What does it cost?

No more than what you would already be spending on a holiday gift! Which is why, even as a cheapskate, I urge you to buy handmade gifts from independent artists this holiday season. No one says it better than the illustrious, articulate Krista (who also happens to be my roommate and fellow designer) on the Astoria Craft Collective blog.

You might think that I am posting about independent artists on this blog as a shameless plug for our (and many others throughout the NYC area!) Handmade Holiday gift market on December 2. And you would be right! But that's just half of it- the other half is that I truly believe that nothing says "I love you" or "Merry Christmas/Happy Chanukkah/Kwanzaa/insert-holiday-here" or even "I think I can stand the sight of you for one more year" better than something beautifully AND lovingly made by starving artists following their dreams. One of a kind items ensure that your girlfriend's roommate will forever be jealous she can't have the same lovely earrings (and that her boyfriend didn't care enough to venture outside of Hallmark), and your sister will never have the embarrassing problem of seeing her dumb high school friends in the same outfit. Not to mention that you would be helping support the aforementioned starving artists (what's the holiday spirit without a little charitable giving?). In all seriousness, I think when someone loves what they do, it is truly reflected in their work- and in some kind of karmic way, your handmade gift is infused with that.

Even though I haven't mentioned the word Free! yet, I think this is a fitting topic to blog about because purchasing from independent artists costs no more than getting something from your local strip mall or The Gap. Check out Etsy.com for proof that handmade can be had for under $10, even under $5! And you will most certainly get brownie points (and who knows what else... mistletoe anyone?) for thoughtfulness. Which is more than you can say for the giver of that Target gift card.