At first glance, supporting fair trade and supporting local business can seem like two opposite endeavors. After all, fair trade goods are generally brought into the US from faraway countries, while local goods are, hopefully, made by your neighbors. But the two movements have one critical goal in common: Making sure that the person who made a product gets a good share of the money you spent buying it.

To that end, local, fair trade and alternative holiday shopping fairs are popping up everywhere -- along with alternative gift fairs, which encourages you to make a donation to a charity in a would-be gift recipient's name instead of buying a physical gift. A few upcoming events around the US:

* A "sidewalk sale" featuring fair-trade holiday gifts from around the world happens at the Chico Peace and Justice Center, Calif. on Friday.

* An Alternative Gift Fair that allows people to give donations to charities like Heifer International and Sierra Club in giftee's names happens at the Carbondale Civic Center, Ill. on Sun., Dec. 2.

* An International Marketplace featuring fair trade jewelry, baskets, coffee, ornaments, food and more happens at Lafayette Christian Church, Calif., on Sun., Dec. 2.

* Boston's 5th annual Alternative Gift Fair, Gift it Up!, happens at the River of Life Church on Sat., Dec. 1.

So find out when and where a fair or festival's happening near you! They can be a lot of fun, as Sarah of Looking In demonstrates via her picture-illustrated post about the Harvest and Fair Trade festival in Chicago. pocketina of DIY, not DIE found some great "gifts" at the annual alternative gift fair near her. Hopinion of A Dose of Hope hopes to do the same this year.

Look into the fairs now though -- A lot of them are happening really soon, and some have already passed! Many -- including a Fair Trade Festival in White Plains, NY, an Alternative Christmas fair in Petoskey, Mich., and a Fair Trade Holiday Market in Lawrence, Kansas, all happened over the weekend --

Photo courtesy of Global Exchange Fair Trade Store

BlogHer Contributing Editor Siel also blogs for the Los Angeles Times at Emerald City, and at greenLAgirl.com.