Downtown Peru Gift Guide 2020

There’s no place like home for holiday shopping!

INFORMATION ON NEW PERU HOLIDAY EVENTS HOLIDAY SHOPPING TIPS & INFORMATION GREAT GIFT IDEAS FROM DOWNTOWN PERU MERCHANTS

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Downtown Peru Gift Guide 2020

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STUFF THEIR STOCKINGS WITH

TECHNOLOGY!

Tips for successfully gifting teens this year

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Giving gifts during the holiday season may be rewarding, but certain people on your shopping list may leave you scratching your head wondering what to buy.

Teenagers often fall into that confusing category. As trends and interests change at a moment’s notice, adults may not know what to get the teenagers on their list. These suggestions can set you on the right course.

LUGGAGE/TRAVEL GEAR A thirst for exploration may inspire teens to travel the country or the world. A high-quality piece of luggage can be a building block for teens’ travel gear. Other travel items to consider are RFID blocker ID and credit card holders, money toward a passport or an overnight toiletries bag.

GAMING Many teens immerse themselves in gameplay, whether solo or online mulGADGETS tiplayer. Games can be enjoyed while Teens like staying abreast of the using various consoles, computers and latest technology, and what better even smartphones. Find out which way to do so than with hot-off-the-as- platform teens are using and then pursembly-line products? Moderns teens chase gift cards, points or e-codes so use multiple mobile devices — from that they can get new games or enjoy tablets to smartphones to notebook in-app purchases and upgrades. computers — so an outlet multiplier with surge protection could be the SCHOOL FUNDING way to go. A charging caddy that Some gifts can focus on the future, keeps all of their devices organized including teens’ education. Consider and within reach while replenishing donating to or opening up an account the batteries can make for another to help fund college costs. Different go-to gift. plans have different annual contriWhile shopping for gadgets, think bution limits and tax deferments, so about investing in Bluetooth-enabled it’s a good idea to speak with a finanearbuds or over-the-ear headphones. cial professional to figure out which This way teens can enjoy their favor- avenue is right for you and your gift ite streaming music stations or binge recipient.

Netflix series without disturbing others.

RETAILER GIFT CARDS Teenagers always enjoy some extra GYM EQUIPMENT purchasing power, so gift cards to Adolescents are conscious of their their favorite retailers are likely to be personal health and body image. To a hit. If you’re not sure where the teen foster positive experiences, gift givers on your list shops, consider a gift card can encourage healthy physical activ- good for any store in a local mall. ity. A gym membership or personal Shopping for gifts for teens can be fitness equipment can help teens get a little easier if shoppers get a nudge on track with a weekly regimen. in the right direction. GG209203

The holiday season is an important one for small businesses every year, and it figures to take on heightened importance in 2020. The outbreak of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 in late 2019 and early 2020 hit small businesses especially hard, with many being forced to close their facilities to customers in an effort to prevent the virus from spreading.

Estimates regarding the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak on small businesses varied, but many small business owners were forced to let go employees as they confronted steep declines in revenue. A ZenBusiness survey of more than 1,000 small business founders, senior managers and decision makers found that 37 percent of small businesses that employ between 11 and 25 people were considering laying off more than one-fifth of their workforce.

As small businesses face difficult challenges, it’s no surprise that many consumers want to support locally owned small businesses this holiday season. Such support not only can help small businesses, but also can help to revitalize local communities.

• Shop online. Online shopping has traditionally been dominated by big box retailers. However, many small businesses increased their e-commerce capabilities to generate revenue. Shoppers concerned about shopping in person this holiday season should explore the delivery and curbside pickup options available

shopping, and such cards are easily shipped or even emailed to loved ones. That’s a significant benefit during the 2020 holiday season, when delivery times are expected to be lengthy. Gift cards to local businesses simplify holiday shopping, support small businesses and help shoppers avoid potential delivery delays.

• Share your experience. Word-ofmouth is vital to small businesses at any time, and can be especially valuable as these companies try to overcome the challenges posed by the COVID-19 outbreak. Holiday shoppers can share their experiences with local businesses via social media. Share information about the lengths local small businesses have gone to in regard to safety measures, order fulfillment and their delivery and pickup efforts. Such sharing may compel neighbors and friends at locally owned small businesses. to follow your lead and provide vital Even businesses that have not trasupport to local businesses in need ditionally been allowed to deliver, this holiday season. such as breweries and wineries, have Small businesses are the backbone been able to do so during the outof many communities, and the holbreak, giving consumers unlimited iday season provides a great opporonline shopping options. tunity to support such firms as they • Purchase gift cards. Gift cards look to recover from a difficult year. take the guesswork out of holiday GG209238

MASKS ARE REQUIRED TO VISIT SANTA Santa will be here!

Parents, bring your cameras!

Decorating & Gift Ideas

Saturday

Pick A Discount Out Of Our Holiday Stocking!

Kids Enter To Win A Stocking Full Of Goodies!

11am-2pm

1713 4th Street • Downtown Peru • 815-223-0461

December 12

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Free Treat Bag for Kids

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3 PERU CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE | A NewsTribune Publication | Wednesday, November 25, 2020 | Illinois Valley Shopper | Wednesday, November 25, 2020 | www.newstrib.com

How to support small businesses this holiday season

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“Don ye now our Great Apparel” Look your best this Holiday season.

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Everything from work clothes to dress clothes Register to win one of four ($25.00) Gift Certificates to be given away!

FREE GIFT WRAP

Vlastnik’s Menswear Downtown Peru • 815-223-0695 SM-LA1834084

Shop safely this Cyber Monday Cyber Monday is a lucrative day for retailers. According to Adobe Analytics, which measured transactions from a majority of popular online retailers in the United States, consumers spent an average of $11 million per minute between 11 p.m. EST and midnight EST on Cyber Monday in 2019. And it wasn’t just the final hour of Cyber Monday that proved popular, as total sales in 2019 increased by roughly 19 percent compared to Cyber Monday a year prior.

The internet has made holiday shopping easier than ever, and retailers capitalize on that convenience every year on Cyber Monday. Savvy consumers recognize there’s great deals to be had on Cyber Monday, but the popular shopping holiday also marks a great time for cyber criminals to target unsuspecting online shoppers.

Holiday shoppers spend more time and money buying gifts online every year, so before the buying season begins it’s wise for shoppers to consider a few strategies for shopping safely this Cyber Monday.

• Beware of malvertising. In recent years, cyber criminals have employed malvertising to trick online shoppers into taking them to websites that look reputable. But looks can be deceiving.

Malvertising injects malicious code into legitimate online advertising networks. If consumers accidentally click a malicious ad, the malvertising can trigger a code that installs malware or adware on their computers, redirect users to a malicious website instead of the one the ad suggests or redirect users to a website that looks just like a legitimate retailer’s site, even though it’s not. Update antivirus

and ad blockers prior to Cyber Monday. In addition, update browsers and plugins, which can often prevent malvertising attacks.

• Update your software. Skipping or delaying software updates on a computer, tablet or smartphone can make online shoppers vulnerable to hackers and other cyber criminals.

Install new operating systems on your devices when such updates become available, and check to see if any new updates can be installed before shopping on Cyber Monday.

• Avoid searching through search engines. When shopping, resist the temptation to look for deals through search engines. Cyber criminals can insert malicious links into search results, directing unsuspecting to consumers to malicious websites designed to target their personal information. When looking for deals, visit the websites of established retailers instead of conducting searchs through browsers like Google or Firefox.

• Read a URL before buying anything.

One old yet still effective trick cyber criminals employ is creating websites that look identical to those of trusted retailers. These copycat sites may only be one letter different from legitimate sites. By reading URLs closely prior to entering any personal information, such as their credit card numbers, consumers can protect themselves from copycat websites.

Cyber Monday is a popular shopping holiday. Cyber Monday shoppers should be as cautious about cyber criminals as they are excited about finding great gifts for their loved ones.

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The holidays often involve purchasing gifts for close friends and loved ones as well as making a delicious meal the entire family will love. But nothing sets the holiday scene and overall mood more so than beautiful decorations and other seasonal accoutrements.

Many people leave no room untouched for the holidays, meaning color schemes or trinkets may carry through from top to bottom. Decking the halls this season can be made even easier with some of these handy ideas.

HOLIDAY TIMELINE If you keep holiday photo cards each year, put them in chronological order and hang them from a piece of garland from the mantel or drape on a staircase banister. This can be a fun way to see how your own children or other members of the family have grown.

MAKE MINI EVERGREEN DISPLAYS Clip your favorite pieces of evergreen and push the stems into floral foam. Display in small vases or other containers and place in groupings to emulate an evergreen forest.

PLAN THE OUTSIDE Exterior illumination and other exterior decorations share the holiday spirit with others. It can be overwhelming trying to visualize it all without a plan in place. Take a photo of the house and map out where you want lights and decorations to go.

Then with your “map” in hand, you can more readily purchase supplies and start decorating.

GO FOR A SPECIFIC NATURAL COLOR SCHEME If you desire an overall holiday feel but aren’t interested in Santa figurines or kitschy elements, decorating with color in mind can be key. It’s easy to tie things together with some natural elements in your desired palette. For example, white, gold and green may look beautiful. Put boxwood clippings and white amaryllis flowers together.

Pine cones, twigs and holly pieces also can add touches to mantels, doorways and table centerpieces.

ORNAMENTS ELSEWHERE Who says ornaments only have to go on a tree? Display antique or favorite ornaments by hanging them from beautiful ribbons throughout the home.

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Wishing you Peace and Good Health this Holiday season

SCENT THE SCENE Hang something aromatic on the tree to mingle with the pine. Fresh cinnamon sticks tied with twine or ribbon can be nestled among the boughs. Another scented idea is to make pine cone candles and use pine or cinnamon scents to make them smell just like the season.

Holiday decorating gets a hand from some creative ideas. Always follow safety precautions, especially when using candles, hanging lights and plugging in multiple items to electric sockets. With ingenuity and safety in mind, holiday decorations can be extra special.

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Warm Holiday Greetings from your friends at:

WATER STREET, PERU • 815-223-1742

815.223.3300 • www.ivch.org SM-LA1834759

PERU CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE | A NewsTribune Publication | Wednesday, November 25, 2020 | Illinois Valley Shopper | Wednesday, November 25, 2020 | www.newstrib.com

Home holiday decorating ideas

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5 ways to make gift cards more personal When in doubt while holiday shopping, go with a gift card. Gift cards provide a convenient way to ensure people of all ages ultimately get something special.

According to a 2016 survey by the gift card sales tool CardCash, gift cards are a $127 billion market that keeps growing. Physical gift cards have been growing at an annual rate of 6 percent, but digital gift cards are growing at an annual rate of 200 percent. The financial resource The Motley Fool indicates that, during the 2018 holiday shopping season, people buying gift cards purchased roughly four cards each, with an average value of $45 per card.

Many people enjoy the convenience of storing digital gift card information on their phones. Even though gift cards are any easy option, like giving cash, they may seem like impersonal gifts. However, gift givers can explore these ways to add a personal touch to the gift card.

• Make your own gift card. Companies including Visa® and Mastercard® enable gift-givers to personalize cards with their own gift cards can then be tied to spephotos. Shoppers also can choose cific occasions or holidays. from predesign galleries to present a • Choose a popular store. Rather card that has a little more flair. The than buying the first gift card you

Merry Christmas & Many Happy Returns

see, iselect a card for a specific store your loved one likes. For example, if the person is an outdoors enthusiast, a gift card to L.L. Bean

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• Wrap it in a unique way. Don’t just give the gift card in an envelope; find a unique way to wrap it. After all, that will make the gift card a gift within a gift. Find a small gift box and wrap the gift card as you would any other gift. Or make it even more exciting by designing a scavenger hunt with clues on where to find the hidden gift card.

• Assemble a gift basket. Add a few extra treats to a basket with the gift card that ties into a theme. If the gift card is for a boating or fishing retailer, place tackle, a floating key ring or a dry storage bag in the gift basket.

• Add a sweet message. Attach a greeting card and share a few sentiments about why the gift card was chosen. This will help make the gift more personal and show that time was taken to select the item.

The National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics reassures that gift cards are one of the most popular entries on holiday wish lists each year. Making the gift a bit more personal can increase the enjoyment factor even further. HL20A343

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SMITH’S SALES & SERVICE 1604 Peoria Street • Peru • 815-223-0132

Exchanging gifts with loved ones is a holiday season tradition. That tradition figures to continue this year, though families will almost certainly have to adjust the ways they exchange gifts.

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 in the winter of 2019-20 changed how people across the globe live their lives. Social distancing guidelines encouraged people to limit get-togethers, particularly indoor gatherings. Experts anticipate restrictions on indoor gatherings will continue in the early part of the winter of 2020-21, which could force families to rethink how they get together during the holiday season.

Families also may want to think outside the box when buying gifts for their loved ones, targeting items that can make social distancing easier.

The following gift ideas can make a socially distant holiday season that much more special for a loved one.

STREAMING SUBSCRIPTION Movie theaters have been closed for months in many areas. But movie lovers still want to see their favorite flicks, so a streaming subscription to a service such as Netflix or Amazon Prime can be just what they need to stay entertained while social distancing this winter. For fans of classic

films, including indie movies, foreign films and big studio productions, a subscription to the Criterion Channel might make the perfect gift. Curated by the Criterion Collection, this

Merry Christmas from our family to yours

streaming service provides access to a library of more than 1,000 classic and contemporary films, making it an ideal gift for the family film buff.

COOKING CLASSES Many people have spent the last several months honing their culinary skills. Gift givers can help them take those skills to the next level by enrolling them in online cooking classes.

The options are endless and some even include access to legendary celebrity chefs like Gordon Ramsay.

Many online cooking classes feature monthly memberships or single classes, making them ideal for loved ones of all skill and interest levels.

TECHNOLOGY Technology has helped many people stay connected with friends and family while social distancing, so a

new tablet, laptop or desktop computer can be just what people need to fully engage in family Zoom sessions or weekly virtual happy hours with coworkers and friends. If a new tablet or laptop stretches your budget, consider a pair of noise-canceling headphones, which can make it easier to concentrate while working remotely in a crowded house.

CRAFTING KIT Hobbyists may have had their passions for crafting reinvigorated while social distancing, making a crafting kit an ideal gift to help them fill their downtime. Beginner’s kits also can make an ideal gift for novices looking for an engaging, time-consuming hobby.

Certain gifts can be a perfect fit during a socially distant holiday season. HL20A337

Remember IVAR when you’re considering holiday donations!

Monetary donations for medical bills and food are appreciated to get through these difficult times!

Friends. Family. Community.

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Jessica Strauch 1712 4th Street, Peru, IL 61354 815-223-1900 • www.myagentisjessica.com P.O. Box 284 • Peru 815-224-0061

Our Animal Care Center is located west of Flying J Truck Plaza.

Turn south at Inman Electric, it’s the blue building on the left.

Adoption hours by appointment

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Gifts that can make social distancing more enjoyable

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Peru’s Hometown Christmas Presents:

Light Up The Night!

5PM Lighted Parade 6PM Santa Arrives at the Park 6:30PM Gifts, Hot Chocolate, Cookies, Games and Fun!

Saturday, December 5th Washington Park Events subject to change. Please visit www.peru.il.us for up-to-date information SM-LA1834788