#CiderMonday: 'A Warm Welcome & a Cup of Delicious Cider'

Yesterday marked the fifth annual Cider Monday, "a direct and delicious assault on the Monday after Thanksgiving known as the infamous Cyber Monday. Participating local stores will offer shoppers a warm welcome and a cup of delicious cider."

Willard Williams, owner of the Toadstool Bookshops in Keene, Peterborough and Milford, N.H., came up with the original idea, which has subsequently caught on nationwide. "I was driving home one night and heard all these things on the radio about Cyber Monday and I said this is ridiculous, we have to have an answer to it," he told the Union Leader. "It's very low-key. All you have to do is put out cider and talk about what it means to shop local." 

Here's a sampling of #CiderMonday highlights posted on social media:  

R.J. Julia Booksellers, Madison, Conn.: "Happy #CiderMonday! Enjoy a free cup of hot apple cider when you stop by R.J. Julia today.... Thank you for shopping small this holiday season!"

Bridgeside Books, Waterbury, Vt.: "CIDER MONDAY! Enjoy a cup of hot mulled cider + Cold Hollow cider donuts while shopping locally!"

Interabang Books, Dallas, Tex.: "Before you head home... to shop for Cyber Monday deals, join us here in the store for *Cider* Monday! We'll serve warm cider all day and evening long in the store. Please join us!"

hello hello books, Rockland, Maine: "CIDER MONDAY! Come out and see real people and have real cider and live real life!!"

Tattered Cover Book Store, Denver, Colo.: "Happy Cider Monday! Come in from the cold of Cyber Monday and enjoy complimentary hot apple cider & cookies at all TC locations (excluding Union Station & the airport stores) while supplies last!"

Titcomb's Bookshop, East Sandwich, Mass.: "It's Cider Monday, instead of shopping online, visit us today to celebrate shopping in brick and mortar independent businesses!

King City Books, Mount Vernon, Ill.: "It's Cider Monday here at KCB! Stop in today to grab a cup of warm cider on us."

New England Mobile Book Fair, Newton Upper Falls, Mass.: "CIDER MONDAY BEGINS AT 10!" And: "Happy Monday! And don't forget we will have hot apple cider all day long to help soothe your stress."

Bookbug, Kalamazo, Mich.: "newsflash: it is CIDER MONDAY at your neighborhood bookstore, featuring discounted cups-a real apples & warm feels in human space. come on in."

Red Balloon Bookshop, St. Paul, Minn.:‏ "You guys, it's #CiderMonday! Come on in and visit us--we'll have hot cider and puns on tap all day! (Also, we DO have a website that you can buy books on....)"

Open Book Bookstore, Elkins Park, Pa.: "Come visit! We're open tonight from 6-8:30 (and we have cider)."

Next Chapter Bookstore, Barre, Vt.: "It's CIDER Monday! Come enjoy a cup of hot cider while you support your local bookstore today!"

White Birch Books, North Conway, N.H.: "It's Cider Monday! STEP AWAY FROM YOUR COMPUTERS and stop by for a cup of apple cider! We will have family-friendly cider in the morning to start off your shop local day and then later in the afternoon enjoy some spiked cider to finish up your day!"

Or, as an alternative, how about #CozyMonday or #CyberSchmyber:

Books & Mortar, Grand Rapids, Mich.: "They say it is #cybermonday but as far as we are concerned it is #cozymonday and we would rather spend it inside this cozy little shop rather than in front of a screen."

Scuppernong Books, Greensboro, N.C.: Cyber Schmyber! Come to the place where there is coffee, food, wine, books and, real human beings you can have a conversation with."

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