The Canadian Creative Gift Guide 2022
Have you seen those memes around the internet that say something like “2023 in a month. Me still processing 2020”? Well, that is how I’m feeling as I compile my 2022 gift guide! This year, in particular, just flew right by me.
With that said, let’s get into it because the holidays are literally knocking on my door, and I know you need those last-minute gift ideas (because I ALWAYS do..). This year, we’re returning to the price-point format, but please let me know in the comments which format you prefer! If you do your shopping based on the person rather than cost, I can consider that for next year! But I digress.
UNDER $50
Fleur & Co is a plastic-negative e-commerce retailer that offers you some of the most diverse selections of trendy houseplants, delivered right to their door (or yours). A plant is the perfect gift to brighten up their space during the winter months, especially tropical ones that make them feel like they are on vacation.
Fleur & Co’s plant delivery service is an awesome option for plant lovers, trend-setters, students, even beginner plant parents. They provide an easy, accessible way to access a variety of plant types, from the most fickle to the most laid-back. Plus, adding greenery to your home helps purify the air and is a fantastic way to boost their mood. Fleur & Co also shares the best plant care tips for their plants, and their trusted plant experts are there to answer any questions. Get them to take the plant quiz to find the perfect one for their lifestyle.
Sugandha is a South Asian-owned small business creating plant-based self-care creations. From delicious tea blends to blissful bath soaks, this brand will provide them with herbal earth-friendly products that help them develop their own self-care routine.
The Organic Infused Oil Blend Trio Pack contains scrumptious-smelling oil blends that are carefully infused with organic flowers and herbs in coconut oil for 32 hours to give them a rich aromatic experience. The roll-on bottles can easily fit in their pocket and travel with them anywhere, so they can bring relaxation with them anywhere they go. The scent combinations in this trio include lavender + chamomile, rose + orange, and lemon grass + rosemary.
If you know me at all, then you will not be surprised by this suggestion. Anything and everything has to be sparkly, and that is no different with Holo Taco. This brand was created by Cristine Rotenberg, the personality behind Simply Nailogical. She, like myself, loves all things holographic, so she decided to launch her own nail polish brand to bring high-quality special effects nail polishes to the masses.
There are so many formula options - from toppers to cremes to holos and even a newly launched magnetic line - you’ll be sure to find something for your gift recipient. Holo Taco is all about having fun and being a little (or a lot) sparkly, and each polish is vegan & cruelty-free.
All of Christy’s Gourmet Gifts are made lovingly by hand in Burlington, Canada. Found at many different craft shows around Ontario, Christy’s Gourmet Gifts are wonderfully delicious ways to show your appreciation for your loved ones this holiday season. Shop pre-made gift boxes and platters, ready-to-cut and bake cookie doughs, and this adorable and kid-friendly Winter Wonderland Sugar Cookie Decorating Kit.
Help them enjoy the winter season with the entire family with this festive cookie decorating kit - fully equipped with already-baked cookies, colourful sprinkles, and plenty of icing that will inevitably end up all over the table. Bring Santa's workshop to their home and let their creativity shine bright.
Take them on a celestial journey with the 12 Zodiac medallions of wellDunn jewelry’s Astro collection. Each necklace symbolizes the traits linked to its astrological sign. The collection is the result of a unique co-creation with Julie Kim, author of the book Rituels Astrologiques. Head to each product page to read a thorough description of the different signs.
wellDunn jewelry’s products are entirely handmade in Montreal, Canada, and are individually and carefully fashioned by hand, each piece unique in its own way. The Zodiac medallions are available in silver plated or in solid sterling silver OR in gold plated, in 18K gold vermeil or in solid 10K gold.
$50-$100
I’ve shared Keys Soulcare with you before, so you can check out my Mother’s Day gift guide from earlier this year for more, but the holiday season also provides us with awesome gift sets to try out a variety of products at reasonable price points. The Soulful Celebration Kit features Keys Soulcare’s best-seller formulas that go beyond skin care to nurture your body, mind, connection and spirit. This trio of full-sized (!!) skincare products cleanse, moisturize, and visibly illuminate skin for a radiant, hydrated complexion.
I adore the Let Me Glow Illuminating Serum for its visible shimmer (obviously, see Holo Taco above), but this kit is also an incredible way to share this brand with them and get them absolutely hooked. The trio is packed with antioxidants, brightening agents, and a ton of skin-plumping hydration to nourish and revitalize. Everything is also free of parabens, formaldehydes, phthalates, coal tar, hydroquinone, sulfates SLS & SLES, triclocarban, and triclosan. Not to mention cruelty-free.
Quick disclaimer here: all of the Snow Fox Shadow Stick Vaults are sold out online (normally found at shoppersdrugmart.ca). However, there are plenty still available in store! In fact, I was just at Shoppers the other day and saw a whole display full, so you can still snatch these sticks up for whoever you think needs them (everyone).
That being said, these 10 No Budge Shadow Sticks will help them create the perfect lustrous and shimmering holiday look this season. Chock-full of limited edition favourites, the e.l.f. Cosmetics Snow Fox Shadow Stick Vault provides long-wear eyeshadows in easy-application stick packaging that can be worn alone or under/over eyeshadow. Blend these shimmery and matte shadows with a brush or a fingertip to create endless festive flair.
From a small business created in Tel Aviv, Israel, to a chain of cosmetics and lifestyle products with over 100 stores around the world, Laline is a brand that might already be known to you. They offer products inspired by connection, pampering, tranquillity, and romance, and they ensure no one in the family is left behind.
Inspired by the sweet air of a summer breeze by the beach, the Frozen Pear fragrance is the perfect blend of wild pears & sensual magnolia. It is enriched with the soothing scent of fresh flowers that will leave a part of you everywhere you go. This Love Yourself Kit has everything they need to get that luxurious fluffy feeling, with nourishing body soap and body cream, hydrating hand cream, and a fragrance diffuser and soft towel for that spa-like experience at home.
Maison d' Etto is a luxury, artisanal, gender-neutral fragrance house founded by Brianna Lipovsky. After over a decade of working with the top brands in fashion, luxury, lifestyle, and beauty, Lipovsky decided to start a business of her own.
Taking inspiration from her first scent memories, she curated a range of fragrances that are inspired by the horses that have taken her on personal journeys — fostering a connection to self, others, nature and the world. The Discovery Set includes samples of all five fragrances in spray form: Rotano (inner power and confidence), Karat EG (hope for the future and renewal), Durban Jane (a sense of place and purpose), Macanudo (groundedness and togetherness) and Canaan (freedom, passion and drive).
I’ve developed an awesome relationship with this brand over the last year or so. Find La Pimbêche at the One of a Kind Show each season, but the brand is also an e-commerce business run out of Montreal, Canada. Help them embrace their inner badass with The Badass Manifestor oracle cards. These 62 cards, all designed by the brand’s creator herself, will help them in their journey to becoming the most badass version of themselves.
Each affirmation card is unique. Just pull a random card every day or when they feel inspiration strike, and let the inner spirit read into the symbolism. The deck is available in both English and French. And did I mention that everything is ethically manufactured by people who are treated fairly, with respect, and dignity, and are paid well? Badass vibes, for sure!
$100+
Finding their perfect knee-high boots that fit their calf size and height has never been easier with DuoBoots. This brand celebrates the fact that every person’s body is unique, offering luxurious leather boots designed for those who are tall, short, athletic, slender, curvy, and everything in between.
DuoBoots remain the only brand in the world to offer a range of knee-high boots in eight different calf sizes to ensure the perfect fit. The boots are designed in London and handmade in Portugal, placing timeless design and European craftsmanship at the forefront. With the Find Your Fit quiz, and a total of 72 sizes in calf-fit boots and 18 sizes in ankle boots, they can narrow down their shoe size, calf width, and boot width to find themselves a pair of boots that fit like a glove.
For those in your life that are constantly reaching for their eyelash curler, the Anti-Gravity Lash Lift at MYNC is the ideal gift. Their innovative treatment lifts lashes directly from the root, up and nourishes lashes with a deep conditioning and strengthening serum to promote shine & growth. Unlike traditional lash perms that can be uncomfortable and even painful, this lifting treatment uses soft silicone pads that carefully and gently lift the lashes right from the root. Continuous lift, curve and separation? Sign me up!
You can even add on a Lash Tint to the service for an extra $5 to create fabulously defined lashes from root to tip. Find me at my local MYNC location, getting my lashes tinted like a queen.
Founded in 1983 by Dr. Paolo Vranjes, this brand is an Italian luxury home fragrance house. Born and raised in Bologna, Italy, Dr. Vranjes grew up studying chemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, and cosmetology. Ultimately, it was his wife, Anna Maria, who encouraged him to pursue his passion for fragrance.
Dr. Vranjes Firenze’s star fragrance, Rosso Nobile, features notes of orange, grapes, berries, violet, magnolia, and birch wood. The scent was inspired by a love of wine and the rich scent of red wine, recreated. This candle gift set fills the room with a relaxing, aromatic fragrance, a unique and festive addition to their home for the holidays.
For the crafty ones at heart, share with them the wonderful world of bookbinding this year with Catalina Sánchez’s DIY Bookbinding Kit. This kit will teach them the basic principles and techniques for making books, inspiring them to create their own masterpiece.
Each kit includes the tools necessary for the bookbinding process and step-by-step instructions to make it easy and fun to design their own notebook. All materials are vegan and eco-friendly, and use premium recycled paper because it is ever-important to be conscious of your impact on the world. The paper used in this kit is acid-free, and items are handcrafted by Catalina with love, excellent craftsmanship and a one-of-a-kind feeling in Toronto, Canada.
If you are looking for something for the aesthetically inclined in your life, this wall-mounted, tip-over-resistant bookcase is a trendy addition to any space. They can give their space a fresh vibe with two chic finishing options: faux white marble shelves and white metal legs or glam graphite grey shelves and gold metal legs.
Display collectibles, décor, photos, books, and much more on the four open shelves for a stylish look. A wall anchor kit is included with the bookcase to secure it to the wall and prevent tipping injuries. #SafetyFirst
The gift guides are endless here on The Canadian Creative Blog, so if nothing on this list sparks your fancy, there’s plenty more where this came from! Hopefully, we can all do our best to plan ahead better for next year, but for now, we can all use a little bit of gift-giving inspiration! What are you giving your loved ones for the holidays this year? Maybe a shared experience instead? Let me know in the comments section!
Wishing you all a happy and safe holiday season.
