Christmas is almost here. It’s so close that I can smell the pine cones and nutmeg, but for some reason, every year I wait until the very last minute to buy presents. For fellow last minute shoppers, the next Farm to Neighbors (F2N) is your last chance to pick up Beijing’s artisan crafts in time for Christmas.

F2N partners with Beijing Kerry Center to host this year’s Christmas market on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. F2N is a community platform dedicated to promoting sustainable lifestyles and green vegetable consumption. Aside from vendors, F2N is where you can go to find out all about recycling in Beijing as well as where the recycled products go, what they’re used for, and even purchase some cool apparel made from recycled plastic. It’s a market that brings together the local community to share a select group of organic vegetable vendors combining a low-packaging, low-waste system with handmade gifts, jewelry, crafts, and art.

Head over for some farm fresh fruits and veggies, freshly baked bread, and cakes for your Christmas Eve home dinner or snag some last minute gifts by Beijing’s Christmas market veteran Liuba Draws. Her watercolors capture the vibe of local Beijing life and are one of my all-time-favorite gifts for friends and family back home.

Enjoy healthy, guilt-free shopping.

Free. Dec 23 – 24 from 11.00 am -7.00 pm
Beijing Kerry Center
3/F Beijing Kerry Center, North Tower 1 Guanghua Lu Chaoyang District 朝阳区 朝阳区光华路1号

When I arrived in Beijing two years ago, I had a “small corner” that was my safe space. I’d rather not venture out of the places where I felt safe: Solana Mall and the Grand Summit in Liangmaqiao where small corners have pleasant toilets and a western feel about them.

I have since ventured out through the whole of Beijing and now know many fun spots but always go back to the Grand Summit, especially in the weekend as the Farm2Neighbors (F2N) Farmers Market is located in the basement. I was so happy the first time I ran into this market and became even more excited to see affordable dirty vegetables and coconut oil. I also was happy that Beijing had a market scene, with makers and growers who take time to take their wear and sell it each weekend.

F2N Market was founded in July 2014 in the hutong and moved to the Grand Summit in 2015. And this means that they will celebrate their fourth birthday this weekend with over 55 vendors and more happenings like lucky draws, a music show, and cake-sharing.

We spoke with the organizers of F2M Market and they explained more about their mission.

F2N is a community platform dedicated to promoting sustainable lifestyle and green consumption. We do this by organizing farmers’ markets to provide the public with experience in sustainable farming, food innovation, original handcraft and eco-friendly living, building connection between local producers and consumers that allows more people to enjoy a lifestyle that is better for our health, society and the environment.

Photos: Courtesy of F2N Market