By the way, did you ever notice that anything billed as a "great" gift, isn't? Anyway, it won't bring Gourmet back, but you'd be on the right side of paper publishing to support these folks.

I also went to the 3rd Ward craft fair in Williamsburg where you could learn to build an iPod pirate radio transmitter or buy one already made. (I bought a Japanese apron, two letterpress cards, a dozen chocolate-clove cookies, a necklace with a cast almond at the end, a hand-embroidered baby shirt, and a three-week class in pewter casting so I can cast my own almonds.) 3rd Ward operates out of two locations in Williamsburg and contains in it photo studios, wood and metal shops, work space, a media lab, a gallery, and classes ranging from bookbinding to circuit-hacking to building your own loft to silversmithing—all the things those spoiled Gen-Yers didn't learn from their parents. Why, now with all this crafting going on, doesn't someone organize a barter system whereby you trade useful (or frivolous) goods and services for other goods and services? All this lone urban crafting is taking on a Cuckoo's Nest kind of vibe, don't you think? But without the macaroni-and-glue sculptures.

Speaking of holiday craft fairs, my all-time favorite indie craft market is the Renegade Craft Fair (in Brooklyn during the summer), which—if you happen to be in San Francisco this weekend—is having a special holiday market all weekend. Closer to home is the Brooklyn Lyceum Craft Market and, of course, Brooklyn Flea. Last weekend I fought my way through the market at Columbus Circle, which is up every day till Christmas and was especially good followed by a hot beverage across the street at Bouchon Bakery. But really, how many hand-knitted dinosaur caps does a person really need?