Return of Oxford's Etsy Christmas Market
The market returned bigger and better than ever this year
Christmas is the time for giving, whether that be handmade coasters or knitted scarfs, you could find everything at the Oxford Etsy Christmas Market.
With over 70 local makers and sellers, the market filled the Oxford University Examination Schools on the 17th November 2024.
Not only was there arts and crafts but also food and drink stands, offering hot chocolate and sweet treats or you could have indulged and tried snacks from the Indian cuisine stand. The market was open until 4pm with a choir singing Christmas carols as well. For many sellers, it was their first time attending this year's Etsy market. For Rangan Goldsmith she said:
“I’m a member of the Oxfordshire arts week, which means that we get first dibs on the stalls, so that’s how I came to know about it”
These markets are a really good opportunity for small businesses to grow and develop a network of customers. When asked about the success of these markets she said,
“It depends on what you’re selling really, because I’ve done really badly in village halls and I’ve done really well in urban areas, so it depends on where your audience is.”
Rangan’s stall sold her handmade designs printed onto notebooks, coasters and decorations.
There were also many environmentally friendly products as well. The Cece and Klem stall, which sold hand drawn prints, coasters and cushions made it one of their top priorities. When talking to the stall holder Lissie she said,
“So everything is sustainable, from using glass which can be recycled to using biodegradable wrapping products. Even the cushions which we use recycled plastic bottles for the cushion inners, so yeah it’s more eco-friendly.”
The Etsy Christmas Market will hopefully be back next year, with even more stalls and an even bigger audience.