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Christmas is upon us! So are Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and other lovely (and a few creepy) winter celebrations around the world. For many of these, gifts are traditionally exchanged. If you’re looking for an alternative to the Black Friday, Cyber Monday madness, we have a few data sets we’d suggest.

In this most modern world, how might one shop? Online, from one of the same two or three gigantic warehouses? In person, at your manic local mall, keeping in mind the American football truism “low man wins” as you battle for leverage in the crowded aisles? 

Instead, why not find more creative and unique gifts this year? Pull on your stocking cap and zip up your fleece vest, lace up your boots, whip your scarf stylishly about you, and enter the nighttime outdoor Snowflake Holiday Market. (Depending on where you live, you might want to come clad in a tank top and jorts instead.) 

Please note that each of the offerings you see hung from the booths or stacked on the shelves are described in detail in the marketplace inventory listings. If you, or your giftees are interested in accessing the data, and don’t already have a Snowflake account, you can create a trial Snowflake account. Many of the vendors are happy to see you play with their data. Why else would they gather it? 

All clear? OK. Now, grab yourself a mug of Gluehwein (or, again, maybe a big plastic cup full of iced rosé, we don’t judge) and stroll about, poking around in the various booths full of magical data sets and chatting with the lovely nerds and quirky individuals who staff them. 

The magic of the season awaits. 

The first booth, just past the hot cauldron full of mulled wine, is tended by shopkeeper Engelfried and sells energy data. Given the situation in Europe, energy is of even greater importance than usual. As Engelfried will tell you, the International Energy Agency calls our current energy moment both a global crisis and an opportunity to transition to a more sustainable recipe for the world’s energy needs. 

Energy 

Follow up on energy by visiting Gozhilt’s lovely booth, festooned with environmental, social, and governance data. As she will underline, any change must take into account that we are people, and so our human needs and the way we organize our countries is not inconsequential. The CFA Institute notes that investors find ESG to be an increasingly important factor in what they do. Plus, Gozhilt always sticks in a couple of chocolates with every data purchase. 

Environmental, social, and governance 

Now we’re having fun. Speaking of which, in the next stall Donarpreht focuses on something you seem likely to care about: data for good. Donarpreht makes the case for data for good being not a tacked-on charitable undertaking, but rather an integral element of all our work. With increased political and climate instability, he calls data for good “a backbone,” something that enables us to stand up straight and make progress. These offerings provide insights useful in working toward employment opportunities, social justice, equitable healthcare, and more. Additionally, check out nonprofits that help people learn how to integrate data know-how into their lives, such as The Data Literacy Foundation and Data 4 Good.

Data for good

In this next booth, Hilticoma’s got every medicine developed since Galen’s time in ancient Rome, and every healthcare strategy since Florence Nightingale in the Crimean War. Have a look around. Dig into public health, payment systems, and global trends. If you’re running low on Gluehwein, Hilty’s got her own bubbling bucket in the back, so dip in. (But, you know, don’t go bananas. This is a health booth after all.) 

Healthcare and life sciences

Over on the edge of the marketplace, and yet with a connection to every other booth here, is my buddy Funtan. Funtan’s got stacks on stacks on stacks on stacks. Everything we do, he says, is connected to money—to currency, conversion, economics, capital, investment, and so on. This data could help your loved ones follow the money (or perhaps make more of it). 

Finance services

Speaking of economics, for most of us the place we most often intersect the world of cash money is in buying what we need. Retail. Rihhilt for Retail is the name of this booth, and Rihhilt knows her retail, from supply chains to gold chains, from warehouse locations to tropical vacations. 

Retail and consumer packaged goods

It’s possible that the only element that penetrates both more widely and deeper than retail is media. It’s everywhere all the time, according to our media man, Maorolf. 

Media 

We’ve reached the end of the Snowflake Holiday Market. Or have we? The night’s deepened. The stars have brightened. But before we stack our mugs and start showing a few Thüringer Rostbratwurst who’s boss, you have to look at the odds and ends booth. Muotrih’s shadowy stall is a sort of curiosity shop, where looking is its own reward.

Miscellaneous 

Some people love to shop. Others, well, not so much. But who doesn’t love to stroll about, hot wine in hand, loved ones and neighbors milling about, choirs and quartets and lights and candles filling the night with music and light? We hope you take that home, along with the kind of data that makes your life and learning richer? We’re awfully happy you stopped by.

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Originally posted on December 1, 2022 @ 6:42 am