Shop Home for the Holidays this Saturday - Saint Anthony Park at its Finest!

Kick of the Holiday season with some charm and delight and visit our neighborhood at its finest! This Saturday December 3, join the fun in South St. Anthony Park along Raymond Avenue and in North St. Anthony Park all along Como.

In addition to a wonderfully festive and endearing holiday atmosphere, planned events include:

• Find unique locally-made gifts at the artisan fair at Milton Square (1 block east of us and home to Micawbers Book Store, The Little Wine Shoppe, Serendipity Flowers, Bungalow Pottery and Muffuletta)
• Festive Holiday Carolers cheering the neighborhood 11:30-1:30
• Santa & Mrs. Claus and Reindeer-pulled sleigh rides next door to us at Park Midway Bank 9:30-1:30
• A tree lighting ceremony with Santa at Milton Square at 5:00
• Wine Tasting at the The Little Wine Shoppe 1:00-4:00
• Cookie Decorating at Speedy Mart 1/2 block west of us
• A book sale at Micawber's benefiting the Saint Anthony Park School

And, when you spend $50 total at of the above Saint Anthony Park merchants or here at Peapods, the Bibelot, or Finnish Bistro, stop by Serendipity Flowers in Milton Square for a free coffee mug and enter to win a Holiday basket of prizes from all of our local businesses. (Click here for a full list of merchants)

So, bring your family and visit Saint Anthony Park this Saturday and help us cheer in the season! We can't promise snow, but we can promise a lot of festive Holiday fun!

We're Making "Black Friday" Less Blechy! (And More Neighborly!)

More and more people are wondering why we have this thing called "Black Friday", which is now creeping back through the early morning hours and into Thanksgiving itself. Why get up early and fight huge crowds when you can have stress-free fun shopping at your favorite locally-owned indie shops? Skip the big boxes and have some fun instead!

We had a fabulous time last year with our Black Friday celebration and we're doing it again even bigger this year! No need to get up early—just stop by during our normal hours for a cup of hot cider. And, with a purchase over $30, you can draw an instant-win prize from our Black Friday fishbowl. You’ll draw one of the following fabulous prizes:

• $5 Peapods Gift Card
• $20 Peapods Gift Card (at least 4 available in the fish bowl!)
• $50 Peapods Gift Card (one of these in the bowl)
• $20 Gift Certificate to our neighbor Micawber's Book Store (2 available)
• $20 Gift Certificate to our neighbor the Little Wine Shop (1 available)
• $20 Gift Certificate to our neighbor The Bibelot (1 available)
• Beka Construction Site Toy valued at $120 (made in Minnesota)
• Haba Technics Building Blocks Set valued at $70
• Swaddle Designs Swaddling Blanket Gift Pack valued at $38
• A bunch of other prizes including Kid's Chapter Books from Micawber's, Kathe Kruse baby toys, a Ravensburger puzzle, and a fleece-line Urban Baby Bonnet

Plus, we'll have a bunch of great stuff on sale!

• Baby K'Tan Baby Carriers 20% off
• Econobum single packs from BumGenius will be Buy One, Get One Free
• BumGenius 4.0 Pocket Diapers will be Buy 5, Get 1 Free
• FuzziBunz One Size Pocket Diapers (not the new Elite style) will be %30 off
• BabyLegs 3-Packs will be $19.99 (Regular price $36)
• Kallisto Organic Stuffed Animals Made in Germany (absolutely lovely!) will be $29.99 (limited supplies; regular retail $60-$70)
• Rockin' Green Detergent's brand new SECRET HOLIDAY SCENT will be $11.99 for Classic Rock and $12.99 for Hard Rock (Normally $14.99/$15.99)
• Grovia: Buy 2 Grovia Shells and get 1 free
• Ergo Baby Carriers: Get a free infant insert with each Ergo Purchase

But wait, there's more!

Our Holiday Rewards Program continues! Through the end of the year, our rewards program is for everything in the store, not just cloth diapers! Earn a $15 store credit when you spend $200 on anything in the store before 12/31.

And finally, we are continuing to collect gently used Baby Carriers, Cloth Diapers, and Maternity Clothes for families in need through the Bum and Belly Drive.

We wish you and your family a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!

Looking Ahead to Election 2012

On this election day, we'd like to draw your attention to next year's election and a proposed amendment to Minnesota's constitution which would ban same-sex marriage. We're mentioning this now because we need to begin working together now to defeat this discriminatory initiative.

There are a few issues which we feel compelled to use whatever community standing we have as small business owners to stand up for what we feel is right. We believe that marriage is a human right and that government should not interfere with who a person chooses to marry.

More than that, we are dedicated to serve Minnesota's community of families and children, which is the entire purpose of our store. Whether they have straight or gay parents, all children deserve access to the security and protections that marriage provides. Marriage confers a whole host of benefits for children and families which range from tax deductions to custody issues and from health insurance coverage to legal protections in a divorce. To deny children of these protections simply because of who their parents are is unfair and hurtful.

One year out, we are already witnessing the grinding wheels of the political process as it rolls toward its big show--a presidential election year. An issue like this proposed constitutional amendment in a swing state like Minnesota is going to draw unprecedented attention and money from all over the country. In just a few months, Minnesota children will be bombarded with confusing and often hurtful messages about same-sex marriage every time they turn on the TV or radio. How will this affect your children?

This is an issue which affects us all. Whether it's your friends, your coworkers, or your own family, people you know in your life will be directly impacted by the result of this vote. It may even be one of your own children. Whether our kids turn out to be straight or gay, do we really want to burden them with a discriminatory amendment to our state constitution?

You can begin helping now. We urge you to visit Minnesotans United For All Families and take their pledge today to vote no. If you have time to offer, consider volunteering to help them educate voters about this issue throughout the coming year. And, more than that, talk to your friends and neighbors about how this amendment would hurt real families and real children. This is about so much more than partisan politics. It's about honoring and protecting children and families--no matter what kind they are.

Free Child Development Education Event 11/17

6:30pm on Thursday, November 17 @ Peapods

Stephanie Johnson offers an evening discussion about the effects of electronic toys and media on the child’s nervous system. Linking early physical experiences to future emotional and cognitive development, Ms. Johnson offers a unique perspective on child development. She is known for her warmth, clarity and humor and passionately educates the community on the body’s role in learning.

Babies in arms are welcome. For more information about Stephanie Johnson MA, R-DMT, LPC or Sage Education Center, please visit sageeducationcenter.com