10 Unique Ways to Present a Gift Card

December 16, 2024 By Anastasia Maher

In many ways, a gift card is the perfect gift. It’s always the recipient’s favorite flavor, correct size, and matches all dietary restrictions. And a gift card to the Littleton Food Co-op is a surefire way to make sure your loved one is getting quality local food options at great prices. You can even purchase a Littleton Co-op gift card online and have it sent directly to your recipient (contiguous US addresses only). However, gift cards also get slept on as a present option, often said to be underappreciated and underwhelming because of their small size and frankly, lack of creativity. That’s where we come in! Here are some creative ways to present a gift card to your recipient that will have them saying “best present ever!”

Frame it Up

A simple frame will do, but take it one step further and replace the boring background photo it comes with with a pretty scrap of fabric, a colorful burst of paper, original art, or even a photo — hey, who woulda thought!?

Wine AND Money

To create a non-boring gift, just combine two stereotypically boring gifts into one! Use some ribbon and bow making skills (if you have) to attach the gift card. Bonus points if the wine is from our wide selection of domestic, international, organic, and fair-trade wine options at the Littleton Co-op.

Knit a Pouch

A generically labeled “pouch” is great for beginner crafters or those without a lot of time; who says it has to be square or symmetrical!? If it (the gift card) fits, it sits, it gifts. It also combines the authenticity of a homemade gift with the perceived impersonal element of gifting a card.

Load Up a Mug

You can choose to include some of their favorite sweet or savory treats — we suggest browsing the Co-op Bulk Department — or pad the inside with tissue paper, newspaper, or another material.

A Money-Filled Ornament

Many retailers sell fully or partially clear ornaments that can be taken apart to design. You can certainly spend time designing one… or let our rainbow veggie gift card shine through.

Deck the Halls

Slip your gift card into a deck of cards. Extra creativity points if you use an online site to create a custom deck of cards. Sneaky points if you don’t tell them the gift card is in there and you wait to see how long it takes them to deal a hand.

Slip in a Stylish Wallet

Save your recipient one step and put their gift card where it’s eventually going to end up! This also makes sure the card is protected from being lost in holiday craziness and is “disguised” as a gift card.

Decorative Tin

Don’t throw away that old mint container! Give it a new life with some decorations — bling, fabric, art, and textural pieces are all appropriate. No old mint tin laying around? You can certainly can purchase a new one, but consider taking the mints out and presenting them separately (or keeping them for yourself) to prevent germs from transfering.

Willy Wonka It

Slip it between the inner and outer wrapper of their favorite chocolate bar! Some stealth will be involved in this operation if you want a clean-cut and less noticeable result. Just make sure they don’t automatically throw away the wrapper without notifying!

Wait, Gift Cards Don’t Have Feet!

But your recipient probably does! No one can resist a pair of cozy socks, especially if there’s a great gift card inside!

So what are you waiting for? Purchase a Littleton Co-op gift card today and get to gifting!

Winter Seasonal Beers at the Littleton Co-op

December 10, 2024 By Anastasia Maher

While it can be tempting to limit your seasonal brewski thinking to just the times of sunshine and sandy toes, we urge you not to forget about all the great seasonal releases happening during these frigid months. Our beer buyer Kevin has been bringing in winter and holiday releases since before Halloween; but, now that the first snowstorm has fallen we’re finally ready to talk about some of them. Just remember that this list is not reflective of current inventory, so if you’re extra curious about picking one up, it’s best to contact the store to see if it’s still on the shelf. Or stop on by and talk to beermaster Kevin himself! He’s always happy to help you find what you’re looking for or uncover a new favorite brew. Here’s a few winter/holiday releases he wants you to keep an eye out for:

Joe’s Lager – Rek-lis Brewing Company

Classic American Lager brewed in collaboration with local ski industry titans Lahout’s Ski Shop in celebration of Joe Lahout Sr. From Rek-lis: “This light, crushable American lager is the epitome of an après-ski beer. It’s made for the average Joe, the Joey skiing in jeans, the Joe Schmo, and especially Joe Sr., who carved deep lines on the slopes of Cannon Mountain. At just 4%, it’s the perfect beer to crush while keeping your turns sharp all day long.”

Gingerbread Cider – Stowe Cider

Fresh-pressed apples, molasses, cloves, ginger, and a touch of sweet apple cider — what more could you ask for in a winter semi-dry hard cider? It’s a warm and smooth twist on the classic cookie from over the border in Stowe, VT.

Ice Wizard – Burlington Beer Company

It’s a double IPA that’s cold-fermented like a lager to produce a drier, crisper West Coast-like 8% ABV brew. From Burlington Beer: “Think vibrant pineapple, juicy apricot, and a hint of pine, all brought together with an ice-cold finish that’s crisp and refreshing.” Sounds like a bright and fruity glimmer of sunshine in the depths of the New England winter the Ice Wizard has concocted for us.

Powder Season – Greater Good Imperial Brewing Company

From the makers of the cheeky “Pulp Daddy” comes a seasonal winter ale brewed with REAL cherries. Founded in 2015 from just south of us in Worcester, MA, Greater Good brews exclusively high ABV (8% or higher) beers for “a singular goal of brewing big, full-flavored beers that are a little bolder than everything else out there.”

Ice Storm of ’98 – Baxter Brewing Co

Folks born in the early 2000’s may be of legal drinking age now, but only the tried and true will fully appreciate Baxter’s Ice Storm of ’98. This NEIPA that sits at 5.8% will put you in a much more comfortable position than its namesake New England event, even served ice cold. From Baxter Brewing: “With a lush malt profile and dynamic citrus, fruit-forward hop profile, this New England IPA is brewed to get us through any weather.”

Seasick Crocodile – Prairie Artisan Ales

As its kitschy name implies, everyone is choosing this highly-anticipated seasonal release from Prairie Artisan Ales over any grinch-y beer. With notes of cinnamon, cranberry, ginger, and nutmeg, this sour — like all of its other Prairie counterparts — is a great reminder of keeping the holiday season fun and playful.

Samichlaus Classic – Eggenberger

From Eggenberger: “Is brewed only once a year on December 6, and is aged for 10 months before bottling. As a result, this dark lager is one of the rarest beer specialties in the world and with 14% alcohol by volume, it is also the strongest of its kind. Samichlaus may be aged in the bottle for many years to come, as older vintages become more complex with a creamy warming finish. This beer is served best with sophisticated dishes and desserts, particularly with chocolates, or as a digestive by itself.”

Celebrator – Ayinger Privatbrauerei

Folks who tout this beer as “best in the world” aren’t wrong — Celebrator has had multiple wins, including the 2024 title, as “World’s Best” in the “World Beer Awards.” From the brewers: “Our mahogany-colored “Celebrator”, an underlying dark double barrel with 6.7% alcohol content and 18.5° root spice, is the dessert beer among our beer specialties. With its sensationally solid foam and a velvety, full body, our “Celebrator” is pure delight for any strong beer lover.”

St. Bernardus Christmas Ale – St. Bernardus

From the brewers: “St.Bernardus Christmas Ale is an intensely dark beer with a full, yet slightly fruity flavour, overflowing with the tastes of winter and zesty seasonal aromas. Aniseed notes are complemented by hints of creamy caramel and fire-roasted chestnuts. This zestiness shows no signes of abating, pushing through to a magnificent finish of dried fruits and chocolate. Just like all of our beers, this brew bears the imprint of the unique St.Bernardus yeast (dating back to 1946), that gives it its own special complexity.”

Scaldis de Noel – Dubisson, Noel – Oxbow Brewing Co, Delirium Noel – Huyghe Brewery

From Dubisson: “The Scaldis de Noël is brewed solely from malts, hops, candy sugar and water. It is a filtered, top-fermented beer with an alcohol volume of 12%. The use of caramel malts produces a copper-coloured beer with a full, rounded taste. The Scaldis de Noël owes its fruity taste and subtle hop aromas to the well-thought out choice of hops in this brew.”

Noel by Oxbow Brewing Co. in Maine is a wheat-based strong, dark brewed for the holiday season.

Top fermented and bottle conditioned, Delirium Noel boasts potent aromas of dark fruit, apricot, caramel malt, sweet cherry, cinnamon and clove with notes of vanilla, apple, banana and yeast. The taste is similar to aroma and also includes toffee, plum, and red wine with notes of pepper and bitter hops. The mouthfeel is medium bodied and creamy smooth thanks to generous and lively carbonation; the 10.0% ABV is well hidden, and the finish is lingering, spicy, and dry.

New beers added at the Littleton Co-op weekly! Come stop by and check out our selection of hundreds of local, craft, and international beers!

Holiday Gift Guide 2023

December 17, 2023 By Anastasia Maher

Gifts for every budget and every person on your list – all in one convenient place.

By the time you’re reading this, we’re getting into the “last minute shopping season.” Just because you come across a gift closer to the holiday does not mean you have to compromise on quality. We’re all busy people who don’t always have time to take a special Christmas shopping trip. And then there’s the flaky uncle you assumed wasn’t coming to dinner who all of a sudden RSVPs “yes.” The extra child you forgot your sibling has. The dog! Don’t forget a present for the dog!

But wait, you also have to go grocery shopping! Ahhh! Stress!! Why not do two things at once and do your last minute holiday shopping at the Littleton Food Co-op? This year we’ve compiled a list of gifts straight from the Co-op shelves to fit any budget. Whether you’ve got $5 to spend or $50, show your love this holiday season with one of these festive gifts:

Under $5

A quality bar of chocolate: The key to giving a small, single item is to make it unique and of quality. We suggest something from Equal Exchange or Endangered Species. Try going out of the box a little bit, perhaps with the Lemon Ginger or Cinnamon Cayenne & Cherries. This also means you’re giving a new experience, too. An added bonus is that both of these companies use fair trade ingredients, so you can feel good about passing this along.
Locally designed greeting card: Perfect for friends and family far away, a card with a sweet note can be one of the most heartfelt gifts to give and receive. If you want to go a step further, include some mementos like photos from the year, newspaper clippings, copies of ticket stubs, etc. to let your recipient know how your year went.
An aesthetically pleasing jar of popcorn: Utilizing the resources of the Bulk Department is the ideal way to cut costs this holiday season. Simply grab the jar of your choice (or bring one from home) and fill it with either multicolor, yellow, or white kernels. This is the perfect gift for someone who cares about how their kitchen/pantry looks or is constantly on FoodTok. Wrap it up in a nice ribbon or throw a bow on top and you won’t even have to wrap it. Plus, if you throw in the promise of a movie in the future, you’re giving the gift of quality time. Just make sure they’re paying for the movie if you intend to keep it under $5…
Other options: dog treats; a seasoning they use a lot or have never tried before; fancy mustard or other condiment; moisturizing lip balm.

Under $15

Cabot Seriously Sharp Popcorn: Okay, this may sound silly to those who haven’t had this magnificent popcorn snack, but to those who have, you know what’s up. Whoever you give this to is either going to love you for introducing them to their new favorite snack… or hate you for introducing them to their new favorite snack. Throw in their new Sea Salt Caramel Cheddar or Maple Cheddar holiday flavors and it makes a whole popcorn set!
Ursa Major Candle: It’s an undeniable fact that candles are the perfect gift to give, especially in the winter when we could all use a little more coziness. With this 100% beeswax unscented candle you won’t have to worry about your recipient not liking the smell or look. These candles are made by a young local elementary school entrepreneur, so really how can you not buy one??
Fuller’s Pure Maple Dry Sugar: The great thing about this variation of the maple syrup gift is it works for locals and beyond. It’s pretty easy to pass off some local maple products to someone not from the area, but this really shows off the full scope of what maple can do. It’s a little cheaper than syrup, but it’s just as versatile.
Other options: Locally made dressing or marinade; Bulk Dill Cashews, Full Circle Reusable Lunch Set; Co-op reusable bag; local honey.

Under $25

3-pack of Bees Wrap: Reusable and sustainable packaging is becoming a huge trend now, and with that means the options are becoming more and more stylish! The original Bees Wrap products come in individual and multi packs in a variety of designs. You can certainly give a single wrap as a gift, but giving a 3-pack empowers your recipient to integrate it more into their life. No one likes to find out that their gift actually sits unused in a drawer. Pick a pattern they’ll love and you’re almost guaranteed that won’t happen to you!
A local bottle of wine: Our collection of local wines has grown tremendously over the past few years, and now you can satisfy and delight a person of any palette. Rossi Imports supplies us with wines from across the spectrum of light to dark. And the folks at Zorvino have crafted unique flavors like “Chocolate Raspberry” and “Peppermint Mocha” for the more adventurous. We even have Sap House Meadery bottles and cans for someone who’s “over the wine scene.” Sometimes the hardest part of gifting wine is remembering it’s about what they like, not you! But nothing says you can’t get a second bottle for yourself…
Co-op Merch: Who doesn’t love shopping at the Co-op? Let your friends and family bring a piece of the Co-op wherever they go with a Co-op branded t-shirt or hat. It really takes the pressure off remembering to say “I love the Co-op” every five minutes. It’s only a bonus that they’re so stylish.
Other options: Poinsettia or other plant; baking kit with King Arthur Flour, utensils, and fun mix-ins; a set of locally and fairly-sourced bath and beauty products.

Under $50

Liter of Mount Cabot Maple Organic Maple Syrup: We have an incredible array of maple syrup from local producers, but Mount Cabot packaging and design just screams “I am made to be a gift.” When you buy maple syrup from a local producer, you know you are getting a quality product. Mount Cabot specifically is organic, single-source, and woodfired. If you don’t speak maple, that means it’s really, really good: for you, for the environment, and for this women-owned business.
Primal Botanical CBD Rub: This local CBD company out of Vermont has great gift options for the person in your life who deserves a bit of extra pampering. Or honestly, the holidays can be so stressful, this might be one you’re allowed to keep for yourself.
Norpro Compost Keeper: Another great gift for your eco-conscious friend or the one who could use a little encouragement. This could have been seen as a burden, but now that the Co-op has a customer compost bin out front from Meadowstone Farm, composting has never been easier! And as the package itself says, it’s “attractive enough to sit on your kitchen countertop.”
Other options: Every candy option from the Bulk department.

Any budget

A Littleton Food Co-op Gift Card: Stuck on what to get someone? Don’t want to go through the mental energy of deciding what to get someone? A gift card fits everyone, appeals to every taste, and is the easiest thing to wrap — because you don’t have to. Order a gift card online here.

For more gift ideas–from very general to very specific (I mean, we’re talking “gift for your mail carrier who you have an oddly close relationship” specific)– check out our podcast, That’s Rad. Our 2021 Gift Guide has gift suggestions for those absolutely un-giftable people in your life, and our 2022 Sustainable Gift Guide is all about creating unique gifts from our very own Bulk Department. Check them out today, and let us know if you use any of these suggestions.

Whatever gifting direction you choose, all of us at the Littleton Food Co-op wish you a cheerful holiday and a happy New Year ♥

*Price categories reflective of time of writing and cannot be guaranteed.

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