If you want to make a Canadian happy this holiday season, show them your love of Canada with Canadian themed Holiday presents. Here’s a bit of inspiration from Aunt Wonderful and MadeInCanada-eh.ca.
My mom and I accidentally opened a box of thoughtfully selected Christmas presents from my Aunt Wonderful & Uncle Jerry early. To add to the glee of all the delights in the box was that my Aunt & Uncle had sourced all the presents from Canadian businesses, making it a Canadian themed Holiday present bundle! A rather wonderful way to support Canadian businesses this Holiday season – giving in more ways than one!
Yes, on the note of ‘accidentally opened’, we did realise they were likely Christmas presents, but it was accidental, as normally my Aunt wraps the presents within. In realising my Aunt had made an environmentally friendly choice of going sans wrapping paper this year, we may have decided to delight in exploring the whole box to check if there were items in need of refrigeration or to be kept out of reach of the dog.
Canadian Themed Holiday Presents
The present selection really was a delight as it was not only thoughtfully catered to the things mom and I enjoy, but in closer inspection, all presents were purchased from Canadian businesses making them Canadian themed Holiday presents! Brilliant! And an excellent way to make a Canadian exclaim with delight and pride in a year where Canadians have faced a Trade War from the Trump regime. I’d also like to think this was an extra bit of thoughtfulness from my Aunt Wonderful & Uncle Jerry, in knowing that I had built MadeInCanada-eh.ca earlier this year, as my way of fighting those trade wars and supporting Canadian businesses.
MadeInCanada-eh.ca
Had I thought of it earlier, I would have made a MadeInCanada-eh.ca inspired advent calendar on MadeInCanada-eh.ca site introducing different Canadian themed presents over the month of December, or perhaps I will start this as a 12-months to the Holidays advent, starting in January, and giving people time to think ahead. Even better would be to be able to do different themed versions for each of our Canadian Territories and Provinces. I have a bit of Canadian business adding to do to the site directory though, to get to the point where I am able to create tailored advents themed after all Territories and Provinces, as the labour of passion that is MadeInCanada-eh.ca has been getting business added to it in bits and starts as I find the time. Should you wish to give me a holiday present this year, you could help by adding a few Canadian businesses to the MadeInCanada-eh.ca directory, here: https://madeincanada-eh.ca/add-listing/listings/ You can also search the site for Canadian businesses to buy Canadian themed Holiday presents for your loved ones, here: https://madeincanada-eh.ca/map/
Our Canadian Themed Holiday Presents
So what were the Canadian themed presents in the box of goodies my Aunt Wonderful & Uncle Jerry sent?!?
- Two bottles of Niche Wine (from West Kelowna, BC) – Small Wonder Rose & Sauvignon Blanc
These were particularly exciting as my mom, a life long beer drinker, has begun to enjoy wine in her 80s, and has yet to enjoy her nephew Jame’s wine, which I must say is quite good and has won awards. Rather proud of him and what he and Joanna have built with Niche Wine Company, from the vineyard that my Uncle and Aunt planted and nurtured.
They also have a Small Batch Club of 4 shipments of farm-fresh, limited-release wine every year, surprise, locally sourced extras, and all the VIP treatment at the farm (including free wine tastings and 15% off all purchases and accommodations rentals), that would make a great self gift.
You might also consider the gift of a stay at the Outside Inn Cabins, which are absolutely gorgeous, and provide a great retreat for both enjoying the winery and nearby hiking trails.
Oh, and if you are visiting West Kelowna, they have a refillable growler program, offering 500 mL and 1L growlers filled with farm-fresh wines as part of their larger sustainability and community-building effort. This is something I will be looking into for myself with Eddie the EV meaning that James and Joanna will see me more often at the winery, as I park in their parent’s driveway going to and from my EV roadtripping adventures.
- Jams, Jellies and Spreads from East Van Jams (from Vancouver, BC) – Blackberry Jack Spread & Mini Jam Jar Filled Holiday Crackers
This is my other cousin Pip’s jammery, along with her friend Nicole, made with more love and less sugar, and oh so good. Aside from being proud of Pip and being huge jam and spread lovers, part of what makes this part of the present special is that we all spent our summers together, picking berries and making jams. The holiday crackers are a nostalgic family thing too, as growing up crackers were always an important part of the holiday meal, as they were made by our most beloved Joan at the Garth Homer Society in Victoria, BC. Alas, the Society does not sell their crackers anymore, but East Van Jam’s crackers are a scrumptious alternative.
East Van Jam’s also puts together BC made gift sets, much as Pip did in helping to send our box of goodies.
- Chocolate from Sandrine (from Kelowna, BC) – Handmade Dark Chocolate with Expresso Beans Bar
Yum! The perfect treat for two coffee loving chocoholics.
Also, gotta say that after visiting their website, aside from drooling (a lot), I’ll be stopping in on my next visit to Kelowna, with the excuse to come bearing goodies as I visit my Aunt & Uncle.
- Bath products from Meadowfoam (from Richmond, BC) – a Vanilla Mint Soap & Soak Set of Lux Cream Soap and Foaming Bath Salts & Sweet Fir White Currant Cocktail Diffuser
With a bit of a family reputation for marathon baths, mom and I both delight in our bath indulgences, making anything that will turn the tub into a spa, very much relished.
Maud Lewis is my mom’s favourite Canadian artist, so a calendar that you can buy in support of the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, is a gift that keeps on giving throughout the year for mom. Both Mom and I were delighted to discover that it includes a few pieces of Maude’s art that neither of us had seen before.
Lastly, although not Canadian, we will also be enjoying building this delightful puzzle created with artwork of Debra Alouise, with me enjoying more of the building of the puzzle, and mom delighting in the dogs.
I suppose now that I’ve shared this post, Mom and I should stop pretending that we haven’t already opened our presents, and pick up the phone to call Aunt Wonderful & Uncle Jerry to thank them for their box of Canadian themed delights!
Which Canadian Businesses Are You Supporting This Holiday Season?
Have you got some favourite Canadian businesses that you are supporting with your holiday spending this season? Tell us about them in the comments, and we will be sure to add them to the MadeInCanada-eh.ca directory.
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