Once the candy from the Halloween bowls is steadily replaced with crumpled, sweetly scented wrappers, then the panic of holiday shopping falls over the cities in a haze. Organizations across the Twin Cities aim to ease the task of gifting and support local makers with events focused on handmade goods.

Some such events have already kicked off. The MN Christmas Market hosted by VOICE, an online marketplace focused on socially-minded products, took place at Lake Monster Brewing Company on Nov. 11.

The event hosted a variety of 25 different makers with a focus on giving back. A 7% cut of all profits went towards kid-focused charities: The Reel Hope Project, The Sheridan Story, and Urban Ventures.

“The holidays seems to be a time when people remember that there are kids out there that deserve more,” Becky Sturm, co-founder of the event, said. “There’s something about the wonder and magic of the holidays and the longing for all kids to have strong families that comes to the surface during this time of year.”

This event isn’t the only partnership between a brewery and crafters. In fact, Lakes & Legends, another brewing company, are co-hosting a line-up of maker-focused shopping events through Nov. and into Dec.

“We’ve been working with Minneapolis Craft Market since we opened in December 2015, and we love hosting all the local crafters and makers,” Ethan Applen, CEO of Lakes & Legends, said. “We are always driven by a focus on ‘local’ and The North, and supporting local creators and connecting them with the people of our community helps us advance that mission.”

Each weekend event features 25 to 30 vendors with music, food and beer flowing.

“I love the event,” Applen said. “I get to see all the creativity that exists in our state and to meet the people making these great items, AND I end up getting all my holiday shopping done in one place with unique gifts!”

Handmade holiday markets co-hosted by Lakes & Legends Brewing Company and Minneapolis Craft Market will be hosted each weekend, the first three weeks of Dec. on Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Closer to home, Nov. 25 will see the Midway Holiday Pop-Up Shop which is hosted by the Hamline Midway Coalition, Celtic Junction Arts Center and Greg’s PC Repair and funded by several other organizations/businesses.

The event will feature up to 30 small businesses from around the Twin Cities alongside children’s activities, live music, and food sales to support the Music and Art Education fund at Hamline Elementary School.

The Midway Holiday Pop-Up Shop will run on Nov. 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Celtic Junction Arts Center.

If that event isn’t enough time to finish all the shopping, The Schmidt Holiday Market runs the 24 through the 26 at the Schmidt Artist Lofts. The event starts at 10 a.m. each day until 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.

These events are only the start of the holiday shopping spree that will overwhelm the Twin Cities as the winter months continue and more are to come moving into Dec.