12 Days of Christmas shopping in Lansing
On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me ...
Twelve QD donuts
Eleven person basket
Ten lords a leaping
1980s dancing
Eight days a week
707 Kahn apartments
Six-sided Lugnut
517 hats
Four-pack of beer
350 animals
Two snow shoes
And a voyage to Preuss Pets
Twelve QD donuts
The dozen donuts from Quality Dairy is a staple of Lansing and a fresh holiday gift, said Phil Platte, marketing director for the 26 locations of the local-based convenience store chain.
He said the eggnog is another great holiday treat as is the French onion dip.
Eleven person basket
Get a fruit or gourmet basket from Horrocks Farm Market in Lansing, enough for 11 people for under $60 with plenty of options to customize the basket or pick ready-made ones.
With ready-made sizes from a $26 snack basket to an $150 office basket and plenty of varieties in between, it's an easy gift to bring along to holiday events.
Or create your own basket with chocolate from Fabiano's, cheese from MSU Dairy, nuts from the Peanut Shop and popcorn from Cravings Gourmet Popcorn.
For more information, visit https://www.shophorrocks.com/baskets.
Ten lords a leaping
Take your own leap with dance instruction for all ages, including ballroom lessons, from Platinum Dance Academy in Haslett. Or take in a performance by the Greater Lansing Ballet Company, including their professional division's performance of 3D or performances of Ratcracker, a take on the classic Nutcracker.
1980s dancing
Check out Lansing area throwback act Starfarm (playing in Lansing, Marshall, Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids between now and the end of January) or check out shows at the Green Door Bar and Grill in Lansing.
Eight days a week
Honor the local small businesses that work all year round and are highlighted in the American Express Small Business Saturday. This year, the list includes Blue Owl Coffee, menswear store Kositchek's, Jon Anthony Florist, Linn & Owen Jewelers, College Bike Shop, R.E. Olds Transportation Museum, Sticks & Strings and Capital City Homebrew Supply.
And on Saturday, check out the Black Santa Experience at The Venue by Eleven 11 Events (5660 W. Saginaw Hwy.) from noon to 6 p.m. for a Santa portrayed by Melik Brown, owner of Metro Melik 517 and a radio personality for Stacks 92.1.
707 Kahn apartments
Take in Lansing's architecture with a look at Albert Kahn's surviving Lansing building at 707 Prudden St., the Motor Wheel Lofts. Take a guided Detroit tour focusing on Kahn and Wirt Rowland buildings here. Or stay closer and make your own seven-building architecture tour following the Kahn building by going downtown for art moderne Knapp's Centre, the skyscraping Boji Tower and regular tours of the historic Capitol building in downtown Lansing and then onto the Michigan State University campus for the 1857 Cowles House, a living artifact of the university’s roots, and a formal tour of the Zaha Hadid-designed Eli & Edythe Broad Art Museum.
Six-sided Lugnut
Get merch (now including Marvel branding) for the Lansing Lugnuts, the High A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics that plays in downtown Lansing.
Box office tickets and merchandise can get found at lansinglugnuts.com. Get a 6-game ticket pack for $66 or shirts starting at $20.
517 hats
Represent the area code with local hats and clothing that can be found at several area shops including the Lansing Clothing Company, in REO Town Marketplace (1023 S. Washington). Their products can be found at other local retailers including Old Town General Store (408 E. Cesar E. Chavez), LFA Farmers Market (103 E. Maple St., Mason) and Flat, Black & Circular (541 E. Grand River Ave. #204, East Lansing).
Four-pack of M-43
Celebrate the holidays with local beer from Old Nation Brewing Co. in Williamston, such as a four-pack of M-43 India Pale Ale. Or consider Red Cedar Spirits for brandy, whiskey, bourbon, vodka or gin. Or go to the next gathering with a Michigan wine from Burgdorf's Winery in Haslett, which offers a tasting room and an outdoor igloo.
350 animals
See red pandas, black rhinos and hundreds of animals at the Potter Park Zoo, the oldest public zoo in Michigan.
The zoo is open 364 days a year. Memberships start at $50 with adult day tickets at $8.
Two snow shoes
Rent two, or more, snow shoes or cross country ski equipment and explore Fitzgerald Park in Eaton County. Prices start at $5 an hour with Saturday and Sunday hours and additional availability by appointment.
For more info: https://www.eatoncounty.org/1068/Cross-Country-Ski-Snowshoe-Rentals
And a voyage to Preuss Pets
A partridge in a pear tree, or any bird in any tree, isn’t necessarily the best gift, said Kirbay Preuss, the third generation of the family-run business in Lansing which is about to celebrate 40 years.
Birds in particular but all pets in general are big commitments that should be made with the guidance of experts and the knowledge of the person getting the pet. But treats and accessories or even a visit to explore the sprawling pet store in downtown can all make for great holiday gifts, she said.
The store doesn’t sell partridges at the moment but has a wide variety of pets that are best explored in person, Preuss said.
Contact Mike Ellis at mellis@lsj.com or on Twitter @MikeEllis_AIM
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: 12 Days of Christmas shopping in Lansing
