The 2014 Christian Retailing’s Best Awards program is now open for business. Vendors who wish to nominate gift products may submit their 2013 and backlist products for the 2014 awards during the Jan. 6-Feb. 24 nomination period.

Gift companies have the option of submitting in a dozen gift-related categories this year, including jewelry, wall décor, wedding and seasonal/holiday.

Divinity Boutique is aiming to create a greater social impact on the world through its products.

“Divinity is becoming a more socially aware company,” said Keith Schwartz, president of Divinity Boutique. “We are starting to change our entire business model so that everything we do as a company creates a social impact on the world.” 

Tallahassee, Fla.-based Coton Colors has recently entered Christian retail with its faith-based lines.

A designer and manufacturer of handcrafted, contemporary tabletop, creative giftware and versatile seasonal pieces inspired by the celebrations of life, Coton Colors has introduced Glass Ornament Collection and Religious line pieces to LifeWay Christian Stores.

Titles for 2014 from the relatively young Zondervan Gift division feature classics and major new releases.

“The line of books releasing in 2014 tell the story—with classics like Footprints and Streams in the Desert being released with modern, on–trend covers and interiors,” said Rebecca Warren, senior editor of Zondervan Gift who formerly worked with Penguin Books UK. “Major releases include the highly anticipated Praying Circles Around the Lives of Your Children by Mark Batterson and Oh, the Things You’ll Need, an ideal gift for the graduate.”

Abbey Press is launching a new microwave cake mug line, “My Cup Runneth Over,” available Jan. 15.

Each of the six 8-ounce stoneware mugs has a recipe printed on the outside for mixing and baking a personal-sized mug cake in the microwave in just a few minutes. Recipes are included for chocolate, coffee, banana, celebration, cinnamon roll and Irish coffee cakes.

P. Graham Dunn is inviting Christian retailers to its 14th Annual P. Graham Dunn Dealer Conference. Admission is free to the March 18-19 event on P. Graham Dunn’s Dalton, Ohio, campus.

The conference will include a sneak peak at P. Graham Dunn’s summer product release; the best discounts the company offers all year; a huge cash-and-carry sale featuring discounts on overstock product, factory seconds and discontinued product; informative, retail-focused seminars; and many giveaways of P. Graham Dunn product, fixtures, gift cards and more.

To register for the Dealer Conference, call 800-828-5260.

Munce Group is seeking to meet the needs of Christian retailers who are unfamiliar with the country’s largest gift mart with its new CPE at AmericasMart. The shorter-format CPE will be held in Atlanta, Wednesday, Jan. 8, in conjunction with The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market.

As the Jan. 7-14 show draws buyers from around the globe, visiting AmericasMart’s three multi-story buildings can be intimidating for newcomers. To offer guidance for how best to shop the show, Munce is hosting Christian retailers—not just Munce Group members—at AmericasMart.