Lemondrop

It's 35 degrees, and the line is around the block at the BUST magazine Holiday Craftacular in New York City -- the sidewalk an infinite sea of women in colorful crochet berets, scarves, wraps and hipster T-shirts.

The BUST Craftacular is the cool grandma of all craft fairs. People travel from all over the country to attend this mega-hip gathering of the greatest crafters our country has to offer.

A super-cool DJ spun tunes, and I spent all sorts of money that I shouldn't be spending, considering that I haven't worked in a year. I couldn't help myself -- everything was so awesome and reasonably priced. I could have easily spent a lot more money if I had it. It was like a nerdy-crafty-cool-hip feeding frenzy.



If you're looking for unique holiday gifts for your friends and family, you need to find a craft fair. The DIY movement has really come full swing, and you will find the perfect gifts for everyone in your family.

You'll have to find a craft fair in your area because the Craftacular has come and gone, but make sure to mark your calendars for next year!

I saw everything: hats, jewelry, T-shirts, baby clothes, toys, books, zines, food, greetings cards, stickers, buttons, ornaments, knitted and crocheted items, and even a small herd of dogs from local shelters available for adoption.

I spent some time talking to the lovely and talented author Ayun Halliday. Her handwritten zine, books and column in BUST chronicle the lives of her children, making her one of the coolest alternative moms in history. She's also an awesome gal who let me rest my weary feet in a chair in her booth.

What is it about crafts that make so many of us melt inside? As for me, I grew up on a farm and was surrounded by handmade ornaments and clothing. I find crafts to be extremely comforting. In a world where computers are smaller than a pantyliner and faster than a premature ejaculator, it's just nice to know that you can still make a dollhouse out of a cardboard box and that some girl will have fun playing with it.

Note for men: If you're a guy looking for a cute, quirky, craft-loving gal to spend the holidays with, a craft fair is the place to go. Crafts are like chum to alternative girls. Just throw a bucket of ornaments on the floor and grab the first girl who bends over to pick one up.