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IN THE BAG
The year is slowly but surely wrapping up. Now the festive season and New Year’s Eve can come. But we still have a little time left to end the year in a fitting manner and also to look back and remember all the great projects, challenges and partnerships.
We are already looking forward to 2025 and many new ideas, projects and successes we will celebrate together.
Last-minute Christmas presents, a leisurely stroll between the years or shopping for New Year’s resolutions …
Sustainable + regional Shopping
Whether cheese, fruit, vegetables, honey, meat, fish or other culinary specialties. The Kassel market hall offers a variety of delicacies from the region. In addition to food, there is also a wide range of gastronomy and handcrafted products such as baskets and woodwork.
Glücksgriff has lots of beautiful things – from plants and craft ideas to furniture. Especially cool: The shop-sharing community that has recently moved in. Small, regional businesses can use the retail space and don’t have to rent their own store. For example, you can buy regional natural wines or hand-sewn products.
The fashion industry is very fast-moving. The Soki team wants to counteract this. In the workshop in Kassel, garments are made from discarded fabrics, e.g. grandma’s old bed linen. Hats, boxer shorts, vests, dresses, braids and much more can be bought in the store. Sustainable unique items made in Kassel.
Black Friday + Christmas shopping
Black Friday, buying presents, Christmas shopping – at no other time of year is so much shopping and money spent as in the last quarter of the year. In our opinion, this makes it all the more important to be more careful WHERE you spend your money.
Regional, sustainable and small local stores have great products. By buying locally, you are not only doing something good for the regional economy, but also for the environment and, of course, for yourself!
At the Advent eco-market on Kollwitzplatz you can find fair produces gifts and food. In addition to delicacies from certified organic production, around 60 exhibitors offer handicrafts from Berlin manufacturers, sustainable textiles and beautiful things from environmentally friendly production.
The NochMall is a place to experience the circular economy and waste prevention. On the one hand, it is the home of the first department store for second-hand items of all kinds – on the other hand, there are upcycling workshops, areas for pop-up stores and events such as repair cafés or environmental education programs.
A green boutique? You bet it is! In the plant boutique “the botanical room” there are all kinds of green treasures to discover. And the matching pots and design objects are also available. Advices and informations about the plants are particularly important to the team, because according to “the botanical room” there is no such thing as a “green thumb”.
520,40 Euro
is the average amount people in Germany spend on Christmas presents
“It’s time for good stuff” – and that’s what you’ll find at the Hobenköök market hall at the port of Hamburg. Fair coffee, wholemeal cookies, nut spreads and muesli: all this and much more is available to buy in the market hall. All from the region and from small retailers or craft businesses. You can also feast directly on site in the adjoining restaurant.
The owner-run store Human Empire offers lovingly curated illustrations, beautifully designed decorative objects, books worth reading, food and accessories in a 1950s setting. The store invites you to browse and supports both local and international illustrators – it’s well worth a visit!
Packaging materials are mostly made of plastic – especially in the food sector there is a lot of packaging: a horror for the environment. In unpackaged stores, customers bring their own containers in which the food is filled and transported. But also cleaning products for filling or cosmetics, care and hygiene products can be bought in bulk, for example.
The disposable bag
Since January 1, 2022, there has been a ban on single-use plastic bags in Germany. And that’s a damn good thing. Because the main problem with plastic bags is that they usually end up in nature. They are one of the most common types of waste found on European beaches. Many plastics only decompose after centuries.
Among other things, plastic waste pollutes the oceans and endangers the animals that live there. Other disposable bags, e.g. made of paper, also pollute the environment. So why not opt for a reusable bag, such as the classic jute bag or “The New Shopping Bag” by designer Susan Bijl?
Sustainable fashion or not, it’s best to buy second-hand. And second-hand often doesn’t mean old or less good. At Ola Ware in Frankfurt, you can find high-quality second-hand and vintage fashion. From unworn Nike sweaters to 1920s dresses, you can find (almost) everything here. The best conditions for spending your Christmas money wisely.
It’s dark and cold outside, cozy and warm inside and the Christmas lights create a sparkling atmosphere. The holidays are the perfect time for a book – one of the best addresses for good books in Frankfurt is the bookshop “Land in Sicht”, which has been around since 1978. The bookshop offers orientation in the sea of books through careful selection and advice, with 8,000 books directly on site.
Homemade cakes, quiches and pastries, a inhouse coffee roastery: Café Kante is always worth a visit! If you fancy an authentic café atmosphere with marble tables, old mirrors and dark wood, this is the place for you. Here you can hardly feel any of the luxury hustle and bustle of the financial metropolis and can sit back and relax during the holidays.
Top 3 Christmas gifts in Germany
1st place: Vouchers
2nd place: Toys
3rd place: Books
Have you tried out a few shopping tips and are currently on site? Then get in touch and drop by for a coffee.