December Newsletter
Highlights :
Some people have already watched It’s a Wonderful Life eleven times and have been listening to Christmas music since the day after Halloween. For others, the holidays are less jolly: whether it is suffering the loss of a loved one, the crush of consumerism, family drama, the anxiety of plans and purchases or hearing Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” for the 42nd time. We want to do our best to make sure everyone is welcome and to make this season festive and peaceful.
Extended Hours
This year we are trying some things to make it a little easier, a little calmer, and a little brighter. For December our hospitali-teas will be Hot Cocoa and Hot Tea to shake off the cold. Check the café for periodic Christmas Goodies. We will have traditional Christmas music playing (but we’ll throw if some “non-Christmas” music for those that just need a break). Since many of you are our friends, we’ll just be happy to see you if you need a place to have a break, a deep breath, and a cup of something warm. To make that easier, we are extending our daily business hours to 10AM to 8PM Tuesday through Friday. Saturday we will be open from 10 AM to 6 PM and Sunday 10 AM until 4 PM. For those last, last, last minute Christmas shoppers we will be open on Christmas Eve from 10AM to 5 PM.
Assisting in Gifting
We have expanded our offerings from last year and have a large selection of books and gift items that will be arriving throughout the season. As always our capable staff is here to help suggest possibilities for that hard-to-shop-for person in your life. (We even wrote a little article on unique and one-of-a-kind gifts later on in this newsletter). In addition to our usual practice of dressing up our bags with tissue paper, gift wrapping is available on request. But what if you’re the one who is difficult to shop for? We have a couple of options:
1) Wish lists - We have “wish lists” at the counter where you can write the books (or other things) you’d like so that your family can choose something that you’d enjoy. Simply write in your choices and we will keep them to assist your friends and family in their shopping.
2) Gift cards - If you (or your loved one) doesn’t have a list, gift cards are always available at the register so they can choose their own gift at their leisure.
3) Blind Date with a Book - For someone extra difficult to shop for (or for yourself) you can purchase one of our Blind Dates. Each book is chosen by someone on staff with a brief description of who might like it and why. Pick a description for the one you’re shopping for and leave it at that!
3) Easy returns -If you (or someone else) purchases a gift that just isn’t quite right, bring it in and we can swap it for something just right. Otherwise, we also have gift receipts to help things along. We are your neighborhood bookstore after all.
4) Lower Sensory Shopping - Sundays are usually are slowest day of the week. To assist families who have members on the spectrum or who simply don’t do the noise and bright lights, on Sunday from 2 to 4 PM we will turn off the Christmas lights, shut off the music and do our best to make the store as peaceful and tranquil as possible.
Customer Appreciation Drawings
Throughout the month of December any time someone spends $40, we put in a ticket for our customer appreciation drawing. We will give away a $50 gift certificate each of the Thursdays before Christmas. The more you purchase the more chances to win!
If there’s anything else we can do to make the Holidays brighter and less hectic, don’t hesitate to ask! We wish you a happy holiday season and a blessed new year!
Bespoke Gift Ideas: Some Not-So-Difficult Gifts for that Special Someone
Oh, the Holidays. It’s that time when retailers bring out some of the most bizarre stuff because they know that we are at the end of our rope and need to come up with unique gifts.
1). Something that you already have (and love).
2). Books (and a commitment).
3). A not quite blank journal
4). Stationary
5). A Gift Card
6). A vintage book
7. A little help
Ugly Sweater Day:
In honor of Ugly Sweater Day (Dec. 19th) Middle Ground Books is doing a couple of things:
We are doing an ugly sweater competition!
1). Until the 19th, snap a picture of yourself (or your group) wearing your magnificent sweater and tag us in the comments of your social media of choice and we will enter you into a drawing for TWO prizes. The first is a prize for a sweater wearer: a gift basket worth $50 and $25 gift card to the store. The the second is a bet different, honestly we’re still working it out.
2) On the 19th
People who come in to the store on Friday, De. 19th who are wearing an “ugly” sweater get to spin our prize wheel for a prize, a percent off of their purchase or some other worthwhile reward.
3) After the 19th
we will announce the winner
