The Holiday Village: A Guide to Handmade Gifts from South African Creators

Last updated: 29 September 2026

The Holiday Village is a curated online marketplace where you buy handmade and small-batch work directly from South African creators — jewellery, hand-poured candles, festive and Halloween décor, macramé and children’s craft kits, with most gifts between R35 and R500. It was started by The Holiday Shop, the KwaZulu-Natal seasonal décor studio we founded in 2021, and every product on theholidayvillage.co.za sits in a named creator’s stall.

Behind every beautifully made thing is a person with an idea, a skill and probably a worktable covered in glitter, packaging or paint. This guide is the front door to their work: what you can buy, who makes it, what it costs, how delivery works, and how to join if you’re a maker yourself.

Why buy from South African creators through one marketplace?

Because the makers are already here — it’s finding them that’s hard. In August 2026, a writer for Explain set out to buy only South African-made products online and found it harder than expected. Local goods existed; the problem was that product pages list dimensions, warranties and delivery times and almost never say who made something, or where.

The Holiday Village answers that question on every page. Each creator has their own stall, and every product sits under the stall that made it. When you buy, the money goes to a small South African business — in Durban, Newcastle, Centurion, Germiston, Heidelberg, Cape Town and beyond.

After five seasons of selling décor, here’s how we see it: a handmade piece isn’t a slower version of a shop-bought one. It’s a different product, and the maker is part of what you’re buying.

What can you buy on The Holiday Village?

You can browse all products, sort by newest, shop the Gifts & Keepsakes collection, or go straight to a category below.

Handmade jewellery and accessories

The easiest gift to get right, and the busiest Jewellery & Accessories category on the Village. Willow and Pearl in Cape Town makes pared-back jewellery from R249 (Willow Pure) through R299 (Willow Luna, Willow Belle, Willow Gold) to R499 for Willow Pearl. In the stall’s own words: “Working with freshwater pearls, shell pearls and Mother of Pearl, every piece is thoughtfully assembled in Cape Town and beautifully packaged, making it perfect for gifting.” Heart of Clay in Germiston says it “began from a love of creating thoughtful, affordable handmade gifts” — its maker, Dalton, designs and handcrafts each piece after hours. The Navy Blue Textured Hoop Earrings are R200 and the Yellow & White Floral Earrings R210. Pretty Little Things in Centurion makes polymer clay earrings to order at R110, including Berry Bloom Hoops and the Halloween-ready Batty for You. As they put it: “We love creating pieces that make people smile or inspire them to create something of their own.” Polymer clay suits a South African summer: it’s light enough to wear all day in December heat.

Read more: Handmade jewellery gifts in South Africa, by budget

Christmas and seasonal décor

Handmade decorations for the tree, the table and the front door, all in Home & Décor. Handmade by Pat makes hand-finished festive pieces: an Elegant Santa Sleigh Ornament for the table at R239, Festive Wreath Napkin Rings at R219 and a Small Christmas Metal Tree wall hanging at R89.99. Sarah Makes makes whimsical ornaments — Elk Winged Ornaments (R129), a Gingerbread Tree & Boy hanging ornament (R105), a Wooden Nutcracker Figurine (R279) and the made-to-order Candyland Christmas Ornaments, 6 baubles (R179).

Read more: Handmade Christmas ornaments and table décor

Halloween décor

Halloween in South Africa lands in late spring, so décor that works outdoors on a stoep or at the front door earns its keep. Handmade by Pat’s “Bottoms Up” Witch Legs Cauldron Sign is R99.99, the Rustic Pumpkin Hanging Sign in orange R99, the “Skelly” framed skeleton art R199 and the Gothic Blaze candle R249. Me2 Creations adds smaller accents: a Black Rose with Skull stem at R59, a wooden bead garland with pumpkin accent at R99 and a Purple Spider Frame for the table at R105.

Read more: Handmade Halloween décor in South Africa

Macramé and textile art

Kiekies Baai makes hand-woven macramé and yarn pieces, many named after spots on the South African coast. The Zinkwazi Frame (R305) is ready to ship and one of a kind.

Hand-poured candles

Sweet Savor Candles in Heidelberg, Gauteng, makes “100% Soy Wax Candles and 100% Beeswax Candles”. It’s a mother-and-daughter business. Their scented candles in glass jars with golden lids are R220, in scents such as Fig, Milk & Honey, Bergamot and Sage & Seasalt, and the Corkball Jar in Milk & Honey is R320. They’re marked for indoor and outdoor use, so they work on a summer stoep as well as a dining table.

Ceramics

The Ceramics & Pottery category includes small seasonal pieces such as Hattie the Pumpkin, a ceramic mini Halloween ornament at R89.71, and the made-to-order Candyland Tree Ornament at R58.

Craft kits and gifts for children

Presents that keep small hands busy through the long December school holidays, all in Play & Create. Krafty Kids SA in Newcastle was started by Nafisa and her daughter after returning to South Africa from Brazil, with the aim “to bring kids, families and adults together through fun, creative craft kits.” Their plaster art kits for painting run from R35 for a single kit to R55 for a double, R75 for the 4-piece kit and R90 for the fruit kit, plus personalised name kits at R80 and a Christmas gift kit at R60. Lekker Little Creations in Durban makes its own Plaster of Paris kits to order at R200 each — “Each kit is carefully made and packed by us and includes everything needed for a fun creative activity.” Themes include Dino, Space, Construction Vehicle and Mermaid Tail & Seahorse.

Read more: Kids’ craft kits in South Africa

What are the best handmade gifts by budget?

Prices on the Village are set by each creator. At the time of writing:

Handmade gifts under R100

Krafty Kids SA’s plaster art kits (R35–R90), name kits (R80) and Christmas gift kit (R60); Sarah Makes’ You’re a Gem keepsake card and heart keyring (R83) and Candyland Tree Ornament (R58); Handmade by Pat’s Small Christmas Metal Tree (R89.99); and Halloween accents from R59. Ideal for stocking fillers, party packs and Secret Santa.

Handmade gifts from R100 to R250

Polymer clay earrings from Pretty Little Things (R110), Handmade by Pat’s Acapulco Earrings (R119), Heart of Clay’s earrings (R200–R210), Lekker Little Creations’ craft kits (R200), the Festive Wreath Napkin Rings (R219), Sweet Savor’s glass-jar candles (R220), the Santa Sleigh Ornament (R239) and Willow and Pearl’s Willow Pure (R249).

Handmade gifts from R250 to R500

Most of Willow and Pearl’s range (R299–R499), the Wooden Nutcracker Figurine (R279), Kiekies Baai’s Zinkwazi macramé frame (R305) and the Corkball candle jar (R320). This is where milestone gifts sit — birthdays, thank-yous, and Christmas for the person who is hard to buy for.

Read more: Handmade gifts under R250 in South Africa

What should you buy for each occasion?

Christmas

A South African Christmas is a summer one: earrings for a December lunch, a craft kit for the school holidays, ornaments for the tree and napkin rings for a table on the stoep. Order made-to-order and personalised pieces in November, because December is peak courier season and parcels slow down in the last fortnight before the 25th. For gift ideas by person and budget, see handmade Christmas gifts. For trees, lights and full seasonal styling, our sister store The Holiday Shop has the décor side covered.

Halloween

Order by mid-October for 31 October. Ready-to-ship signs and framed art from R99 are the quickest wins; a Gothic Blaze candle or a pair of Batty for You earrings makes a small Halloween gift.

Birthdays and children’s parties

Craft kits make party favours that get used rather than binned. Krafty Kids SA’s single kits (R35) suit party packs; Lekker Little Creations’ themed kits (R200) make a birthday present on their own.

Thank-yous, teachers and Mother’s Day

Jewellery is the easy win: handmade earrings from R110 look considered without needing to know someone’s taste in homeware. For a teacher at the end of the fourth term, the You’re a Gem keepsake (R83) or a pair of polymer clay earrings is thoughtful and wallet-friendly.

Read more: Teacher gifts for the end of the fourth term

How does ordering and delivery work?

Each creator packs and sends their own work, so an order from three stalls arrives as three parcels — straight from the maker to your door, not via a warehouse. Every product is marked ready to ship or made to order, and made-to-order pieces show the creator’s turnaround before you pay. Some can be personalised with a name or a colour change. If something doesn’t match its description, you can return it for a refund.

Small makers work in small batches, so if a piece you love has sold out, follow the creator’s stall — new work arrives as it’s made.

Meet the creators

A few of the stalls you’ll find today:

Willow and Pearl, Cape Town — handcrafted jewellery built on simplicity. Heart of Clay, Germiston — polymer clay earrings, clips, bookmarks and magnets. Pretty Little Things, Centurion — polymer clay earrings made to order. Lekker Little Creations, Durban — themed craft kits for children. Krafty Kids SA, Newcastle — plaster art kits to paint. Sweet Savor Candles, Heidelberg — soy wax and beeswax candles. Kiekies Baai — hand-woven macramé. Handmade by Pat — hand-finished festive and Halloween décor. Sarah Makes — whimsical seasonal ornaments. Me2 Creations — seasonal accents and curiosities.

See the full list on Meet the Creators.

How is The Holiday Village different from The Holiday Shop?

The Holiday Shop is our own store: seasonal décor, gifting and celebration pieces that we choose and send ourselves. The Village is a wider arrangement. Creators run their own stalls, the stories are theirs, and our job is to give that work a proper home and put it in front of our community.

What we bring from The Holiday Shop is what five years of seasonal retail in South Africa teaches you: how people shop for occasions, when they start looking, and what makes a gift feel considered rather than grabbed. The Village gets the benefit of that audience and that experience, and no creator pays to join it.

We started The Holiday Village after years of seeing just how much care goes into the work of small, independent makers — and how easily that work can still go unseen online. A beautiful product can be made with real skill and intention, then sit quietly because its maker does not have a huge storefront or audience behind them. We wanted to create a place where the person, the story and the little details remain visible.

How do I sell on The Holiday Village?

There is no joining fee and no monthly fee. You pay a success fee only when you make a sale, you’re paid within 7 business days of your customer receiving their order, and you’re free to keep selling in other places too. You set your own lead times, ship with the courier you already use, and can offer made-to-order and personalised work. Full terms are in the creator FAQ.

We look for people who make what they sell and care about the finish. See how selling works or apply for a stall. The Village doesn’t accept food or other perishable products.

Read more: How to sell handmade products online in South Africa

Frequently asked questions

What is The Holiday Village?

The Holiday Village (theholidayvillage.co.za) is a curated South African online marketplace for handmade and small-batch products from local creators, including jewellery, Christmas and Halloween décor, ceramics, macramé and children’s craft kits. It was started by The Holiday Shop, a KwaZulu-Natal seasonal décor business founded in 2021.

How much do handmade gifts cost on The Holiday Village?

Handmade gifts on The Holiday Village start at R35. At the time of writing, children’s plaster art kits cost R35–R90, handmade Christmas ornaments R58–R279, Halloween décor R59–R249, polymer clay earrings R110–R210, themed craft kits R200, hand-poured candles R220–R320, and handmade jewellery from Willow and Pearl R249–R499. Each South African creator sets their own prices.

Is The Holiday Village free for sellers?

Yes. The Holiday Village charges South African creators no joining fee and no monthly fee. Creators pay a success fee only when a product sells, and are paid within 7 business days of the customer receiving the order.

Why do I get separate parcels when I order from The Holiday Village?

Each creator on The Holiday Village packs and ships their own products directly, so an order from three creators arrives as three parcels. Each product page shows whether the item is ready to ship or made to order, along with the creator’s turnaround time.

When should I order handmade Christmas gifts in South Africa?

Order made-to-order and personalised handmade gifts in November. December is peak summer and peak courier season in South Africa, and parcels slow down in the two weeks before Christmas. Ready-to-ship pieces on The Holiday Village can be ordered later, but earlier is safer.

Come and meet the makers

The Holiday Village puts South African creators’ names back on their work, so you know exactly where the gift you’re giving came from.

Meet the creators, browse the Village, and if you make beautiful things yourself, come and join us. Welcome to The Holiday Village.