The holiday season is once again upon us! We’ve assembled our annual gift guide to help you find something for everyone on your list…and maybe one or two things for yourself, too. Read on to find out more about our top picks!
{TBR’s 2023 Holiday Gift Guide}
Disclaimer: Many of the products listed below were provided to me at no cost for editorial consideration. All opinions are my own.
Before we get into our gift ideas, we want to acknowledge that money continues to be tight for many. Folks are scaling back on their spending due to the cost of living crisis, and non-essential purchases are not feasible for everyone right now. We’ve therefore included suggestions for items & experiences at a range of price points. After all, a gift is nice, but the holiday season is truly about spending time together and letting loved ones know that you’re thinking of them.
If you are looking to purchase a gift, here are some of our fave ideas and spaces. To help you shop according to your personal philosophy, we’ve labelled our suggestions with some special interest areas in mind:
- BIPOC indicates that the business or product is run/created by a person of color
- CAN indicates that the business or product is Canadian
- CF indicates that the product is cruelty-free
- ECO indicates that the business or product is eco-friendly or has sustainable elements
- GTA indicates that the business or product is located or made in the Greater Toronto Area
- W indicates that the business is owned or operated by women
Shops We Love
- Good Intentions (1434 Danforth Ave, Toronto)
- Good Intentions is chock full of unique goods from female-owned businesses. From jewelry to art, candles, clothes, journals and more – there are so many treasures to be found here.
- BIPOC, CAN, ECO, GTA, W
- Juxtapose Annex / Juxtapose Home (430 Bloor St W, Toronto / 616 Bloor St W, Toronto)
- These stores are my absolute go-to for any gift. The Annex location has bags, body care products, books, puzzles, and more. The Home location has stunning glassware, linens, kitchen and bathroom items, and even a pet corner!
- BIPOC, CAN, ECO, GTA, W
- Socco Annex / Socco Living (474 Bloor St W, Toronto / 1020 Queen St W, Toronto)
- With a curated selection of fabulously chic items, Socco is the perfect place to pick up a gift for a design-loving friend or family member. Prints, vases, glassware, décor, bedding, furniture items and more – all sourced from artisans worldwide.
- CAN, ECO, GTA, W
- Marigold Market (20383 Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry County Road 2, South Lancaster)
- If you’re not in the GTA but are looking for luxe and eco-friendly gift ideas, check out Marigold Market. They have a gorgeous collection of jewelry, home, and lifestyle products sourced from Canadian small businesses. Heads up, folks in the Ottawa region: Marigold Market will be moving your way in January!
- CAN, ECO, W
- GoodMinds (188 Mohawk St, Brantford)
- Looking for books by Indigenous authors and illustrators? Check out GoodMinds, an Indigenous family-owned store. They have an amazing selection of books for any age.
- BIPOC, CAN, GTA, W
- Crying Out Loud (Online only)
- Crying Out Loud has now moved exclusively to e-commerce, but their collection of unique & thoughtful wellness products continues to be a favourite of mine. Their selection of care packages with various themes makes gifting a breeze!
- BIPOC, CAN, ECO, GTA, W
Gifts of Time, Experience & Donations
- Donations to local organizations: A donation to a cause your gift recipient is passionate about is a beautiful way to mark the holiday season without scrambling to purchase an item just to have something to give them. The CanadaHelps platform makes it easy to search for charitable organizations in your area, and to donate whatever amount you may be comfortable with. Some of the charities we personally support include:
- Socks4Souls
- Across Boundaries Mental Health
- Good Foot Delivery & Support Services
- Feed Ontario
- Board Game Café: Looking for a gift idea for someone local? Why not treat them to an afternoon of games at a board game café? My personal favourite is Snakes & Lattes: admission is $10 per person, but after that, you can play any game in their extensive library for free! Add in some food and drinks, and you’ve got memories that will last a lifetime.
- CAN, GTA
- Coupons
- Let’s bring back this childhood classic! Gifts of time and service are a beautiful way to show your recipient how important they are to you. Does your giftee have a chore or errand they dread? Offer to complete it for them! Have trouble finding time to connect? Set up a weekly FaceTime. With a just a few pieces of paper, you can show your gift recipient that you plan on being there for them long after the holiday season has ended.
- Adventure Day: My husband and I started planning “Adventure Days” for each other years ago in lieu of celebrating Valentine’s Day. Our rule is that the day must have a theme and include at least two different activities and one meal that goes with the theme. We go all out – themed playlists, itineraries, the whole shebang! Adventure Days have become one of our most cherished traditions, and are such a beautiful way to spend time with your loved one. The best part is that this is totally customizable depending on your budget and preferences. Over the years, we’ve had Ron Swanson Day, Childhood Favourites Day, Detective Day, Book Day, Around the World Day….the options are endless!
Home, Fashion & Lifestyle Gift Ideas
- Lezé the Label: I love this clothing line so much that my friends tease me about it! Lezé is all about sustainable clothing that is incredibly chic but also comfortable. I have a ton of their pieces, and will gush to anyone near me about how soft the fabrics are and how cool it is that the textiles are made from recycled fishing nets or corn! Their clothing is an investment, but so very worth it. Check out their sale section for some major deals.
- BIPOC, CAN, CF, ECO, W
- Betterfelt: If you’re looking for a cozy gift idea, look no further than Danish company Betterfelt. Their wool slippers ($99) are pure heaven, and they’ve recently expanded their collection to include trivets, baskets, cat caves, and more ($30-$80)! All their products are Fair Trade certified and handmade by female artisans in Nepal using wool from New Zealand.
- CF, ECO, W
- Salted Company: The perfect host gift for all those holiday soirées? Elevated snack blends from Salted Company ($15). These definitely aren’t your everyday nuts: ingredients like smoked tea salt, spicy chili, heirloom peanuts, truffle, and candied rosemary bring luxury and sophistication to these blends. They even come with cocktail pairing suggestions!
- GTA
- Dr Teal’s: Bring the spa to your gift recipient’s home with a time-honoured classic. Dr Teal’s Melatonin Bath set ($10) includes epsom salts and a foaming bath solution infused with melatonin, lavender, and chamomile – the ideal way to help your giftee wind down after the holiday rush.
Beauty, Haircare & Skincare Gift Ideas
- Stoic Beauty: This skincare brand is all about the powerhouse combination of efficacy and ecological responsibility. Founded by a mother-daughter duo (one is a chemist and one is an environmental activist!), Stoic Beauty’s line of skincare products delivers excellent results and feels luxurious, while still being water-safe. Stoic’s Hydration Duo ($60) is the perfect introduction to the brand, and would make an excellent gift for the skincare lover on your list. *Psst: Use my affiliate code MADDIE10 at checkout to get 10% off your order!
- CAN, CF, ECO, GTA, W
- Province Apothecary: No TBR gift guide would be complete without a nod to Province Apothecary! While any of their products would make a fabulous gift, their Holiday Beauty Tools Gift Set (on sale for $89) is basically a readymade collection of PA’s greatest hits. And if your gift recipient is local, a PA facial at the Detox Market ($85-$140) may be just the post-holiday pampering they’re dreaming of!
- CAN, CF, ECO, GTA, W
- Olaplex: Stress, pollution, & weather changes are three major sources of hair damage, so if your gift recipient is literally any modern human, chances are their hair could use some love. Olaplex has you covered! Their adorable gift sets start at just $18, and are filled with high-performance haircare products that will help your giftee start off 2024 feeling truly fabulous.
- CF, ECO
- Elate Cosmetics: Got a makeup lover on your list? Treat them to a gift from Elate Cosmetics. The products themselves are beautiful – high-performance, gorgeous pigments, infused with skincare ingredients – and the packaging is all sustainable and refillable. Elate is B-Corp certified, and pushes back against the consumerism and waste that are so unfortunately common in the beauty industry. An Elate Cosmetics product is something your gift recipient can use, love, and refill to their heart’s content! Individual products start at $14, and their essentials sets range from $50-$94.
- CAN, CF, ECO, W
- KJH.brand: In the makeup world, the name Katie Jane Hughes is spoken in hushed, reverent tones. KJH is a celebrity makeup artist who truly wants to empower beauty lovers to make their own rules. To wit: she and her team have spent years developing an innovative system they call the Hyper Shine High Lite Kit ($98). This ground-breaking set includes a brush, a pot of pigment, and a serum that allows the user to completely customize the product’s texture and opacity. (Can you tell I’m obsessed?) A gift that would make any makeup nerd squeal with glee.
- CF, W