MADE IN MZANSI

Check out this awesome range of local toys – they’re perfect to go under the tree

IS the season to be merry. Yet that festive cheer can quickly go out the window when you’re saddled with last-minute shopping and don’t have a clue what to get the little ones for Christmas. For many parents scrambling around packed shopping malls as It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year plays on loop will hopefully be a thing of the past.

These days more and more people are filling up their online shopping carts.

Covid-19 has changed the way we shop – but experts say it should also change what we buy. “By buying local we retain some of the jobs that have been shed over the past few months,” the Proudly South African initiative said in a statement.

The pandemic has had a devastating effect on the economy, with small businesses having felt the biggest impact.

If you buy a locally made product, chances are it will be original, unique, and more creative than the things you can get at a big store.

Christmas shopping can be overwhelming, so we’ve done some homework to lighten your load when it comes to buying gifts for the kids.

AFRICARS FOR KEEPS Price: the steel cars and wire-toys range from R300, depending on the make and model of mini-vehicle.

Based in Bloemfontein, Africars kicked off on a smaller scale as For Keeps Toys and developed into a bigger business as demand for quality steel cars and wire toys grew.

The families behind the business set out to make and sell handmade toys to address the unemployment in their community and create jobs for seasonal farm workers.

The toys were inspired by the wire cars made and sold by locals in their area. Africars then employed the men and modernised the design of the wire toys to create a range of 4X4s, bakkies, trucks, trailers and even steel caravans.

Orders and quotes can be processed via the website, which also has a list of stockists around the country. but it’s Mignonne who drives the business.

“She’s the one making and creating the unique pieces and putting her heart and soul into every stitch,” Olivia says. “My love for my mamma and how hard she’s working to make others smile keeps me motivated.”

The teepees come in a range of designs and colours and can also be custom-made to your specifications. They can be used either indoors or outdoors on a sunny day.