As Christmas is meant to be a time of peace on Earth, the Gifts of the World shop in Schaumburg is always there to provide a little global perspective for the season.

The shop offers fair trade artwork to help eradicate poverty and spread compassion around the world. All items at the shop are fair trade and proceeds benefit the artisans to develop their businesses and co-ops.

Purchasing items in the shop helps support artisans in countries and communities that lack what Americans would recognize as the bare essentials: clean water, roads, and access to public education. Just $1,200 in sales is a living wage for an artisan in his or her country, where they normally live on only a dollar or two a day.

Gifts of the World features many different Nativities and ornaments that are made by artisans in Peru, Haiti, Kenya, Bangladesh, Vietnam and many more developing countries. The materials used are often recycled such as cut metal from recycled oil drums in Haiti, recycled newspaper, pop bottle tops, banana bark and other natural fibers, gourds and coconut shells.

Gifts of the World also features handmade jewelry, scarves, home decor, pottery, sculptures, artwork, coffee, tea, chocolate, Amish items and more. Products are purchased from fair trade organizations Ten Thousand Villages and Serrv. The shop is run entirely by volunteers.

There will be a special Holiday Open House from 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17. The Open House event will feature free coffee and samples of chocolate, Amish peanut butter, apple butter and strawberry-rhubarb butter.

During the month of December, shoppers receive a free handmade ornament with purchase. With each purchase, they can also enter a drawing for a gift basket.

Gifts of the World is at 888 S. Roselle Road, in Schaumburg, in the house in front of Christ Community Mennonite Church. Holiday hours are: 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, before reverting back to Thursday through Saturday in January.

Call (847) 895-3676 or go to www.ccmc888.com.