In 12 days time it will be Christmas Day. Co-operatives UK has searched through its member directory, to find some of the following ideas for a co-operative Christmas.
Day 1 – Visit a Country Market
Visit one of the 400 regional co-operative Country Markets this Christmas; selling goods of approximately 12,000 producers, who sell their home-made home-grown and hand crafted items locally and co-operatively.
www.country-markets.co.uk
Day 2 – Childs play
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Children’s Christmas shopping made easy this year, with help from the UK’s only online toy shop co-operative, Busy Bee Toy Shop. Watch family and friends’ children’s eyes light up with co-operative games, ready made party bags and home delivery!
www.busybeetoyshop.co.uk
Day 3 – Say thank you
Treat your colleagues and family with a luxurious food hamper from the Fairtraders Co-operative. Filled to the brim with Fairtrade and Divine goodies, this hamper is guaranteed to make your mouth water.
www.thefairtraderscooperative.co.uk
Day 4 – Invest in building a better world
Invest in Shared Interest and help communities in the developing world access fair finance and create sustainable livelihoods. Help co-operatives in the run up to 2012 as the International Year of Co-operatives by supporting Peruvain banana co-operative pus many more.
www.shared-interest.com
Day 5 – Get ready for your Christmas party
The Co-operative Food has everything to make your co-operative Christmas party go with a bang! Buy your office treats online and wow your colleagues.
www.co-operative.coop/food
Day 6 – Get merry with The Wine Society
Bring on the flavour and winter warmth this Christmas with an array of carefully selected wines from across the world. The Wine Society are offering an array of gift boxes and expert advice to ensure your choice is the best it can be to suit your need. Membership makes the perfect stocking filler for wine lovers with a conscience.
www.thewinesociety.com
Day 7 – Wear your Christmas pants!
Whomadeyourpants? are the perfect stocking filler for women who like gorgeous, handmade, ethical pants with a wonderful story – if you visit the website, you can meet the women who invest in creating the perfect pants just for you! Whether you prefer ‘Christmas Tree’ or ‘Green Goddess’ range, these pants are a real must this Christmas.
www.whomadeyourpants.co.uk
Day 8 – Community Christmas Cheer
Visit your local community run pub or village shop and spread the co-operative Christmas cheer! With hundreds of community run enterprises across the UK, support your local community and sample a diverse range of products and services as you go!
www.communityshares.uk.coop
Day 9 – Wrap up with Wool Clip
With sub zero temperatures wrap up in hand knitted, Cumbrian wool yarns which have been transformed into beautiful Woolly jumpers, hats, scarves and socks in time for the festive period. Why not visit members of Wool Clip at their shop in Caldbeck for all things woollen!
www.woolclip.com
Day 10 – One for the footie fanatics!
For those more inclined to be singing football anthems than Christmas carols, membership of a fan owned football club like FC United or Exeter City Supporters’ Trust may be just the ticket!
www.ecfcst.org.uk
www.fc-utd.co.uk
Day 11 – Switch to an ethical energy supplier
Power your Christmas lights with a conscience by switching your electrical supplier to Co-operative Energy this Christmas. The ethical, transparent, environmentally friendly, electrical supplier allows you to have your very own share of the business, as well as using a higher percentage of natural gas than the national UK average.
www.cooperativeenergy.coop
Day 12 – Spoil yourself
Win a 12-month subscription to the printed-edition of Co-operative News to find out about UK co-operatives and the international movement. We have three up for grabs, so get your entry in.
Enter here, entries close January 3rd, 2012.
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