You could hit the big box stores for all kinds of cheaply-made, totally forgettable gadgets, but why?

Shopping

Open Studio Hartford: November 11 & 12, 11 am – 5 pm — Shop arts and crafts at nineteen venues within Hartford, many of which are accessible by free shuttle. Goods include ceramics, wood sculpture, photography, drawings, paintings, hand-woven rugs, letterpress prints, jewelry, tattoos, henna art, quilts, and more. See the program for times and venue locations.

Crafted: November 19, 12-5 pm. — Basically, this is a craft fair at 30 and 56 Arbor Street. There are (at time of publication) around 20 local businesses committed to participating in this.

Art + Soul: December 10, 11 am – 5 pm. — This is a holiday craft fair intended to benefit Protectors of Animals, a non-profit, no-kill animal shelter in East Hartford. So far, there are almost 20 vendors signed up for this event at 555 Asylum Street. There is a suggested donation of $5 at the door.

Other Giving

MakeHartford: December 19, 6:30 – 8:30 pm. — Meet up for a fiber arts-focused crafting night at 30 Arbor Street. Bring in any project you are working on — crocheting, knitting, spinning, weaving, sewing, embroidery, kumihimo, knotting, braiding — to request help or just have company. Some supplies will be available in exchange for a donation. There will specifically be supplies available for those who want to make fleece scarves that will be donated to local shelters.

— to request help or just have company. Some supplies will be available in exchange for a donation. There will specifically be supplies available for those who want to make fleece scarves that will be donated to local shelters. The Open Hearth: This shelter at 437 Sheldon Street accepts donations of men’s winter coats, hats, interview outfits, and more.

ImmaCare: The emergency shelter accepts men’s and women’s clothing, food, medication, and other donations. The offices are located at 168 Hungerford Street.

Hartford Catholic Worker: Located at 18 Clark Street, year-round they collect baby supplies (formula, bottles, diapers, wipes, clothes, and toys.) for distribution to families in the neighborhood, along with books for their Little Free Library, and items (tuna, canned soup, pasta sauce) for the food pantry.

What other opportunities for giving exist in Hartford this year?