If youre among the many who love the warmth of wood, next weekend brings a must-do holiday shopping event from the San Diego Fine Woodworkers Association.

The SDFWAs annual holiday gift sale, which features pieces handcrafted by San Diegos growing community of woodworkers, will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 22 and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 23 at its member shop, 5360 Eastgate Mall in the Miramar area. There is ample free parking.

The 2024 sale will include more than 2,400 pieces on display, with around 30 percent more items available for purchase than last year, according to organizers. Pieces range from decorative reindeer and specialty wood holiday trees to jewelry, to serving items such as salt-and-pepper shakers, bowls, and cutting and serving boards.

Cutting boards and other items from a previous holiday gift sale for the San Diego Fine Woodworkers Association. (Tom York)

The SDFWA is one of the largest woodworking clubs in the U.S., with close to 1,300 members. It is the same organization that presents the national, juried Design in Wood exhibition each summer at the San Diego County Fair, where hundreds of entries from across the country showcase jaw-dropping artistry in a range of categories.

The yearly holiday gift sale offers an opportunity to bring a taste of that workmanship home and highlights a larger story as increasing numbers of residents from San Diego take up woodworking as a creative outlet.

“We’ve seen more women joining, as well as young members, and people of all backgrounds,” said Gary Anderson, incoming president of the SDFWA. “In fact, more than 40% of the new members are women. Members of San Diego’s military community are also well represented.”

Jigsaw puzzled crafted in preparation for a holiday gift sale for the San Diego Fine Woodworkers Association. (Tom York)

Proceeds from the sale help fund the club’s 7,000-square-foot member shop in the Miramar area and go toward supporting skill-building classes for members in all aspects of woodworking.

The SDFWA is an all-volunteer group, with member volunteers running all aspects of the shop, including teaching classes, maintaining machines, supervising shop operations and administration.

For more information, visit sdfwa.org.

Serveware and holiday decor at a previous holiday gift sale for the San Diego Fine Woodworkers Association. (Tom York)