The hipster's high street

Socialising is this season's shopping buzz-word, inviting you into a festive flurry of drinking, dancing and thrifty gifts. This year the usual High Street hotspots aren't getting a look-in. Both Mono bar in Glasgow and the new GRV club in Edinburgh are playing shop, hosting alternative low-fi methods of sin-free splurging this Christmas.

On 9 December, designers descend on Glasgow's favourite music venue with a coveted collection of handmade jewellery, home-ware, art and accessories. The Craftmafia Collective, set up earlier this year to support independent and original craft masters, is a success story to warm your cockles. Kick-started in America, the trend-setters, who include Showpony and Stella My Star, were once tagged as twee, but they now boast an extended militia across the world. This Christmas Glasgow becomes the latest city to deliver a dose of designer DIY. Enter into the mafia's world of embellished accessories, precious adornment and knitted celebs; for an instant hit of high-octane vintage kitsch, check out T-boo, my insider's tip, who incorporate chocolates, charms and scrabble shapes into the brilliant, hilarious jewellery range.

Over in Edinburgh, finding a perfect party outfit has never been so fairytale. Fashion editor Diana Kiernander, under her stylist moniker ElfieLoves, invites you to her 'Forgotten Things Garage Sale' on 12 December, at the newly-opened GRV. Recalling the appeal of 60s Biba, you'll be transported into her giant dress-up box of vintage glitter and retro sparkles. Guests can rummage through an extensive collection of treasures, including firsts from Chanel, Preen, Marc Jacobs and Biba itself. There will be DJs, shoes, records, kitsch interiors and free mulled wine with Christmas cake if you're first through the doors. Haggle with the indie sales assistants for a beautiful, exclusive piece of bohemia. The festive frolics don't stop there. The GRV is a high-tech hub of artistry, ideas and new media, so Diana has made an uplifting short fashion film starring Missy Malone and Erik Sandberg, to be screened on the night.

The handful of 'alt-shopping' events springing up across both cities is such a welcome idea that even the literati are waking up to it. At Hillhead Library in Glasgow on 15 December, the original craft innovators Miso Funky are back with a gorgeous goodie bag of shoes, bags, purses and kidswear.

The real Christmas message can easily be lost - or equated to mere commercialism - in the rush to grab the latest must-have. But this needn't be the case. The Ethical Christmas Fayre is a new addition to Edinburgh's Winter Festival circuit. Between 5 and 9 December, a giant marquee at the corner of Castle Street and Princes Street will house over 20 stalls; set to make your festivities fair trade, sustainably sourced, organic and environmentally sound. With products, gifts and seasonal shopping surprises, the event builds upon this year's ethical retail revolution. Come on now, shopping like this is stress-free and stuffed with goodwill. Surely there's no nicer way to enjoy the Christmas story.