HOWZAT

E IS FOR ELVAS PLUMS

www.portugalregional.pt

This site, selling specialities from every region of Portugal, often ships to the UK. Elvas plums, or Ameixas d’Elvas, are an ancient speciality from the north Alentejo and were originally produced by convents for the wealthy (£5-£27). Also from Alentejo are colourful handmade plates (£38); the site’s bestselling fig liquor (£5) comes from the mountains next to the Algarve; while fig “cheese” (£2) is actually a dried fig, almond, cinnamon, chocolate and herb sweet. Shipping costs depend on weight.

F IS FOR FRYD JEWELLERY

www.norwayshop.com

Handmade in Norway, Fryd jewellery has a simple flower motif and is one of many typically Norwegian products on this Oslo-based site. The range includes steel or rubber “neclets” (£65-£104), adjustable rings (£49-£77), and earrings (£32). It also sells traditional sweaters (£100 for a unisex cardigan), but some painted bellows (£69) to get the Christmas fire blazing would be a more unusual gift, as would a 100%-wool blanket (£37-£124 — look under Plaids). Free shipping on sweaters ordered today, otherwise from £12; 15-day exchanges for December/January orders.

G IS FOR GRASS BOWLS

www.apieceofafrica.co.za

Based in Lonehill, South Africa, this is one of the better-designed African sites and it displays products in thumbnail photos. The grass bowls (£5-£19) and plates (£5) would make cheerful presents, as would the charming and colourful hand-painted children’s puzzles, featuring giraffes, zebras, lions and so on (£4 each). They do not look very different from similar puzzles sold here, but all these are signed by the local craftsmen. Delivery takes 3-4 weeks by airmail, or 5-7 weeks by boat; there is a no-time-limit, 100% money-back guarantee.

H IS FOR HUTTENGLAS

www.designer-glas.de

Huttenglas is German for metallurgical glass, a heavy material good for special handcrafted work. Michal Novak, the sales manager, explains in broken English: “How is the glass producing is kind of family secret and every factory use a different way to do it.” He does not elaborate on his own factory’s speciality, but it sells distinctive 21in plates, mainly in blue (£171, shipping £7). A sister site, www.crystal-lustres.com, sells lead-crystal chandeliers: the type the crowned heads of Europe might once have danced under (£103-£720, shipping £7). Ten-day refunds (minus return shipping).

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