The Aldeias do Xisto will be present at the Porto Christmas Village, the Premier indoor Christmas entertainment space in the city of Porto, which will take place at the Alfândega do Porto from 24 November to 30 December.

If you like to offer unique and genuine Christmas gifts, which are full of personality, our stand is the ideal destination for you. It is there that you can find exclusive contemporary handicrafts made by a group of artists who represent some of the most innovative craft languages in Portugal. From ceramics to wood, textiles to glass, jewellery to paper, utilitarian or decorative, traditional or reinventing the canons, the aspects worked on involving the mastery of these experienced artists have already been in evidence in projects such as  Água Musa, L4Craft or Agricultura Lusitana. 
 

In addition to the exhibition and sale of pieces, the artists will share their art and knowledge with the public in various workshops:

• Playing with Vernacular Architecture: Construction of Miniature Schist Houses
  Kerstin Thomas
  24 November
  
  In the Aldeia do Xisto of Cerdeira no two houses are alike. In this workshop, participants will design a miniature schist house and  discover the standards and rules for these constructions.
   
• Around the Potter’s Wheel
  Alberto Azevedo, Projecto A2
  1 December
  
  This workshop is  a sensorial experience consisting of the magical and plastic transformation of matter into different shapes, using only your hands and their positioning.
   
• Try Using a Handloom
  Sónia Latado, Casa das Tecedeiras
  8 December
  
  Wool, linen and rags are the raw materials that are worked on the looms of the Casa das Tecedeiras , creating original handicrafts. Here, visitors have the opportunity to experience and understand how a handloom works.
   
• Objetos Improváveis: Wooden Toy Workshop
  Nuno Alves
  15 December
  
  Based on the concepts applied to the creation of utilitarian and decorative handicraft objects, Nuno Alves will guide participants in how to make wooden animals, such as sheep or owls.
   
• Painting a New Year’s Postcard Tile
  Cristina Vilarinho, Project A2
  29 December
  
  Create a simple design and transfer it to the tile to be painted with water-based paints. This is the mission for those who enrol in this workshop. The tiles are then baked and can be  picked up at the A2 Projecto’s atelier in  Guimarães, or sent by post.

Participation is free of charge and limited to 10 people, aged 6 and over, so it is advisable to register at the Aldeias do Xisto stand. The workshops run from 4pm to 6pm, except for Try a Handloom, which runs from 2pm to 4pm

The programme also includes a tasting of local products, on 22 December, in which the Flavours of the Village will be spotlighted.

We have also given you yet another reason to visit us, which is an exclusive promotion to buy 2 nights for 2people in a rural tourism establishment in the Aldeias do Xisto for only €100.
 

The craftspeople

Kerstin Thomas

He lives in the mountain village of Cerdeira where he has had his own atelier since 1990. His works in the field of wooden sculpture involve various means of working which, however, have in common the preference for native woods and his sense of humour which is almost always to be found.
 

Projecto A2: Cristina Vilarinho and Alberto Azevedo

The Projecto A2  consists of artisan-designers who express their way of seeing, feeling and relating to the world around them through ceramics. Contemporary and classic tiles, modelling and pottery in different materials such as porcelain and sandstone, ceramic murals, as well as illustration and serigraphy, are aspects present in its work. Versatility is one of the key characteristics of this atelier.
 

Weaver's House: Sónia Latado

At the Casa das Tecedeiras (Weavers’ House), in Janeiro de Cima, the linen tradition is reinvented on a daily basis, with a focus on modern design pieces, ranging from clothing and fashion accessories to household linen and decorative pieces.  This space functions as a shop and an exhibition centre, where visitors learn about the linen cycle and use an antique loom.

Nuno Alves

It produces handcrafted, utilitarian and decorative objects, applying design processes and methodologies to traditional knowledge and techniques, based on regional references and environmental concerns. He is the mentor of the Officina Objetos Improváveis Workshop. 
 

António Fernandes

António Fernandes finds the raw material for his work in nature – trunks and pieces of wood that time has shaped with the marks of its passing. They are chosen for their natural shapes, which can suggest potential figures or objects, and then sculpted into the final piece.
 

The Porto Christmas Village is a  new Christmas experience for the whole family in which the  Toy Factory, the indispensable Ice Rink and  games and experiences,  such as the virtual reality snowball battle, promise to make the whole family smile.

The Christmas Market, workshops, the restaurant area with the traditional flavours of the season and the Wine Bar are other attractions that this location offers.

There are plenty of reasons to join us in this pioneering event that combines tradition and modernity in the magnificent setting of the Historic Centre of Porto.

All the information about this event can be found here. You can also obtain further information by calling +351 913 011 211 or by sending an email to info@portochristmasvillage.com.