It’s Christmas Eve Eve. While you may have had every intention of baking up a storm for gift baskets or making homemade liqueurs/mixes in a jar/homemade spice mixes, the bare-faced reality of it is that There. Is. Not. Enough. Time.
Never fear, The Local Cook is here. Below are some ideas that don’t require exorbitant expedited shipping fees.
If you are brave enough to venture out . . . head to your local:
Bookstore: Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking
Specialty grocer: As I mentioned in my previous post, 9 Gifts for the Locavore on Your List, gourmet oils, vinegars, local beers and wines are all great ideas.
Mom & Pop gift shop: The crowds might be less than at the mall; but an even better reason to shop at locally-owned businesses is economics. A dollar spent at a locally owned store is usually spent 6 to 15 times before it leaves the community. From $1.00, you create $5.00 to $14.00 in value within that community. Spend $1.00 at a national chain store, and 80% of it leaves town immediately. (www.chooselocal.com)
If you’d rather not even leave the house, and have access to a printer, you can always download and print a Gift Certificate. http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/CT101043211033.aspx
Why not offer a home-cooked meal, a pie of the month club (made by you), babysitting, or other gift of time?
No printer? You can make a donation from the CRWRC gift catalog and send an e-card. On their behalf, you could purchase things like seeds, agriculture training, nutrition kits, and more for people living in poverty in developing countries. http://www.crwrc.org/pages/crwrc_giftcatalog.cfm
Merry Christmas, and Happy Cooking!
– Wendy
What's on your mind?