As Amazon and a whole host of others try and tempt us into purchasing more stuff in this week’s pre-Christmas orgy of unsustainable consumerism, East London’s makers and eco-minded start-ups offer plenty of great alternatives, so there’s really no excuse.

Over at The Lab E20, join local artist Hannah Wild (pictured above) as she holds a workshop on The Art of Repurposing tomorrow night, Thurs 28th Nov.

Read all about Hannah’s work in Hackney Wick and book a ticket. Alongside her you can make decorations out of discarded items, drink and chat at Meditations on Trash Christmas Edition, or join the Raeburn & Reskinned anti-Black Friday event, panel discussions and reworked clothing sample sale happing on this Friday or Saturday, all info and tickets here.

Realistically, we all have plenty of increasingly inescapable tech needs, so why not turn that into a festive gift opportunity for the youngsters in your life, that’s also educational? Mainyard based start-up Team Repair offer a brilliant initiative to help change young people’s relationship to tech and e-waste - a subscription service that encourages them to open up and fix gadgets, rather than bin them.

Read all about it, but hurry, as there’s only one week left to order a Team Repair at-home subscription in time for Christmas.

Meanwhile, Fibrelab, the locally-based textile recycling pioneers are running a consciously curated two-day Xmas pop-up down at Nobu Hotel in Shoreditch this weekend, 30th Nov-1st Dec.

It’s a celebration of innovation in sustainability and artisanship, with loads of ideas for low waste gifting, plus workshops where you can make upcycled origami ornaments or ’furoshiki’ gift wrap, made from beautifully dyed discarded Nobu Hotel linens.

🎄 Urban Food Fest’s Christmas Fete will get you into the seasonal spirit all along Victory Parade in East Village tomorrow, Thurs, 28th Nov, with global bites, local makers’ stalls, free kids workshops, live music and entertainment.

🎄 There's a traditional Frost Fair over at Cody Dock with a makers market, live music and more all afternoon this Sat 30th Nov.

🎄 Meet talented ceramicists and discover their various charming mugs, stunning pots and other unique gifts at the Ceramics Makers Market this weekend, 30th Nov & 1st Dec at Cone8 studios.

🎄The Barge East Christmas Tree Shop is back in business daily with a selection of sustainable-sourced trees from 3ft up to 8ft tall. The Wick readers can currently get £5 off a pre-order using the code: TREES5 at the online checkout until Fri 30th Nov.

🎄Barge East is also the spot for three consecutive weekend Wick Wonderland Christmas markets featuring gifts and treats in their twinkling canal-side gardens, the first of which takes place Dec 7th-8th.

🎄More top quality trees, plus mulled wine and occasional festive DJ set mashups are promised at Hackney Wickmas, popping-up again this year at Hackney Bridge.

🎄 Inky Fingers gallery is having a Christmas studio sale with art by Olly Fowler, Hackney Dave, Ricky Byrne and Natasha Searston from less than £50 up to £200 on Sat 7th Dec.

🎄The annual Bow Road Winter Market is back Sun 8th Dec at Bow Arts Nunnery Gallery offering unique gifts and art created by their community, plus drop-in card-making workshops for families.

🎄 On Thurs 12th Dec (5-8pm) Here East Canalside will be hosting an evening of festive cheer, with carolling around the tree, live performances, market stalls and a selection of seasonal food, mulled wine, hot drinks and bites from all the waterfront retailers.

🎄Fish Island’s London Centre for Book Arts will be throwing open the doors for Winter Open Studio at LCBA (more details to follow) on Sat 14th Dec, with festive print demos, an exhibition, a book launch and more.

🎄 National operator The Big Market have been running Sunday afternoon events since the spring at Riverside East, which means that The Big Xmas Market should be well worth checking out on Sun 15th Dec. Expect 25 local traders offering everything from plants to ceramics and vintage clothes to vinyl, plus DJs, roasts and festive film screenings from Whitechapel’s Genesis Cinema on the big screen, too.

🎄The Eco Fairs Winter Market is a two-day celebration of handmade and eco-friendly items from 20 local sustainable brands each day, from fashion to ceramics, jewellery to homeware, and more. 21st & 22nd Dec at Indra Studios on Casings Way.

🥂 The Yard Theatre’s Xmas show, Séayoncé Perky Nativititties sees our heroine land her big break—a live TV Christmas special—so think she’s finally made it and left those cabaret basements for good. But suddenly, just as the cameras start rolling, Christmas magic hijacks everyone’s favourite medium from her own festive frolics. Runs 4th - 21st Dec.

✝️ God Willing is a new group show opening at Mainyard’s Shipton Gallery on Fri 6th Dec, exploring the pursuit of the divine in the digital age, with art from Chelsey Zi Wang, Daddy Bears, Ariane Heloise Hughes, Lily Bloom, Ronnie Danaher, Dyke Viagra, M Lissoni, Georgia Somerville, and Marta Burhan.

🎨 The latest show at Two More Years is from visual artist and workshop facilitator Beth Cockcroft, using analogue techniques, scrap paper, foraged materials, intuitive drawing and big walks to explore the interlocking ancient roots that connect nature and the local landscape with folklore, shared experience, past trauma and our inner worlds. Until 17th Dec.

👗Indra Gallery are hosting a one-day-only pop-up sale of AW/24 and archival stock from clothing brand lahoS this Saturday, 30th Nov 12-7pm.

Original family rave instigators Big Fish Little Fish are throwing a Christmas Rave at Colour Factory on Sat 14th Dec with great dance music from DJs Baker & Beale, plus a dancefloor filled with bubbles, balloons, a snow machine and assorted play activities. There's a bar for the adults, face-painters, buggy parking and baby change facilities too.

🎤 It's Wednesday Open Mic night tonight (27th) at Fabwick with a £200 prize up for grabs and £5 beers to oil the wheels. Be there by 7.30pm to ensure your slot - the audience will vote for the ultimate winner, so bring all ‘yer mates, too.

👯 Pay what you can at the final Queer Edge LIVE of the year, the monthly night, back this evening Wed 27th Nov. at Nico’s, celebrating the talent of local queer artists, whilst providing another cute hangout for the local LGBTQ+ community.

👘 Howling Hops Tank Bar as hosting an ugly Christmas jumper party on Fri Dec 6th with beer prizes for the best/worst dressed and £5 pints for those in jumpers (or if you mention The Wick!) They are also collecting donations for the Hackney Food Bank, so bring what you can.

🦃 There’s a full-on American-style Thanksgiving party, with a Johnny Cash tribute act, at The Lord Napier Star this Thurs 28th Nov. Kitchen residents Red Dog will bring the hickory wood-smoked Texan BBQ menu for maximum taste authenticity, too.

🎋 Try your hand at wreath-making at Ælfred on Sat 7th Dec as the local Nordic vintage furniture shop gets festive with the help of Abby from Little Natures Florist.

🍯 Or shard, design and paint your own ornaments at Cone8 Ceramics Jingle All The Clay pottery workshops, this Friday, 29th Nov and every Friday until Xmas.

👩‍🎨 Applications are open to take part in Arbor 2: a programme aiming to create meaningful collaborations between artists, researchers, and communities with interest in or experience of dementia. UCL are looking for 20 artists to take part in the initial stage of the knowledge exchange programme, which starts with a mixer event giving artists and researchers a chance to connect, exchange ideas, and spark a future collaboration. Apply by 17th Jan.

✨ The CoSTAR Foresight Lab based at the Loughborough University London campus at Here East are looking for a part time Research Administrator. It’s an ideal opportunity for anyone looking to gain skills and experience in the world of policy, creative industries and creative technologies. Apply by 12th Dec.

📢 The LLDC are currently looking to fill the role of Communications Manager for The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, working on a proactive digital and social comms strategy at an exciting moment n the history of the Park. Applications by end of the day today, 27th Nov.

💷 LLDC are also seeking a Head of Procurement to lead ensure the effective delivery of all procurement activity for the Corporation and compliance with relevant codes and legislation. Apply by 28th Nov.