Even if you swear that you buy locally grown and only shop Mom-and-Pop shops, we all know how tempting it is for Berkeley residents to break their embargo with The Man during the holiday season. Those Black Friday Wal-Mart ads can be *so* enticing.But Berkeley Artisans leave no excuse for Berkeley residents to cop out before Christmas. (Or Hanukkah for that matter–they showcase menorahs among their many crafts.)Berkeley Artisans are opening their studios for their 17th annual, self-guided holiday tour aptly titled “Berkeley Artisans Holiday Open Studios.” The event runs for four weeks, starting today through Dec. 16. Hours will run both Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.The artisans claim that

This self-guided tour presents a unique opportunity to meet the artists, to buy original & creative gifts, and to see working craft studios, giving viewers a glimpse into the creative process. 

 Those are their words, not ours. Though “original” and “creative” might not be such a distant description–we found products ranging from ukeleles to giraffe mosaics to gospel church-style birdhouses.But regardless of how creative or original they might be, they sure make themselves accessible. On their Web site, they include seven different ways to pick up a directory, the first place being the Web site itself.The need to include “send a self-addressed envelope to ___” in their list seems ridiculous to us because whoever is reading the Web site would be able to read the directory off there. Oh well, at least we know that these artisans cover all their bases.Image Source: Kelly CooksonA winter wonderland of art in Berkeley: Berkeley Artisans Holiday Open Studios [Contra Costa Times]Berkeley Artisans [Web site]

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