Avoid the shop-till-you-drop cycle this holiday. From pyjamas to skin cream to perfect hostess gifts, a roundup of local gifts that now make holiday shopping festive and fun.
This year, we decided that locals know better than some random catalogue as to what you need under your tree. The editors at Vancouver have sought out the best in local products for those on your list this holiday season. First on the agenda: the ladies (but stay tuned for more).
Mona Sultan’s Flare for Fringe bandanas ($155) feature digitally printed designs on 100-percent-silk twill with a hand-sewn fringe edge that adds contemporary interpretation to a classic style. Goodge Place, 1523 W. Eighth Ave., 604-714-1133, Goodgeplace.com. Monasultan.com Monasultan.com
You could be forgiven for mistaking Vancouver’s Fable Naturals organic skin care line for your grocery staples with its olive oil, shea butter, green tea, and lemon ingredients. The vegan Chamomile + Shea moisturizer ($24/60 ml) includes radish root and apricot oil. 2541 Main St., 604-709-9034. Fablenaturals.com Fablenaturals.com
A collaboration between Claudia Alan eyewear and a local fashion maven, the C4 Eyewear x Susie Wall capsule collection features sunglasses and edgy reading glasses, such as the Rockit grey tortoise frames ($125), with partial proceeds going to Vancouver-based charity Cause We Care (helping single mothers in need). Claudiaalan.com Claudiaalan.com
Reassembly botanical fragrance oils ($45), like Mosscape (oak moss, Japanese peppermint) and Lupa (lavender, nutmeg), are small-batch, long-wearing fragrances all made from aged botanicals absorbed into an organic coconut oil base. Walrus Home, 3408 Cambie St., 604-874-9770, Walrushome.com. Reassembly.ca Reassembly.ca
Canadian sleepwear brand The Sleep Shirt and Vancouver’s Rebecca Rawlinson of the Rebecca Bree boutique join forces for the holidays with the Bonne Nuit nightwear set ($325). The pink-and-cream-striped cotton nightshirt and lounge pants will have you dreaming of sugar plums in no time. 3680 W. Fourth Ave., 604-714-0085, Thesleepshirt.com. Rebeccabree.com Rebeccabree.com
Deck the halls with creative craft cocktails made from Long Table’s copper pot-distilled Långbord Akvavit ($41). Made at their microdistillery on Hornby Street, this spirit was created using a traditional Scandinavian recipe that yields festive flavours of licorice and Seville orange. 1451 Hornby St., 604-266-0177. Longtabledistillery.com Longtabledistillery.com
Inspired by the ocean, the Ula necklace ($900) by the irrepressibly talented Negar Katami of Mount Pleasant-based Katami Designs features an organic seashell charm hand-cast in 18-karat gold and adorned with a diamond. 138 E. Broadway, 604-559-3872. Katamidesigns.com Katamidesigns.com
For nearly 70 years, the Dayton factory store in Vancouver has been handcrafting boots using traditional, labour-intensive methods (over 230 steps for one pair!). The Aurora boot ($479) is a square-toed pull-on inspired by the ’60s but made for today. 2250 E. Hastings St., 604-253-6671. Daytonboots.com Daytonboots.com
