I was very pleased to see this article. It's something that's on everyone' mind, and has been looming over me while I continue to work on pieces to sell. We are entering some scary times, and when that happens it's always better to stick together and try to make the best of it. Thanks for the article, and as the British say... Keep Buggering On!

Fantastic article! Supporting small and indie businesses is the very best way to assure economic recovery for Americans... not corporations. Thank you so much for posting!

We have already decided. What gifts we do buy this year will be handmade, from Etsy!

I love this! I will be buying lots and lots of gifts on etsy this year.

Such a good article, and so true. I have also decided already to buy all handmade as well as making my own gifts. There are so many great shops on etsy, and I want to support as many sellers as I can afford, as well as supply sellers!

I'm already buying gifts from Etsy sellers for any occasion and will continue to do so as long as I can.

I am in complete agreement! Handmade, either from fellow etsians or myself is what will be under my tree!!!

Love this article! Etsy has become my first stop for when I want/need something or am looking for gifts.

Great article Vanessa..I guess it's no secret that times are tight..it's more important than ever to spend those dollars on handcrafted items, which I plan on doing this holiday season!

thank you for the great article :)

Very timely article. Thanks for posting it.

We recently started a project called "The People's Bank" in direct response to our anger over this giveaway...ahem, bailout! When talking to people on the street last night, there was a lot of anger, resentment and fear, so we're not alone! Check out our buttons (we only have the first listed so far, but we'll have more in the next few days) about the bailout here: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15887105

It will definitely be a handmade Holiday for me this year, and what I don't make myself I will be buying here on Etsy, in fact I have already started.... shhhh don't tell my friends!

Bravo! Great supportive article! I'm linking it on my blog...

Great items... they say it all

Great article!!

Thanks to etsy staff and seasonal advice ... go etsy....let the season of bargains begin...I'll be bartering, buying from etsy and making gifts myself this year too!

Wonderful article and reminder. The economic crisis starting ballooning some time before the meltdown, and companies closed doors, employees with 20+ years seniority were being cut, restaurants that survived the Depression and Wall Street in 1987 have closed their doors, auto dealers in business since 1919 have closed their doors, etc. It's so sad. Instead of saving some (without any certainty that my bank won't be the next to fold) I've been buying on Etsy for the last month. Maybe too much, but I've been able to get fantastic items without breaking my piggy bank. I've always tried to make or give handmade items for gifts. IMO, it's alot more fun to hand select something that a talented person has used their special gift in making, and those are the types of gifts that, when I have been the recipient, mean more to me and are cherished, because to me they signify a special act of love in the making and the selection of the item to gift. The items you featured in this article are wonderful, also. I've been searching for the perfect something for a friend of mine who's an accountant - the Jacobs Ladder made from the cover of the Principles of Accounting is perfect! I bought some Monopoly stuff too from the listing next to it. That shop has Monopoly Property Deeds from 1954 - certainly a failsafe investment!

Great support for our community! I am honored for my little pillow to be included:) Thank you so much!

So, true! That's what I love about buying on Etsy: my money is going into the pockets of people like me, not corporations!

Etsy has such unique exciting shops and stuff to buy that I for one will be doing ALL my shopping here from now on! Go Etsy!!

Love the article Vanessa! It will defineately be an etsy holiday for my family this year! I want to support as many etsians as I can.

I totally agree. I feel good shopping on Etsy because I know where my money is going. Anyway Etsy has some of best jewelry around.

We are NOT entering scary times...we have been in scary times for months, probably for years up to this point. We've been distracted on purpose. Haven't people even noticed how vapid our news services tend to be. Ask yourself what has become "news" in the last few years. They never used to report crap about celebrities in rehab or any of the non-newsworthy items we are stuck with now. The real news can only be found online - if you know what to look for and on the radio on a few very select stations, considered somewhat radical or "democratic" in content. Air America, the voice of the Democratic Party is now considered radical. What a world.

love this very much !

yeah for the little girl or guy!

basketrybotanica, i agree 100%. it'a amazing how easily distracted from the important issues one becomes when in pursuit of $$$ and material goods. i try to buy on etsy as much as i can and offer free shipping in both my shops-as long as stuff doesn't weigh too much--hey, a girl's gotta' eat--and have started running Midweek Lunch Specials-half price-- at VintageEye. I figure if i am feeling the pinch, my customers are too!

Great article! Supporting small business may be the one true step that will help teach the huge conglomerants how business SHOULD be conducted. We really do need to rethink our values. The more self sufficient that we become, the less controll will be in the hands of big business.

This is a great article--and so true! I recently did a blog post on this very subject ( http://misseskwitty.blogspot.com/2008/09/etsy.html ) and think it would be a great idea if everyone who has a blog would do one too--it would go a long way in spreading the word that there ARE options in how and where you spend your money. Thanks!

This is a great article - and loved the links to some good shopping here on Etsy, too. Mary's Weekend Deals got me lost in Etsy shops for a long time! Thanks.

Thank you for the timely reminder. I remain optimistic, and this holiday season my friends and family can expect handmade, local, and fair trade - and yes, I'll be shopping on Etsy.

Sometimes, desperation, births something beautiful. While, I can't say that for the "bail out", I can say that, for the people who will turn toward vintage, and, hand~made, and end up with something, more beautiful, and, unique, than they might have ever found, anyway. Thanks, etsy, for being here! Cake MacKinnon.

this is a wonderful article.. i was truely inspired when i read this. i have been thinking of doing an etsy christmas for a while now, but this artice has confirmed my decision. i have also emailed this to everyone in my address book to encourage my family and friends to buy handmade. it is a beautiful thing when we can support and cherish and encourage the talents of others...

Vanessa ~~ Fantastic message. Thank you. Quality handmade has forever been the finest value in all ways. Fear can stop us from doing creatively what we love to do. I say fear out! Let's ~~ Walk in truth. Walk in beauty.~~ beej

It's great to promote the idea of buying form hand made items but why feature pictures that don't support that? Monopoly money, vintage pens and locket etc. Why not feature 100% hand made items to go with the feature?

Wonderful article, and timely. Thank you!

It's amazing how politically savvy crafters and artists have to be in this day to survive off their work. Thank you, Vanessa, and the other folks at Etsy for articles like this. Hopefully, a bright side of this economic meltdown will be that people think more acutely about how and where and why they spend their money..... seeing the value of a dollar hopefully will lead to a greater sensibility about the worth and value in things.... especially that which is consciously made by the hands of producers and supported by conscious consumers.

thank you for this article!

Monkeybuns, I think that buying used/vintage is also a great way of supporting the little man instead of big business, and that is why these items have been included (my view at least). I'm buying nearly all handmade, with some used/vintage items from small sellers, and making some gifts as well. My birthday/Christmas wishlist, with the exception of a few essentials that aren't available as such, is etsy based too.

Wonderful article and very appropriate for Asheville N.C. as we've been left "on the side of the road" no pun intended! For almost all my life I've lived in Asheville and it's gorgeous with the Blue Ridge Parkway, Biltmore Estate and all the close surrounding attractions. At one time we were the 5th city in the United States to come and live. I wonder now how all those who have moved here feel when left out of the loop or on the side of the road stranded without gas! My little VW can only run on premium gas and there has been none for almost 3 weeks and now it is only about 1% of what we are getting brought to us. I'm left wondering just how much more pinching as a nation we can take. The # 1 country does not borrow money from the # 2 country (China) so I think it's time we re think just how powerful we as USA citizens really are and everyone pull together to make changes that are not only better for us but for the Earth as a whole!

Great article. This economy is effecting artist all over the world. $20 on Etsy really dose help some one out 20 bucks at Target just feeds the machine. Why is it that the only thing that dose "trickle down" is industrial waste in drinking water?

thanks for promoting the "buy handmade"...but, i think everyone here already knows that. (if only the rest of the world would wise up.) as a new shop, i am definitely concerned if i'll be able to sell my items in this scary economy!

I have a full-time job, too, at one of many offices owned by a gigantic corporation. Hate to say it, but I wouldn't be surprised if I was told to pack my bags one of these days, the way they've been scrutinizing the budget lately! So I'm all for growing my business on Etsy. We can certainly support each other by buying from each other, but lots of people still don't know about Etsy. Let's spread the word this holiday season and get them in the habit of supporting handmade goods. It's a win-win!

Thanks so much for this article Vanessa! I have been searching Etsy for my Xmas list and also birthdays presents! The handmade creations you do find here on etsy definetly lasts longer than the mass-produced products you will find in the store.

Timely wonderful article. I am wanting as a Nana to find safe items for my grandbabes and will be sure to shop handmade for Christmas at Etsy. Have bought a few already. I sell vintage so have many unique items and more if anyone is looking for something special just convo me. I probably have it somewhere!

Very valid point basketrybotanica, true, what a world! We have to find a way to make everyone we come in contact with aware that they can vote with their dollar and support unique and well-made items that were born out of ingenuity and love. Keep spreading the word!!

I love buying handmade gifts! I love to support other crafters and I think the handmade things are more meaningful.

I have 6 children, their sweethearts and #13 Grandchild on the way. What I have bought on Etsy are gifts and other items to make gifts or make items for my shop. I hope and pray for all of us. It's been very hard for those who have lost it all.

Awesome, Weekend Deals Section?<---Yay go Mary! Thank you for this piece Vanessa! We can't act all gloom and doom, this is such a positive community. Go Etsy! :-)

Great article! Thanks Vanessa!

Beautiful items! Thanks for the article and message! BUY ETSY!!!

Great article. I love etsy!

I will definitely be buying handmade this year!

Yay! Thank you for supporting handmade!

Great day to run across this article. I've been thinking all day about the concept of 'buy local'. We've all heard the buzz word and I've tried to make it a part of my life to a large degree - shopping at my local farmers market for produce, etc...but recently I've been thinking even more about the concept. Does buying local mean I frequent a store in my community even though most or all of the items are imported? I don't think so, really. How can it? I recently purchased some hand made mineral powder make up here on Etsy and felt like I bought local. I think when you buy within your community - and community can be expanded to mean a global community such as this one - you are buying local. Nice to support each other. What a wonderful place!

Why is Etsy promoting this site as a source of bargain handcrafted goods? Is this really the message we want to send to potential buyers?

Awesome article! I was gathering supplies to make some tags today, so this gave me a lot of ideas! Thanks!

In reference to a previous comment, I don't think this article is about "bargain" goods on Etsy...it's about CHOOSING Etsy over malls. I write a style column and two weeks ago, I featured Etsy artists along side high end designers with a range of price points. (http://fierceandnerdy.com/?p=1422) I was trying to show people how these worlds can merge AND getting people to come to Etsy...Period. This week, I wrote about bargain shopping and talked about why people SHOULD shop at Etsy... http://fierceandnerdy.com/?p=1889 I think this is very important. Shoppers can directly effect the life of a store! This doesn't happen anywhere else. These days, we really need that personal contact.

Yes! Send all of those mall shoppers this way!!

Let's hear it for supporting our crafts and shops! Thanks for the article!

Our family always supports independent crafters. It's something you don't always come across! I've been telling everyone I know about this wonderful site since I've found it. Hopefully everyone will follow suit and shop on ETSY! Thanks for the great article!

Ive always given hand made gifts or made my own gift baskets Its fun and you can personalize them.

i love making art!.. must buy handmade!.. all unique, beautiful items... such gifts are always more meaningful to the recipient... and often cheaper than the trashy department stores, who overprice at christmas then sell at base prices in the new year sales...

I recently had a baby and decided to do all my Christmas shopping online this year and discovered Etsy in the process. It was soooo satisfying buying the majority of my gifts from etsy sellers, especially when I looked at all the mass produced stuff in today's Sunday paper store fliers. Not only did I get really neat, unique items, I was able to support someone other than Big Business! Thanks to all you Etsy sellers! I don't think I will ever be able to shop at a mall again!