The Nut has been Cracked

Well, Thanksgiving is a wrap and I'm back in Brooklyn after nearly a week in N.H. Back just in time to crack the nut! (More on that in a minute.)

We brought back from our trip new pottery fresh from the studio by John Zentner and Jeff Brown, as well as new work by Jane Kaufmann, including several small orbs.

Small-batch, artisan-made holiday cards are also coming in, and 100% of the selling price of these goes to charity. Click here to see the fabulous batch local bookbinder Dennis Yuen just completed.

So that's my Black Friday pitch. Today is Black Friday, so named because it's the day that large retailers start turning a profit, or go "into the black," for the first time of the year. (Retailers generally make 50% of their annual intake during the last quarter of the year). That's why so many big stores open at 5am and offer lots of specials -- they're all competing viciously for the bucks on this big day.

At smaller shops like Greenjeans, Black Friday isn't as dramatic -- we didn't open at 5am, that's for sure! -- but it is special for us for another reason: today is the day that we "crack the nut."

That's the phrase Jae came up with today meaning we start in earnest to accept the fact that The Holiday Season has officially begun. And with it, the sort of holiday-flavored things it behooves a shop to do, like put up some pretty lights and decorations (we go for subtle here) and play holiday music (not so subtle).

This year on our holiday turntable we'll be spinning The Nutcracker Suite by Tchaikovsky (get it?), Duke Ellington's wonderful jazz version of that classical suite, and some good old fashioned crooners singing Christmas carols (Dino, Frank, and Nat will surely be among them!).

We're also starting our Holiday Hours, opening 7 days a week (that's right, Monday too!) 12-7pm (or later) until Christmas Day.

So! The nut has been cracked! And as you start your shopping engines, we encourage you to think local (wherever your locale) and remember that every dollar you spend is a vote. Let the wild rumpus start!

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Photo sourced here.