We read some good advice here the other day about book buying, but I wonder what other Illinois-related Christmas gifts people might come up with today.
- posted by Rich Miller
- Beowulf - Thursday, Dec 15, 05 @ 4:31 am:
I would think that a bottle of Illinois wine might be an appropriate gift for someone who you wish to say thank you to. How about shares of stock in select Illinois companies for the grandchildren? It is like money in the bank for them when they are ready to go to college. Instead of naming another star after your wife with Rocky Rozell this year, how about buying her apiece of Illinois real estate? What about that 5 acre spot out in western Illinois by a creek with some woods on it for your retirement years? That way you can both enjoy the gift. You get to watch it appreciate in value for a later sale someday or you may just decide to live their near the nearest little farm town much like Mayberry, USA. Get it quick because those sort of places are getting rarer as Chicago engulfs the rest of northern Illinois. Like my grandpa told me, “They don’t make land anymore. It’s worth owning land just to keep the earth together.”
- telemaster - Thursday, Dec 15, 05 @ 7:06 am:
As far as one-stop shopping for Illinois products goes, one cannot go wrong with the Southern Illinois Artisan’s Shop in Whittington, Illinois. All of the merchandise is made in the state of Illinois, by Illinois artists and craftsmen/craftswomen. If my memory serves me correctly, they have a catalog as well.
- St. Nickname - Thursday, Dec 15, 05 @ 8:08 am:
How about some nice fresh Illinois Coal! We were once known for it but since the “Liberal media” has taken Christ out of Christmas Santa just doesn’t bring coal for kids stockings anymore. Instead a bad kid might only get 4 new games for his “old” X-box instead of the new X-box. Bring back Christ and bring back good old Illinois Coal!
- Cal Skinner - Thursday, Dec 15, 05 @ 8:27 am:
As I posted on McHenryCountyBlog.com McHenryCountyBlog.comon Dec. 7th (complete with pictures), Kurt Stobach’s Old World-cut crystal is the best buy around…if you call him in Crystal Lake at 815-459-7377.
- felix - Thursday, Dec 15, 05 @ 8:48 am:
The State has Artisan’s Shops in the Thompson Building in Chicago and the State Museum in Springfield which feature Illinois made gift products.
- good guys wear black - Thursday, Dec 15, 05 @ 9:09 am:
This might be the best “Illinois related” gift that I can imagine…..(From the Sun-Times)
Grab a seat: Sox selling old chairs
December 15, 2005
BY ANDREW HERRMANN Staff Reporter Advertisement
The White Sox are inviting fans to have a seat.
A pair of them, actually.
Cost: $490, which includes shipping and handling.
These aren’t season tickets. They’re the seats themselves.
The Sox are putting thousands of chairs from U.S. Cellular Field on sale today as the team known as the Men in Black continues switching its home-field color scheme from blue to forest green.
While the seats only date from the park’s opening in 1991 these are, of course, like everything associated with the team, World Champions. Given the October glories, the Sox are now describing the “Cell'’ itself as “historic.'’
The plastic seats were offered earlier this week to season tickets holders and fans registered on the whitesox.com Web site. Today, they go on sale at 10 a.m. to the general public through the Sox site and Ticketmaster at (312) 559-1212.
Old Comiskey seats still a hit
Sox spokeswoman Katie Kirby said the idea was sparked by the ongoing popularity of wooden seats from old Comiskey Park. Those lime green back-breakers are being offered for as much $375 for a single on eBay. The blue U.S. Cell seats come in attached pairs.
Kirby said the seats needed to be replaced and that surveys of Sox fans have revealed they prefer green over blue.
The seat switch is part of a multi-year renovation project funded by selling naming rights to the cell phone company — which has resulted in a warmer ballpark that includes a new canopy, center field fan deck and children’s skill area.
The U.S. Cellular seats are actually owned by the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority. Proceeds from the sale will be used to fund future renovations to Sox park, said spokeswoman Melissa Robbins. Some 6,000 to 7,000 pairs will be offered, with the others from the stadium scheduled for recycling, she said.
Delivery takes six to eight weeks but special gift cards can be used to give as a present, Kirby said.
“It’ll be something to put under the tree,'’ she said.
- LittleEgypt - Thursday, Dec 15, 05 @ 9:40 am:
Two dead deer and a freezer full of venison. Can’t get more Illinois than that - unless you hunted out of state.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Dec 15, 05 @ 9:45 am:
Green seats, it’s about time. Now we need those yellow bars everywhere and it will start to look like the park from my childhood.
If you’re in the Chicago area I want to plug one of my favorite stores for gifts. It’s the print store across Michigan avenue from the Art Institute. It’s got a ton of posters and prints of all types from famous art to great photography and a lot of stuff from old Chicago like the two worlds fairs. If you stop in you’ll enjoy your time there, and no I don’t work there or know anyone who does.
- anon - Thursday, Dec 15, 05 @ 10:43 am:
could do a weekend get away to a state park - giant city lodge - and visit the wine trail -
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Dec 15, 05 @ 11:14 am:
Candy! We have Fannie May, and Frangos in Chicago, and Peases in Springfield. Everyone loves chocolate for Christmas! If you’re a wimp, you can try their awesome other candies! They are nicely wrapped, easy to mail, and always welcomed under the Christmas tree, or Menora.
Now, this is a nice question of the day! Thanks Rich!
VanillaMan
- cermak_rd - Thursday, Dec 15, 05 @ 11:15 am:
I thought about buying my brother a congressman, but he said he already has one. So I got him a weekend in Chicago instead
- Enuff - Thursday, Dec 15, 05 @ 11:31 am:
Cal, pleas stop posting your blog here all the time, we don’t care, we aren’t ready it, enuff already. geez.
- anon - Thursday, Dec 15, 05 @ 11:49 am:
a job or career-
new customers and increased market share
- Nearly Normal - Thursday, Dec 15, 05 @ 11:54 am:
Fannie May and Frangos are no longer made in Chicago. Their factories closed and put a lot of people out of work after the brands were sold to other companies.
Airport Gifts and Baskets at the Central Illinois Regional Airport in Bloomington can make up a gift basket with Illinois products. Sorry, no website yet. The telephone number is 309/663-4438.
I sent a basket to my Irish cousins back in 2004 after my first visit with them on the Olde Sod.
- It's 5 O'clock somewhere - Thursday, Dec 15, 05 @ 11:58 am:
A simple Christmas card sent to Senators Durbin and Obama thanking them for their votes on energy related bills. Enclosed in the Christmas card a copy of your heating bill.
- Ron Burgundy - Thursday, Dec 15, 05 @ 12:51 pm:
Check out the CD “Illinois” by Sufjan Stevens. He’s a 20-something recording artist who says he’s going to do a CD about every state. Songs are about Illinois history. Well researched. At times sounds like an ode to Illinois, or the music from Illinois: The Musical if done by the troupe in Waiting for Guffman. Very interesting and getting good reviews.
- Anon - Thursday, Dec 15, 05 @ 1:26 pm:
The best Illinois/Chicago gift you can give is a subscription to Chicago Wilderness magazine. I came across it about 2 years ago, and reading it has become one of my favorite things to do on a Sunday. I think it’s a quarterly (I know it doesnt come out enough). I’m sure there’s a website.
- Anon - Thursday, Dec 15, 05 @ 1:32 pm:
Chicago Wilderness magazine website is www.chicagowildernessmag.org.
- MDP - Thursday, Dec 15, 05 @ 1:38 pm:
I would like to give Tammy Duckworth a map of the 6th C.D. She will need it. Her appearance on “This Week” compliments of Rahm’s old buddy George is only the begining
I don’t know why Rahm refuses to fund Cegelis. There has to be more to the story than her alleged inability to raise money on her own.
- SouthernILRepub - Thursday, Dec 15, 05 @ 2:33 pm:
They may not be from Illinois, but I had a friend find some nifty magnets from Amazon.com that featured the State Capitol or other scenes from IL. They are pretty cheap and would make great stocking stuffers. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BG1W3M/qid=1134678745/sr=1-3/ref=sr_1_3/104-4842627-7522316?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=284507
- The Colonel - Thursday, Dec 15, 05 @ 4:23 pm:
Illinois prison industries has some dandy products like small to 24″ diameter wood state seals, and drink coasters etc.
- Todd - Thursday, Dec 15, 05 @ 10:28 pm:
an M1A from springfield Armory, made right here in Illinois.
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