 Tis the season...to reflect, gather around the table with family and friends, and put generosity into play. It’s time to end the year with a backward glance at this last decade, the first of the century, while considering what we might make of the future.
There is a whole lot of gift giving going on, too. We have gifts galore at Bloomingfoods, for everyone on your list. Whatever your favorite December celebration, from Hanukkah to Winter Solstice to Christmas, Kwanzaa, and New Year’s Eve, we have what you’ll need to make it shine.
We’ve gathered together some gift ideas that represent just a few of the good things available at Bloomingfoods. The possibilities are endless, from the enduring gift of membership, to the Lindt Chocolate balls that make such sweet stocking stuffers. It’s possible to shop at the co-op for everyone on your list, no matter the price range. (Okay, we don’t offer electronic gadgets, but our gifts do convey great taste!)
Give the Gift of Membership: When you purchase an equity share in Bloomingfoods as a gift, your friend or family member will benefit from savings for as long as they shop at the co-op. The purchase price is $90, and does not require annual renewal.
Member-owners currently receive a 5% discount one designated day per week, with an additional Wild Card discount arriving in Bloomingnews for 5% on one day of choice once per month. There are other benefits, too, including the Big Benefit: knowing that you contribute to a member-owned co-op dedicated to bringing our community high quality goods and services.
Gift Cards: Maybe it seems a tad boring to the giver, but we don’t know anyone who is disappointed when the gift is a Bloomingfoods gift card. These cards even work at many other natural food co-ops across the country. Good for the purchase of whatever strikes your fancy inside our stores, from that great bottle of wine to fine local produce. Just ask a cashier and load up the card with the denomination you choose.
Fashion and Fair Trade: Everyone loves the Blue Q totes and coin purses found at our stores, made from recycled woven polypropylene. But did you know that everything Blue Q makes is priced under $20? Playful and sophisticated, an artistic way to bag up your groceries or anything else. The hippest “It” Bags are made by Blue Q!
Maggie's Organics makes cotton socks and tights that range in price from $8-$18, including triple packs. Solid neutrals, solid colors, and those way groovy tie-dye “hippie socks.”
Locally made jewelry and crafts We sell glass pendants, mini mojo bags, and miniature fairy godmother dolls (complete with a tiny wand) by local crafter Ravenwood. Look for other local craft items also, including soap and bodycare products.
Fair Trade African shopping baskets with leather-wrapped handles cost only $30 – perfect for trips to the market. We also carry Fair Trade fabric totes from Rajasthan (one of the most popular travel destinations in India), in fabulous colors and prints ($11- $30).
You’ve spotted these at our check-out counters on cold days, maybe just in time to warm your ears or fingers. Our selection of Andes Fair Trade Knits from South America include Alpaca hats, headbands, scarves, gloves (with and without fingertips), mittens, baby booties, arm warmers, leg warmers. Beautiful colors and patterns, at once both modern and traditional.
Baba Knits come from a grandmother in Indianapolis, and all are priced below $30. A fun and functional collection of knits. Follow Grandma’s blog at babaknits.wordpress.com
Home Keeping, Hoosier Cabinet-style: You’ll find Riedel wine glasses for under $10 a stem – just pop a couple of these into a Bloomingfoods recycled bag with a bottle or two of local wine from Butler Winery and Vineyards or Oliver Winery. We have local pottery mixing bowls, pitchers, pie plates, and more, from Clay City Pottery and other Indiana potters. Notice the Hoosier Cabinet at the Near West Side store, displaying many wonderful books, including some of our favorites from Indiana University Press. Local author and cabinet maker Nancy Hiller has written a wonderful book, The Hoosier Cabinet in Kitchen History, that looks at this humble artifact and explores its power as a cultural symbol.
We use our own Hoosier cabinet to display locally woven placemats ($25/set of 4), cloth napkins ($13/set of 4), playful silkscreened dish towels from local photographer Mia Beach, and super clean soy candles scented with essential oils – the orange/clove/cinnamon will transport you right into the holiday mood.
Other favorite books include signed copies of local writer Scott Russell Sanders’ The Conservationist’s Manifesto and Sharon Astyk’s and Aaron Newton’s A Nation of Farmers: Defeating the Food Crisis on American Soil. Both books are perfect for inspiring thoughtful solutions to the ecological challenges of our time.
Pass along the gift of a trashless lunch. Check out our collection of stainless steel lunchboxes, travel bottles for water or hot drinks, and Bento-box style lunch kits made from recycled materials. We also have Bamboo To-Go Ware (“Are you set to go?”), a perfect stocking stuffer. Bring them wherever you go, and never be forced to reach for a plastic fork.
Food and Drink (Our Bread and Butter): There are just too many gifts in this category. We suggest going to our website and downloading the list of December Specials, and starting there. (Specials are marked in the store, too.) There are wonderful new flavors of Fair Trade chocolate bars from our favorite companies, including Equal Exchange, Green & Black’s Organic Chocolate, and Endangered Species. We have Fair Trade cocoa and coffees by the pound from Equal Exchange and Peace Coffee, as well as wonderful local coffee roasters Partridge and Quigley, Bloomington Coffee Roasters and Brown County Coffee. Locally-made Daddy Bob's Peanut Brittle comes in two sizes, a great local product. We have organic and biodynamic wine ($9-$20) to pair with cheese. Baked goods galore. Local and regional microbrews abound. |
