The ultimate holiday gift guide
The Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide
Maple Sugar Block
$20
The Rubik-size cube can be grated over ice cream, fruit or even blue cheese. Ninutik.com.
Real Estate on Mars
$30
for one acre. Questionably legal deeds are sold by entrepreneur Dennis Hope, who’s been subdividing extraterrestrial bodies since the ’80s. Buymars.com.
Skyline by Patrick J. Adams
$1,499
This cityscape proves the Suits star does stunning work on either side of a camera. lumas.com.
LUMAS
Monte & Coe Duffle
$489
Handmade in Canada, the handsome weekender features an Italian wool felt body, vegetable-tanned leather trim and sturdy brass hardware. Gotstyle.ca.
Gotstyle
FLASHY kickS
$105
Founded by a pair of Toronto natives, Akid’s sneakers have appeared on VIP progeny like Gwen Stefani’s son Apollo and Kanye-Kardashian scion North West. Akidbrand.com.
SOAP STONES
$29
Pelle’s glowing glycerin bars are hand-chiselled to resemble precious gems. Jacob and Sebastian, 622 Queen St. W., 647-345-0478. Jacobandsebastian.com.
ELECTRIC PLAY-DOH
$34
Just like regular Doh, but with lights and buzzers. Shop AGO, 317 Dundas St. W., 416-979-6690, ago.net/shop.
Feel-Good Fur
$500
and up. The Treasure Chest in the Windsor Arms sells recycled mink and fox fur coats—and gives 10 per cent of proceeds to charity. 18 St. Thomas St., 416-971-9666, ext. 6503.
PRO-CITY SWEATSHIRT
$60
It’s a somewhat defensive take on the iconic I Love N.Y. emblem. Gotstyle, 21 Trinity St., 416-260-9696, gotstyle.com.
WORLD’S BEST CHOCOLATE BAR
$14.50
for 65 grams. Soma’s Porcelana bar won gold at the International Chocolate Awards in London. Soma Chocolatemaker, 32 Tank House Ln., 416-815-7662, somachocolate.com.
DAN LEVY’S glasses
$104
The frames are from the actor’s 2015 eyewear collection. Optical Outlook, 104 Yorkville Ave., 416-961-9589, dleyewear.com.
boozy TOOTHPICKS
$48
for four packs of 12. Discriminating pickers will appreciate the complex tang of six-year-old barrel-aged Kentucky bourbon. Daneson.com.
BEAUTIFUL WOK
$220
A shining metallic bowl elevates the lowly stir-fry. Mjölk, 2959 Dundas St. W., 416-551-9853, mjolk.ca.
CUSTOM-PAINTED PLATES
$120
and up. Toronto crafter Jacqueline Poirier (resident artist at the Ritz-Carlton) specializes in eerily realistic pottery portraits. Jacquelinepoirier.com.
scandinavian pillow
$100
The organic cotton cushion is printed with an owlish design by Swedish illustrator Lasse Skarbövik. Studio Pazo, 219 Queen St. E., 416-507-0000, studiopazo.com.
Sneaker-cleaning kit
$22
Each pack contains a hand-carved wooden brush and a natural cleanser. Parkprovince.com.
ENAMEL PINS
$8
and under. For winter sweaters, lonely lapels and other articles in need of subtle swagger. Philistine, 928 Queen W., 416-532-3662, philistinetoronto.com.
MOBILE SPINNING SYSTEM
$99
The iPhone-compatible device has all the functionality of a professional DJ mixer for about half the price—making it ideal for dabblers. Chapters.indigo.ca.
GRAPHIC WATCH
$40
The Toronto brand May28th makes cheerful wrist candy with Swatch-ish appeal, like this flowery plastic and silicone timepiece. Pipler Accessories, 453 Parliament St., 647-346-2324, shoppipler.com.
RESCUE RABBIT
$40
It’s never wise to spring a small mammal on an unsuspecting friend. But for rabbit-ready families, Sargent Fuzzy Boots is a two-year-old male in search of his forever home. Torontohumanesociety.com.
retro JAYS HAT
$45
True, they didn’t go all the way. But the Jays gave us plenty to whoop about this year, including the AL East Division title. And we’ll always have Bautista’s catapulting bat. Lids.ca.
HOUSE ILLUSTRATION
$500
The ideal gift for new homeowners: a custom house portrait by local illustrator and New Yorker cartoonist Tom Chitty. Drawnbytom.com.
EVERYWHERE SWEATER
$524
Tanya Taylor’s Robin sweater has appeared on half of Hollywood, including Mindy Kaling. Plebes can now buy it online. Tanyataylor.com.
TIKI MUGs
$19
and under. The so-ugly-they’re-awesome Hawaiiana adds an air of authenticity to northern luaus. BYOB Cocktail Emporium, 972 Queen St. W., 647-727-3600, cocktailemporium.ca.
pom-pom hat
$78
Frigid winter winds are no match for ear-warming cashmere. Kit and Ace, 102 Bloor St. W., 1-844-548-6223, kitandace.com.
MONOGRAMMED DOPP KIT
$125
Toronto start-up Hey Roan’s oiled leather toiletry sacks are hand-stitched and stamped with a discreet custom monogram. Heyroan.com.
ORGANIC BEET spirit
$39
For the craft cocktail nerd who thinks she’s sipped them all, this earthy elixir was super-popular in Napoleonic France. Torontodistillery.ca.
BICYCLE WINE RACK
$40
The handmade leather straps affix to any city cruiser via antique brass fasteners. Spacingstore.ca.
JUSTIN TRUDEAU’S ACTING DEBUT
$62
In The Great War, an oft-forgotten 2007 CBC drama, the prime minister plays Talbot Mercer Papineau, a Rhodes Scholar who died at Passchendaele in 1917. Amazon.ca.
FELT SUCCULENT
$55
Toronto artist Contrabotanic makes perfect gifts for habitual houseplant killers. Etsy.com.
JOHN TORY’S BIKER BOOTS
$603
The mayor swears by his sturdy Fryes (he’ll even pair the strappy, studded harness boots with suits). Thefryecompany.com.
POUR-OVER system
$64
Canadiano’s one-cup coffee makers are carved out of cherry, walnut, birch and white oak (each wood pairs best with a different kind of bean). Canadiano.co.
HOVERBOARD
$600
The ridiculously popular hands-free scooter reaches a top speed of about 12 klicks per hour. Venommotorsportscanada.com.
LUXURY CANNED GOODS
$25
and under. Charlotte Langley specializes in custom canned food. Options from her holiday menu include shepherd’s pie, smoked oysters and sticky toffee pudding. Scoutcanning.com.
DIAMOND SIX STUD
$235
The tiny ode to T.O. is made of 14-karat gold and encrusted with diamonds. 6 by Gee Beauty, 6 Roxborough St., 1-855-960-8080, 6bygeebeauty.com.
FRENCH KNIVES
$66
Picasso purportedly did his best sculpting with a blade from Opinel, the famous French knife manufacturer. This kitchen kit contains a paring knife, a serrated blade, a slicing knife and a veggie peeler. Hopson Grace, 1120 Yonge St., 416-926-1120, hopsongrace.com.
GLITzy PIZZA BAG
$60
The sparkly pepperoni slice is made with fabric from a family-owned British mill. Jcrew.com.
black onyx NECKLACE
$59
Mystics say the inky stone stimulates the root chakra and enhances concentration. ilovebiko.com.
COPPER MUGS
$88
for four. The traditional Moscow mule receptacle keeps any cold drink icy (and looks cool on a bar cart). Drakegeneralstore.ca.
SMART comic BOOK
$26
Local artist Kate Beaton’s satirical strips feature Wonder Woman and Tiny Hermione, a palm-sized version of the Harry Potter heroine. Amazon.ca.
REALLY GOOD CHARCUTERIE
$93
for 250 grams. Tissue-thin slices of jamón ibérico are imported from Salamanca, the ham capital of Spain. Hamlovers.ca.
historical plaque
$250
The commemorative custom plates are issued by civic historians at Heritage Toronto to any home in the GTA that has been standing for over a century. Heritagetoronto.org.
CANADIAN DOLL
$100
The ubiquitous American Girl’s Canuck counterpart comes with a 64-page bilingual journal. Maplelea.com.
LOOM-WEAVING WORKSHOP
$125
The Shop’s five-hour class covers all the tapestry-weaving fundamentals. (Other options include shibori dyeing and denim repair.) 1139 College St., 416-824-2555, theshoptoronto.ca.
LEGO CLUTCH
$850
Florentine designer Maria Sole Cecchi’s Lego-mosaic boxes are the undisputed it-bags of the season. Holt Renfrew, 50 Bloor St. W., 416-923-2333, holtrenfrew.com.
DOG PYJAMAS
$27
and under. A completely unnecessary extravagance for doting pet parents. Dogfather and Co., 1007 Yonge St., 416-960-1088, dogfatherandco.com.
DNA TEST
$199
In return for a spit sample, American company 23andMe will produce a report full of such unnerving health predictions as your likelihood of having a heart attack or becoming a heroin addict. 23andme.com.
RAMEN SPORK
$20
The ingenious tool was created for a famous Japanese noodle house. Drakegeneralstore.ca.
THE WEEKND’S beauty behind the madness ON VINYL
$55
The chart-topping crooner is on his way to eclipsing Drake. His moody new album is a suitable dead-of-winter soundtrack. Fatbeats.com.
denim bow tie
$42
All the prep without a smidgen of ponce. Frank and Oak, 735 Queen St. W., 647-930-8711, frankandoak.com.
GREY GOOSE VX
$100
Expertly crafted in France and presented in a luxury gift box, this new premium spirit combines Grey Goose vodka with a hint of cognac. Lcbo.com.
Grey Goose
Sony Mirrorless Camera
$649
and up. Test the limits of creativity with the world’s fastest focusing camera. Every shot benefits from 24.3MP detail and a BIONZ X processor. Sony.ca.
Sony Canada
Sony Ultra-Slim 4K Television
$3299
The X900C TV combines 4K clarity, brilliant high-dynamic range and Android TV in one elegantly slim package. Sony.ca.
Sony Canada
LEGO® Dimensions Videogame
$109
Characters from different LEGO® worlds come together in one action-packed game, allowing players to mix-and-match vehicles and gadgets like never before. Ebgames.ca.
WB Games
Hebederma Anti-Aging Serum
$129
Made to order in Canada, the all-natural skin serum is free of preservatives, parabens, alcohol and fragrance. Hebederma.com.
Hebederma
Delonghi Nespresso Lattissima Touch
$499
This compact cappuccino maker has a removable milk carafe and six customizable beverage buttons. Purchase any Nespresso machine over $199 and receive a $100 mail-in rebate. Linenchest.com.
Linen Chest
Jacob’s Creek Double Barrel Shiraz
$19.95
Fans of full-bodied reds will appreciate the bold flavours of this unique wine, which is aged in whiskey barrels. Lcbo.com.
Jacob’s Creek
Elmwood Spa Day
$129
The indulgent Holiday Sparkle package includes water therapies, a Swedish massage and a delicious three-course lunch. Elmwoodspa.com.
Elmwood Spa
Robert Marc Eyewear
$525
and up. The sophisticated frames are handcrafted with titanium and Italian acetate, and branded with the designer’s signature hinge. Josephson.ca.
Josephson Optical
Sony Portable Bluetooth Speaker
$149
The SRS-X33 delivers amazing audio, one-touch listening convenience, hands-free calling and up to 12-hours of battery life. Sony.ca.
Sony Canada
Men’s Burton Covert Jacket
$199.99
It’s got Pit Zips, thumb grips and pockets for just about everything. Thermolite insulation and a plush taffeta lining lock in core warmth. Sportchek.ca.
Burton Snowboards
Women’s Burton Cadence Jacket
$219.99
The stylish design hides tons of mountain-friendly features, including goggle and media pockets, mesh-lined Pit Zips and a removable waist gaiter. Sportchek.ca.
Burton Snowboards
Tickets to Ripley’s Aquarium
$30
Make a splash this holiday season! Ripley’s Express Anytime tickets can be pre-ordered online and remain valid for 365 days. Ripleysaquariums.com.
Ripley’s Aquarium
J.P. Wiser’s Hopped
$28.95
This full-flavoured whisky blends peppery hops with the spice of J.P. Wiser’s rye for a rich, dark ale finish. Lcbo.com.
J.P. Wiser’s
Meiomi
$26.95
Three of California’s most notable coastal regions come together to create a complex pinot noir balanced with fruit and spice. Lcbo.com.
Meiomi
Ruffino Riserva Ducale Oro Gran Selezione 2010
$46.95
This award-winning, full-bodied wine is one of only 38 Chianti Classico wines granted Gran Selezione status. Lcbo.com.
Ruffino
Powers Gold Label Whiskey
$39.95
The popular Irish whiskey, famous for its spicy, honeyed flavours, is triple distilled and matured in American oak casks. Lcbo.com.
Powers Irish Whiskey
