The Vanmag Wish Book: What 14 Interesting Vancouverites Want for Christmas

While the editors of this magazine certainly have their own ideas about what would make for a great locally sourced holiday gift this season, we know we’re not the only folks with an opinion around here. For our annual Vanmag Wish Book, we surveyed 14 of Vancouver’s most interesting people for recommendations on what to gift this year—here, artists, chefs, comedians, designers and influencers share their own wish-list picks, favourite gifting traditions and can’t-fail presents.

Sandeep Johal, visual artist

What’s on your wish list right now?

 

 

“After my recent humbling at a six-week ceramics class at Claymates, I’m so much more appreciative of ceramics. I’d love to add a couple more of Meg Hübert’s banana handle mugs to my collection because they bring me so much joy.” Woah Dude! mug, $55, meghubert.com

“I’ve come to recognize how important it is to rest and take care of myself, so I’d love to have another spa day at Circle Wellness; the first time I found it really hard to unwind because my mind wouldn’t stop racing.” 90-minute session, from $219, circlewellnessspas.com

What’s the best gift you’ve ever received or given?

“When I had my son, I gifted myself a wild mother-child print by Toronto-based artist Rajni Perera. I look at it every morning when I wake up and every night when I go to bed.” Blip Thru print, $87, rajniperera.com

What’s a great experience to give or receive?

“Tickets to Bard on the Beach. We’ve been going for a decade or so now and the past three years with our son. It’s such a quintessential Vancouver experience, especially in the Mainstage theatre where you can see the ocean and mountains through the cut-out window.” Bard on the Beach tickets, from $35, bardonthebeach.org

 

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Allie Entwistle, comedian and host of (Please Don’t Sue Us) Taskmaster

What’s on your wish list right now?

“I love the weird and wonderful face mugs by Objects and Feelings. Each mug is different but also bright and fun. I’ve drank from them at Annabel’s café but I also just recently spotted them at Gatley.” Objects and Feelings mug, $65, gatley.ca

“My wish list always includes socks. I think if everyone got rid of their worst pair of socks, the world would be a much happier place. My current favourite socks to receive and to gift are these amazing mohair socks that feel like a fever dream between sock and slippers—plus, they’re Canadian.” Thermohair socks, $39, harlowskinco.com

What’s a great experience to give or receive here in Vancouver?

“I might be biased but I do think that tickets to a local comedy show are a really great gift. What’s better than reminding the person that you love that you live in a city full of people making weird, beautiful and funny art? My favourite places to see a show in Vancouver? Little Mountain Gallery and China Cloud!” littlemountaingallery.ca; @chinacloudstudios 

Do you have any unique gifting traditions with your friends or family?

“Every year I buy my grandma a bundle of B.C.-made soap. Her favourite? The Noble Fir bar. Her least favourite? Anything that has oatmeal chunks in it. I appreciate constructive feedback in my gift giving!” Saltspring Soapworks Noble Fir soap, $8, welks.ca

Do you have a favourite store you go to for your holiday shopping?

“Welk’s General Store! I love Welk’s. My favourite things to buy for people are fancy things that I wish I was buying for myself.” welks.ca

 

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Otto Tausk, music director, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra

What’s on your wish list right now?

“Being on the road a lot always triggers my curiosity for finding the best coffee in town. I have really enjoyed Revolver Coffee lately.” Phil and Sebastian Candy Cloud espresso, $24, revolvercoffee.ca

What are you excited to gift someone else this year?

“Granville Island IPA for a good friend.” Kitsilano Juicy IPA, $15 for a six-pack, granvilleislandbrewing.ca

 

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Lainé Slater, director of marketing, Vancouver International Film Festival

What’s on your wish list right now?

“I admit it, I’m a chocoholic. It can’t be helped. I’m not going to fight it anymore. Thankfully, excellent chocolate boutiques in Vancouver have bloomed, nicely (chocolate-lovers’ joke). I love Mink Chocolates and Cafe, among so many others.” Of Course Siam bar, $11, minkchocolates.com

What are you excited to give to someone else this year?

“I love the idea of creating personalized gift bundles featuring lovely tea from Silk Road Tea, the best nuts in town from Ayoub’s, and the pièce de résistance, sweet treats from Sweet Thea Bakery, in particular the lemon curd and chocolate caramel tarts. Wrapping the bundle up in a silk scarf thrifted from Little Miss Vintage makes for a pretty and useful gift.” Lime and saffron pistachios, $26 per lb, ayoubs.ca

What’s a great experience to give or receive here in Vancouver?

“A VIFF+ membership! Members enjoy discounts on tickets and passes to great cinema all year at the VIFF Centre and at the annual fall festival, special perks and a cool membership card. It is the gift that keeps on giving.” VIFF+, from $49, viff.org

 

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Rachel Lee, owner, Dear Gus Snack Bar

What’s on your wish list this year?

“Baina towels from Old Faithful. I love the contemporary designs and colours of all of their towels. I also would buy anything and everything in Old Faithful.” Baina Willis pool towel, $147, oldfaithfulshop.com

“A Japanese knife from Ai and Om. You can never have too many knives, especially beautiful, handcrafted Japanese knives.” Hitohira TD Blue #2, $199, aiandomknives.com

“A wine club membership from Dear Gus! It’s a shameless plug, but I swear it’s a great gift. You get two bottles of wine a month and bottle discounts in-restaurant… who wouldn’t want that?” Monthly subscription, $105, deargus.com

“I love the simple aesthetic and signature sent of the Frama hand soap and lotion from Provide. I’m a new fan of this lifestyle brand.” Frama Herbarium hand wash, $80, providehome.com

“The Cowdog matcha tin is the perfect gift for any matcha or green tea lover. My favourite? The Nutty Dew hojicha.” Dew matcha, $55, cowdog.coffee

“This colourful Louis Poulsen lamp is the perfect cordless lamp for home.” Panthella 160 portable lamp, $330, livingspace.com

 

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Hector Laguna, executive chef, Botanist

What’s on your wish list right now?

“This mushroom knife from France is great for cleaning mushrooms, especially for when I have time to forage. There is a blade on one side and a brush on the other.” Opinel mushroom knife, $40, leevalley.com

What are you excited to give to someone else this year?

“A tortilla press. People may not know how easy it is to make your own tortillas.” Fox Run aluminum tortilla press, $33, gourmetwarehouse.ca

“I always like to gift aprons to people who enjoy cooking at home. We source our aprons from Chef and Co. Canada, based in Vancouver. The Vancouver 162 is a great one. Pockets are a must.” Pinstripe apron, $72, chefandcocanada.ca

 

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Meeru Dhalwala, co-founder/chef, Lila Restaurant

What’s on your wish list right now?

“A made-in-Canada Jenni Lee crochet dress from Eugene Choo on Main Street. I walk by it every day to and from work. I eye its beautiful lace design and shape (it’s kind of skin tightish) and tell myself: Tomorrow, I’ll make the time to try it.” Jenni Lee crochet dress, $390, eugenechoo.com

What’s a great experience to give or receive here in Vancouver?

“I am Indian, raised by an Ayurvedic and massage loving mother. No kidding: for her, turmeric or a massage could fix everything. So I’m a big believer in the relaxation power of all natural, aromatherapy products and massages. Sunja Link on Main Street is my special place.” Rejuvenating face and body massage, $220, sunjalink.com

Do you have any unique gifting traditions with your friends or family?

“A few years ago, I took a pottery class with Laura van der Linde in the autumn just to make special Christmas gifts for my family. I made a meal and served it on my handmade plates, and at the end of the night, each person took a plate.” Eight-week pottery class, $432, lauravanderlinde.com

 

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Lauren Sundstrom, content creator

What’s on your wish list right now?

“A good pair of loafers from G.H. Bass has been on my wish list for ages. They’re so classic, well-made and will be something I can envision myself wearing over and over again. In the scheme of things, they’re not even that expensive for a pair of shoes I would wear forever.” Whitney Weejuns loafers, $270, gravitypope.com

What are you excited to give to someone else this year?

“I love The Garden Strathcona for gifts: they are a coffee shop with a cute section of plants and various small gifts like candles, soaps and teas, all of which are from local and Indigenous-owned businesses. If you have a friend with a green thumb, I can’t recommend their Kelpy plant food enough—it has saved some of my saddest looking plants.” Kelpy, $44, thegardenstrathcona.com

What’s a great experience to give or receive here in Vancouver?

“It’s gotta be a facial, either with the Skin Girls or at Formula Fig. Dreamy and indulgent and you’ll glow afterwards.” Glow and Go, $169, theskingirls.ca; Hydrate and Glow, $99, formulafig.com

 

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Sharla Farrell, PR consultant and content creator

What’s on your wish list right now?

“I have been eyeing this crochet Givéh top ever since I first saw it. I love the open-tie sides and I think it’s the perfect piece to wear in the winter, layered over a long-sleeve top or by itself in the summer.” Tie top, $236, shopmercurial.com

“I am all about wellness and staying healthy, so this Mornings reishi tincture—from a local female-owned brand!—is always a great stocking stuffer for me.” Organic Reishi extract, $40, yourmornings.com

What are you excited to give to someone else this year?

“Piecework Puzzles are so much fun to give because of how intricate and detailed they are. It’s also a great price point and a reliable last-minute gift for a Secret Santa. This one of the French Riviera gives me total vacation vibes.” L’Apero 1,000-piece puzzle, $60, siista.com

 

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Graham Clark, comedian

What’s on your wish list right now?

“If I’m being honest, something thrifted or found at a vintage store is the key to my heart. Vancouver has great thrift stores. Which one is my fave? I’ll take that secret to the grave. But if it’s a classic or one-of-a-kind pieces you seek, you don’t have to look farther than Burcu’s Angels!” @burcusangels

What are you excited to gift this year?

“Gift certificates to The Acorn so my friends can experience the fantastic chef’s menu, which features vegetarian dishes with heaps of imagination. There’s a great vibe, and they are good about allergies, too, which help me feel welcomed. (I have a thousand or so allergies; my medic alert necklace is the size if a belt buckle.)” theacornrestaurant.ca

Do you have a favourite store for your holiday shopping?

“I love Walrus. It has such beautiful gifts and is curated in a way that I wish my apartment was that clean and welcoming. Basically, I would just move in there if I could.” shop.walrushome.com

 

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Chad Falkenberg and Kelly Reynolds, principals, Falken Reynolds Interiors

What’s on your wish list right now?

“A multi-fired vessel by Michelle Grimm. The layers of craft in each piece result in these refined yet earthy vessels.” Soda fired vase 206, $180, providehome.com

What’s a great experience to give or receive here in Vancouver?

“A Grouse Mountain gondola pass gets you down once you’ve done the Grouse Grind, which, of course, is such a uniquely Vancouver rite of passage: a gem of an outdoor work-out with a rewarding view.” Grouse Mountain Download pass, $20 for a single, $199 for an annual pass, grousemountain.com

“A canoe tour up the Indian Arm from Cates Park by Takaya Tours is one of the best group activities we’ve done with our team, learning about ancient village sites on shores of Burrard Inlet and the Indian Arm.” First Nation canoe tour, pricing varies, takayatours.com

 

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Ricardo Rodriguez, creative director, Wallace Mercantile Shop

What’s on your wish list right now?

“I recently got engaged, so I want a new ring for myself from local designer Liam Ebeling at 97 Sins.” Everlasting Bloom ring, $400, 97sins.com

“A yakitori grill from Knifewear on Main Street is definitely on my wish list.” Kaginushi Konro yakitori grill, $385, knifewear.com

“Some vintage frames from New World Optical on Main Street. Those guys have my favourite selection of real vintage frames in the whole city.” Deadstock frames, prices vary, newworldoptical.com

Your go-to spot for holiday shopping?

“There’s this shop in Mount Pleasant called Itsumo. It’s lots of incense, incense holders, pottery, cutlery—little things like that, all from Japan. Going in there is so pleasant. It smells great and the staff is really nice; it’s just an overall really great experience. I’ll likely do a lot of my shopping there. I always find a good gift is little everyday household things.” itsumo.ca

What’s a great experience to give or receive here in Vancouver?

“My fiancé and I have made it a tradition to go to Brewery and the Beast every summer. To me, that’s one of the most fun experiences in the city, if you’re able to get tickets.” Main Event ticket, $179, breweryandthebeast.com

 

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Caroline Boquist, co-founder, Walrus; co-host, PechaKucha Vancouver

What’s on your wish list right now?

“One of my favourite things about winter is the coziness. I’d live in a sweater from Greenbook if I could.” Demylee Chelsea sweater, $328, greenbrook.shop

“It would be a dream to receive a painting by Vancouver artist Rubeena Ratcliffe. Not only do I love her work, I love supporting women.” Party at the Shore painting, $1,400, gallerymerrick.com

“Good design with whimsy is one of my favourite things, and the ceramic, retro-inspired Studio Arhoj Smoke Flower incense holder hits that sweet spot.” Daisy Smoke Flower, $78, shop.walrushome.com

What are you excited to give to someone else this year?

“These artist-designed wool blankets by ZigZag Zurich are so cool (and cozy)… and happen to be available at my store.” Konstructiv by Michelle Rondelli, $348, shop.walrushome.com

What’s a great experience to give or receive here in Vancouver?

“A custom scent experience with local scent magician: Josée Gordon from Reassembly.” Three visits that culminate in a unique perfume oil, $595, reassembly.ca