Our Story
Welcome to Bethlehem Baubles!
Whilst living in Jerusalem from 2008 to 2011, I was drawn to Palestine but saddened by the lack of opportunities available to many local communities, particularly those in Hebron and Bethlehem. Christmas decorations made in Bethlehem seemed an obvious and simple way of creating regular employment and tapped into their own ancient glassblowing tradition in Hebron.
Right from the beginning it was important that this became a sustainable project that would provide ongoing income for workers. We have achieved this by changing our designs every year so that loyal customers can add to their Bethlehem Baubles collection.
We are now selling thousands of bauble boxes every year and as you will guess, more baubles = more Palestinian jobs which which the whole purpose of this venture!
In the early days, we faced many challenges not least with packaging. It’s amazing how something so simple can be quite complex to get right. Initial breakages soon became a thing of the past with our new box design that ensures the safe arrival of each bauble. This improvement has been a great success. Shops love the easy display of the boxes and our customers like keeping each bauble safe. They are blown to last and the boxes help that happen.
Most of the glass we use is recycled – we are so pleased with that. Old bottles and window panes are all smashed up to make our decorations which are heavier than other Christmas decorations – they even bounce on carpet!
Over the years, we have gathered together some wonderful supporters who are passionate about helping Palestine. With their support, we will keep expanding our reach across the UK, Europe, and the US knowing that every bauble we sell makes a difference to the lives of both Christian and Muslim communities in Palestine.
We owe our success to our dear friend Suzan Sahori and her incredible team at Bethlehem Fair Trade Artisans. Their dedication and hard work in managing the workers and logistics have been instrumental in making this project a success.
We are also grateful for the support of our trade suppliers, many of whom have been with us for years. Their beautiful shops help market Bethlehem Baubles and broaden our audience.
As much as possible, we strive to have everything made in Palestine. Our leaflets and boxes are printed there, and Bethlehem Express handles the shipping logistics through Israel to Ashdod port. We always try to avoid airfreight.
Here in the UK, Alison and I focus on telling everyone who will listen about Bethlehem Baubles! We attend dozens of fairs in the lead up to Christmas and manage all the online sales via our website and newsletter. Charlie assists us with all the website technicalities whilst Miranda manages our social media presence. Together, we form a committed and enthusiastic team with a common goal of selling these small Christmas decorations all around the world and by doing so, supporting the people who live where the story of Christmas begins.
SUPPORTING LOCAL COMMUNITIES
Handblown by Muslims - Painted by Christians - Shipped by Israel
