I’m fortunate enough to be on a first-name basis with some of favorite female bloggers — or “Blog Grrrls,” as I have cheekily (and somewhat unimaginatively) labeled them. As the holiday season approaches, why not turn to your friendly neighborhood Blog Grrrl to guide your gift-giving decisions?

Regular readers will already be familiar with Anna of Twelve22, a frequent (indeed, sometimes the only) commenter here at Unicorns For Socialism. Anna has generously posted crafty instructions and a downloadable template to build your own miniature winter wonderland cottage. If you’re looking for an adorable holiday gift that screams “I made this for you, because I adore you,” then scurry on over to Twelve22.

Sarah Von of Yes and Yes has also created a magical morsel of holiday giftification. Her first-ever calendar, A Year in Yes, features original photography, inspirational quotes, amusing To Do lists and other charming tidbits to fill your year with the power of “YES.” Her calendar costs $18, but shipping (anywhere in the world!) is free. So fire up those PayPal accounts and take care of your holiday gifting in one fell swoop. Or, if you’re more of the do-it-yourself type, check out Sarah Von’s post on DIY Christmas Gifts That Don’t Suck.

I’m not exactly BFFs with Gala Darling (I just read her blog obsessively and occasionally send fan mail) but if you’re looking for a gift that keeps on giving, why not buy an ongoing subscription to her monthly podcast, Love & Sequins? I’ll admit that I haven’t had a chance to listen to it yet, but if Gala creates it, it’s pretty much guaranteed to fill your soul with prancing fawns and shimmering butterflies.

Last but not least, why not comission a comic panel by the unfathomably talented Kiwi cartoonist Sarah Orchard? Or just send her some money for being awesome? New Zealand dollars preferred. I recently took a trip down memory lane and read through her entire Head On Fire series, which she started drawing when we were both at the University of Otago. It’s pretty rad. Again, send her some money. It’s Christmas, for Chrissakes.

Alright, folks, get shopping and / or crafting! This recession ain’t gonna un-recess itself!

(Image via Sarah Orchard’s Livejournal Blog)