This year our holiday newsletter is brimming with good ideas, good gifts, and even a few good suggestions for self-care.
Page one: The star of any holiday newsletter is the toys. We have legos, Batman legos, Lego Brickheadz and really anything that your gift recipient could want be they 4 or 104! Two separate surprise dolls one by Ganz and one by Mattel the Silly scoops and My mini mixie Q have that great combination of mystery and fun. Real Petzz always delights with its lifelike animals like our Alaskan huskie pictured here. Klutz toys along with Tops trump knowledge cards are a fun way for budding S.T.E.M. students to hone their skills. Nerf guns are a perennial favorite with pre-teens and office workers alike. Aarons thinking putty comes in a variety of colors for everyone on your list. Basic Fun’s handheld arcade classics like Tetris and Frogger bring back the magic of afternoons at the arcade and make car trips much more entertaining. Buddha boards are the next level of etch-a-sketch, these water-activated sketching boards remind us that all beauty is temporary, luckily so are all mistakes!
Page two: Explore what the Grommet has to offer! The Grommet is a company founded to foster the next big idea, it connects makers to their audience and fosters creativity. Think of the Mozi arm spinner as a hula hoop for your arm, only it looks like a slinky and is way more fun. Flatyz handmade flat candles keep wax from dripping everywhere while still giving you the beauty of a traditional candle. Duke Cannon soaps are there for all the manly men in your life and anyone who doesn’t want to smell like flowers after a shower, in both Bourbon and beer these soaps are perfect for that certain someones stocking. Peeps eyeglass cleaners with advanced carbon technology get your spectacles sparkling so you can see all the wonderful gifts you get clearly! PUDU’s plush slipper socks are amazing and cozy, perfect for cold mornings when you don’t have to worry about leaving the comfort of your home. Blue Q socks are not from Grommet but are one of our favorite companies, with numerous socks that have been labeled NC17 these are certain to bring a smirk to the face of that one cousin that is impossible to buy for (you know which one we mean).
Page three: What is a holiday without food? Nothing, that’s what and Stan’s Kitchen is here to make sure that not only can you make amazing treats, but all the foodies in your life are well taken care of in the gift department. We have Go-Vino unbreakable red wine glasses for those holiday parties where people might have a little too much cabernet, and the whiskey version for those Makers Mark midnights around the fire. Wilton and Simply Baked have whole lines of cookie cutters, cupcake papers, decorations, and really anything you need to make the best gift-worthy deserts this season. Hostess gifts don’t get better than festive llama aprons and matching spatulas, mermaid bottle openers, or fun rubber chicken wine stoppers! Speaking of gifts, we also feature a few stocking stuffers here like the 5 port charging cable, spinster sisters American made all natural soaps, and Travelon world traveler bags and kits. There is also the dream gift of every pizzaphile that we know, their very own pizza oven by uni-wood.
Page four: There is no denying that there is something special about the Bay Area and San Francisco in particular. Do you have friends that have moved but “left their heart in San Francisco”? Is family from the Midwest coming in for the holidays or do you just want to flaunt a little hometown pride? We have a large selection of San Francisco and Bay Area-themed gifts, most of them made here in the Bay Area by local artisans. SF Mercantile prides themselves on locally designed and produced quality merchandise, from mugs to cutting boards they have a little bit of everything. Totally Bamboo brings us sustainable bamboo cutting and cheese boards in the shape of our very own 49 miles. Cat Studio offers hand embroidered kitchen towels of various City by the Bay scenes, from Golden Gate Park to the Outerlands concert Cat Studio has what you’re guests are looking for to remember their time in “The City”. Looking for a place to stash all your great ornaments or put those quilts away once guests have left? We have great deals on Rubbermaid containers to help clear away the old before a new year! We also remind you how important it is to shop small. We try to buy from local companies as often as possible and as your local Mom & Pop neighborhood hardware store we hope that you will join with us to carry on the tradition of supporting local business.
Page five: There are certain things that you need for every holiday. Gift wrap, ribbons, tape, and shipping supplies? We have all of those under one roof, and more than that we carry them year-round so we will always have what you are looking for to make any holiday magical. We offer a large selection of ornaments from the traditional Santa to the exotic glass Jellyfish with ribbon and bead tendrils, stop by and check out the whole selection. If you are looking for live greenery and the lights to go with it we have a large selection of celebration twinkle lights, fairy lights, and traditional Christmas lights along with real pine wreaths and cedar swag, the wonderful smell alone is reason enough to stop by. Enough of Christmas, we know that there are 8 nights first and we have what you need to celebrate a fun and traditional Hannukah! From dreidels to gelt to candles and menorahs (both traditional and led) we also have a large selection of cards and paper too so that you can celebrate this festival of light in the brightest way possible! We also snuck our calendar of holiday hours and closures on this page so if you want to see when we close early when we are closed for a holiday and any special longer hours, this is the page that you want.
Page six: Grilling for the holidays? Shopping for someone who loves grilling? We have everything from the new Weber Indigo Genesis II to the iGrill Bluetooth enabled thermometer. We have two separate options for grill kits for the new grill owner and we have the Big Green for the seasoned grill owner. We also carry a large variety of Yeti products so that you don’t have to worry about running back in for the next steak going on the grill, or the next beer going in the chef! Looking for more ideas about holidays or any item that we carry? Check out our Pinterest page, we have a board for almost every holiday with loads of good ideas, recipes, tips & tricks, and project instructions.
Page seven: We are proud sponsors of the Children’s Miracle Network, especially our local UCSF Bennioff Children’s Hospital. We have several ways that you can help us help the sick children in our community. First, you can round up your total (you don’t want to deal with that change in your pocket anyway). You can buy a CMN chocolate bar where the entire $1.00 goes to CMN or you can purchase a new Larry or Cryket flashlight or a pack of specially marked Duracells and for every purchase, $1.oo will be donated to CMN. Remember that all money donated to CMN stays 100% in our community and goes directly to UCSF Bennioff to help all the kids in the bay area regardless of race, religion, ability to pay, or anything else that might impair treatment!
Page eight: Toys for Tots is back and we have barrels at both front and back doors! Please donate a new unwrapped gift to help the San Francisco Fire department bring joy to a child in need. We have a customer appreciation night coming up just for you with 20% off on most things in the store, free cider, and snacks, and a free gift of a $5.00 gift card while supplies last this is the one holiday party you don’t want to miss. Check out the special offers on how to get a free gift bag and tissue paper, how to get Ace Bucks which can be redeemed for money off on a future purchase and details on our buy online at acehardware.com and get free store pick up services
Page nine: Coupons, Cider Monday, and a great deal on gift cards, this page of deals is where you will find details on the best sales of the season.