart, a boot, a butterfly and a fleur-de-lis. The organza ornaments are sewn by hand and feature India's legendary zardozi embroidery shaping festive motifs. Zardozi art first came to light during the reign of emperor Akbar in the Middle Ages, and it is characterized by the artistic use of laid stitch with golden thread known as zari.

Beaded ornaments, 'Golden Partridge' (set of 6) Glittering zardozi embroidery and fine beadwork distinguish a set of ornaments by Parvez A. Warsi. He crafts a set of six colorful partridges that twirl on golden strings.

Beaded ornaments, 'Christmas Spirit' (set of 4) Sparkling beads highlight the fascinating allure of the zardozi embroidery that embellishes these four Christmas ornaments. Zardozi is renowned for its intricate patterns, once embroidered with fine threads of gold or silver. Nowadays it is executed with fine silk threads and is known as zari. This set features four different designs and will adorn with distinctive charm. Please note color shades and/or motifs may vary slightly since these products are entirely hand-crafted.

Indonesia

Natural fiber ornaments, 'Angels' (set of 4) Wearing wide-brimmed hats, four Balinese angels showcase nature's gifts. Woven by hand, they are crafted of bamboo, screw pine, water hyacinth and agel grass. Palm leaf and tamanu, the fruit of the beauty leaf tree, adorn this set of ornaments by Dwi Astuti and Kusbudiyanto. Because each is individually crafted of natural fibers, colors and motifs may vary slightly.

Natural fiber ornaments, 'Pink Java Angels' (set of 4) Four Javanese angels celebrate nature's gifts dressed in bright green costumes. Woven by hand, they are crafted of bamboo, screw pine, water hyacinth and agel grass. Palm leaf and tamanu, the fruit of the beauty leaf tree, adorn this set of ornaments by Dwi Astuti and Kusbudiyanto. Coconut shell buttons complete their elegant attires. Because each is individually crafted of natural fibers, colors and motifs may vary slightly.

Peru

Gourd ornaments, 'Jungle Greetings' (set of 6) The natural, organic artistry that comes from the Peruvian jungles becomes an original set of ornaments with the art of Rocio Davila Rojas. They are carved by hand from tutuma gourds featuring balsa wood and cotton trim. The natural gourds may vary slightly in shape and size.

Cotton ornaments, 'Peach Christmas Balloons' (set of 3) Enjoying the view from the sky, celebrants shout Christmas greetings to those below. Margarita and Martha fashion a trio of novel and beautiful Christmas ornaments. The colorful peach hot air balloons feature straw baskets that carry tiny travelers in Andean dress. Because each ornament is individually crafted, colors may vary slightly.

Ornaments, 'Festive Huancavelica Couple' (pair) Mercedes Benavides celebrates the festive traditions of the Huancavelica region with an endearing pair of tree ornaments. Dressed in traditional costumes, they are expertly crafted by hand. The cholito (young man) and cholita (young woman) smile the radiant smile of the festive season.

Applique ornaments, 'Joyous Bells' (set of 6) Festive bells bring the Christmas spirit to the Andes in this charming set by Maria Ramos Sanchez. Children welcome the holiday season as they stroll along with their llamas across the Andean highland. Each scene is eloquently detailed in arpillera, where fabric cutouts are sewn into a wondrous collage over a cotton background. The bells feature a wool border ending in a loop, for hanging. Please note, Ramos uses different fabrics for the arpillera compositions, which can result in a slight difference in color.

Thailand

Cotton ornaments, 'Christmas Stockings' (set of 12) Embroidered by artisans from Thai Tribal Crafts, twelve bright stockings await Christmas Eve. The handmade ornaments are representative of the textile traditions of the Hmong people, who long ago immigrated to northern Thailand.

Cotton ornaments, 'Tribal Stars' (set of 12) Embroidered by artisans from Thai Tribal Crafts, stars and flowers appear in precise symmetry on twelve handmade ornaments. The work is representative of the textile traditions of the Hmong people, who long ago immigrated to northern Thailand.

Lots of people collect ornaments. And, how meaningful it can be to attach a person's story to something that is collectible! I haven't wrapped my gifts traditionally in years. Why spend all that money on wrapping paper and bows and ribbons that will end up in the garbage? Instead, I like to use newspaper or some other recycled paper or a scarf or fabric or anything else that can be used and top it off with a handmade ornament. Sure, some of these ornaments are going to be more expensive than the ones made by sweatshops (although most are really quite affordable!), so make the ornament your gift along with a loaf of banana bread or something tasty.

Whatever you decide to do in this lean year, do take a tour of NOVICA's wonderful catalog. You can enter through any of the above ornaments (you are not committing to buy if you click on the button...) and travel by type of item or country. Have fun!

Shop NOVICA! Christmas Ornaments from Around the World