Don't let the pandemic (or your tight budget) dampen your giving spirit. By pairing up with any of these five organizations looking for remote volunteers, you can pay it forward without actually paying a thing or even leaving the house—except, perhaps, a trip to the post office. Make a Mark Based in Chicago, Liberation Library (liberationlib.com) sends free books to teens in Illinois detention centers. Recipients choose from a diverse library of literature, and get a personalized note and handmade bookmark, too. Pop over to the group’s...

Christmas is joyous and lovely and incredibly hard for the chronically ill. On top of keeping up with everyday life, there are a million other tasks to contend with—not only is there shopping, wrapping, and cooking, but there are a multitude of festive social events. Oh, and we’re all expected to stay merry and bright. When you’re chronically ill, you don’t get time off for Christmas. Keeping up with seasonal demands when you are in pain and exhausted can be impossible. Here is my spoonie guide...

As Santa gears up to prepare his Christmas Eve rounds, the interns here at Bust are giving readers a peek at what we’d like under our Christmas trees this year. Santa baby, could you take a peep at this piece for me and my fellow interns? We’ve been angels all year.  1. A Sewing Sarah Magic Embroidery Pen for Vanessa - $12.95 I’m really interested in embroidery and often experiment on my own clothes, especially with lettering.  So I’ve asked for an embroidery pen, too. An embroidery pen...

You don’t need holiday magic to turn your paper recycling—cardboard, newspaper, and brown packing paper—into bright, happy ornaments. Just some paint and a few household supplies. These fruit and fungi are a feast for the eyes, but once you get the hang of papier-mâché (essentially using tape, glue, and water to create long-lasting paper sculptures), you can customize any ornament you want, taking “reduce and reuse” to a whole new level. What You'll Need Stiff cardboard Pen Scissors Newspaper Masking tape Lids or bowls for tracing circles: 3" lid for citrus (parmesan or...

I often share tips to help chronically ill people—or spoonies—manage different aspects of their lives. However, sometimes the trickiest part of the spoonie life is dealing with how those around us react to our illness. This time, as we approach the holiday season during a global pandemic, I thought I’d offer some advice to those who know and love a spoonie. Please don’t give us a hard time when we cancel. This applies all the time, but especially during the festive season when there are so many...

When Shannon Maldonado left the N.Y.C. fashion industry to return to Philadelphia in 2016, she was ready to push her hometown out of its comfort zone. “It’s traditionally a pretty bluecollar city and I was like, ‘I want to open this really weird art store in a place that maybe isn’t quite ready for it, but I want them to get ready,’” she says. That dream became a reality in Yowie, her Queen Village shop that sells apparel collaborations with brands like Lisa Says Gah...

Want some ideas for inexpensive gifts you can make with love and easily send to all your friends? We’ve got you covered with a sassy tassel keychain, a big-ass scrunchie, and a daisy chain necklace—small, simple, lightweight DIYs that won’t cost you a mint to mail. You know what they say about good things and small packages.  The No-Hassle Tassel  Turn embroidery floss into a cute little trinket that will liven up any ol’ set of keys. Just add beads and a lobster claw clasp.  MATERIALS Lobster claw keychain...

The arrival of a global pandemic has shifted our outlook and daily routines to encompass new and sometimes uncomfortable measures to keep ourselves safe. Our experiences are unique as we navigate a new normal. A few weeks in, I was scrolling through Facebook when I was forced to stop and contemplate my own fears and feelings. Bronwyn, a friend of a friend, had posted a simple yet stunningly captivating photo of her 9-year-old son, Leith, staring longingly out a window, a sliver of sunshine highlighting...

As we finally eat the last of those Thanksgiving leftovers, we can officially announce that it’s go-time for the Christmas season. Every year someone around the world is wondering what to get for the ones they love most. Maybe another bag, another sweater, or another perfume gift set, but what about for the feminist friend? You could purchase another mug that says “Feminist” or another photo of Beyoncé in her “Formation” outfit throwing the middle fingers, or you could be daring and try one of...

In 2018, I was in a funk. After a life-changing experience living abroad, I begrudgingly moved back to the States and the disappointment was palpable. Then it occurred to me: by focusing on what I thought I’d lost, I couldn’t appreciate all that I had. I decided to start a gratitude practice, and it’s been transformative. These days, I’m notably happier. I laugh more, complain less, and go with the flow of life instead of swimming against the tide. The good news? You can do...