Shopping in the hills: keep it local, keep it simple

Last year at this time, I was lumbering around, too pregnant for pants, and not all the Tums in Shoppers would have taken me anywhere near a mall. Our second baby was due to arrive sometime between Christmas and New Year’s Day, so not only was I was determined not to go anywhere near the mall, I was on a mission to get my shopping done early. Finished by December 1st at the latest, in fact. As much as I love Christmas, I’m not a huge fan of shopping. I don’t like parking lots, I don’t like crowds, I don’t like line-ups, and I like all of them even less when I’m hauling along one or more children, which, inevitably, I am.

However, finding the perfect gift? Now THAT I love!

Luckily we live in an area rich with opportunities for that perfect gift, and I’d dare to say you can check off every single person on your list by shopping at local, independently owned businesses, which is not only easy on the planet, but great for local business and economy.

So how do you keep it local and keep it simple this year for the holidays?

For the Kids

First off with kids, think quality, not quantity.  Twenty things under the tree does no one any good if everything is forgotten in a corner by New Year’s day. A friend pointed me to a quote from a parenting magazine, on the topic of how much to buy for kids.  The author stated that she purchased “something they want, something they need, something to wear, and something to read.”  Brilliant, I thought.  At our house we also add “something handmade” (by Mom and/or Dad) to the list. For us, it’s important that our kids know that handcrafting beautiful things is something to take pride in, and handcrafted gifts are something to cherish. Try to choose gifts that your kids will really appreciate. Gifts don’t have to be expensive to be meaningful.

Other thoughts for the kids in your life:

Deck the Tree: One of my favourite Christmas traditions is giving the kids an ornament every year, so that when the time comes for them to have their own Christmas tree, they have a lovely and time worn collection of ornaments. These tiny little ornaments are quite possibly my favourite gift to shop for each year.

De-stash: Every year, around the beginning of December, we do a quelling of our current toy stash. Anything that’s been sitting unloved will get packed up and taken to the Salvation Army for someone new to enjoy.

Take time to give back: I believe it’s important to teach your children early that Christmas is about giving, and that we’re even discussing buying presents makes us incredibly fortunate.  However, we all know that there are millions of people in the world not as lucky as we are, and plenty of them right in our own communities. Seek some of them out this holiday, and with your children’s participation, help them in whatever way you can.

Some favourite places to shop for kids: There are some great little local shops for kids and kids at heart.  Both Noinkees and Wee Needz carry some wonderful, unique items for kids of all ages, many of which are Made in Canada, and many have been thoughtfully sourced from sustainable materials. Filled to the brim with toys galore that spark imagination and creativity (far from run-of-the-mill Barbies and Superheroes), Cardboard Castles is worth the drive to Creemore! Kids Can Do in Orangeville will inspire as well.

One last thing: Don’t be afraid of giving toys a new life and gifting second-hand toys.  They may be garage sale finds, toys from your own childhood, or something handed down from an older cousin. Trust me, your kids don’t know the difference, and you’ll save a toy from the landfill for another season or two.

Gifts for Mom

Moms usually aren’t ones to buy for themselves, often known to take care of the entire herd before others. That’s why for Moms I like to think of little luxurious gifts that they might never normally indulge in for themselves. I don’t know about you, but I can’t think of a single mom friend of mine who wouldn’t enjoy a few hours of pampering. If I had my druthers, you’d find me at Scandinave Spa in Collingwood. The Millcroft Inn in Alton or Hockley Valley Resort are closer treks for those of you in the southern end of the Hills. If the Mom in your life isn’t into the spa, getaways of any sort are possible.  (Psst…if you want to make it extra special, have someone come and give the house an extra deep clean while Mom is away!)

Gifts for Dad

Dads come in as many different shapes and sizes as snowflakes.  However, just like the mothers out there, most Dads appreciate a little pampering of their own. Be it a ski weekend with the boys, tickets to a hockey game, a night out at the movies, or a video game to lose themselves in for a few nights, most Dads are simple creatures who will be happy with a good meal, a cold drink, and some quality time spent with family or friends.

Grandparents are usually at a point in their life where they need or want very little.  If anyone in your life is going to appreciate something small and handmade, these are the ones! Pottery Parties In The Hills has some great pieces that you can create with your children, that can be fired and given as wonderful personalized gifts that grandparents will certainly appreciate. Family photos, or photos of just the kids, are always a good choice. Family portraits can come in all shapes, sizes and price ranges, from having a session with a professional photographer like Gigi, to asking a friend with a decent camera to head out into the fields with you and yours.  If you have a little Picasso in the family, frame up some of their artwork, or even more fun, cut some of it to one standard size, and take them to Staples to be laminated, for instant place mats that can be enjoyed all year round.

Consumable gifts are always a hit with the grandparents in our life. Every year in our house, they get a basket of all our spoils of the summer – canned pickles, jams, peaches, and salsas accompany homemade Christmas cookies and other special goodies from the kitchen, along with a nice bottle of wine or two. And if you haven’t spent the summer canning pickles like me, not to fear – there are plenty of places where you can load up a basket of home-made-by-someone-else goodies. A trip to Downey’s, Spirit Tree Estate Cidery or Broadway Farms Market in Caledon; Jelly Craft Bakery or Simple in Shelburne will have you on your way. Shop along Broadway in Orangeville, and you will find delights at Pia’s Bakery and From the Kitchen to the Table for yummy holiday gift giving.

Finally: Our folks also always enjoy theatre tickets. Theatre Orangeville and The Rose Theatre Brampton always have wonderful seasonal line-ups. Make a day out of it and send your friends or family slightly further afield to Drayton or The Stratford Festival.

Anyone else?

There are a ton of local shows and sales this holiday season that should take care of anyone else that you’re still hunting for.  One of my favourites is the Holiday Treasures Sale at the Dufferin County Museum (Until December 5th.)  This show is full of works from local artists, from woodworkers, potters, glass artists, textiles and more. Bella Noche, a showcase of

local creative business women (I’ll be there!), takes place December 3rd at Citrus Dance.  Watch the local papers for holiday church bazaars, another treasure trove of hand crafted goodies. Giving gifts to far away relatives?  Try a magazine subscription – there are so many magazines out there right now that you can most certainly find something that will interest your giftee, and they’ll be reminded of you once a month when it arrives in the mail.

STILL stuck?

Grab your computer, pour yourself a glass of wine, light a fire and hit the internet.  Shopping online from the comfort of your home means no trekking all over town, no hunting for parking spots, and your gifts get delivered right to your door, or if you wish, right to your recipient. www.Etsy.com is a fun place to shop for handcrafted goods, and if you can dream it, someone can make it and sell it on Etsy. When it comes to online shopping, sticking to Canadian shops will save you time and money in the shipping and border crossing department, so start by sourcing locally. Etsy has a handy Geolocator http://www.etsy.com/geolocator.php that you can use to source from your area.  If you want to stay even closer to home, www.100MileFinds.com will keep your shopping to within a certain radius, making your gift giving even greener.

So no matter who your list includes, whether they’re old, young, naughty or nice,  your Christmas shopping here In The Hills should be painless, and likely even enjoyable. Grab a travel mug and a coffee, and hit the historic main streets of Orangeville, Shelburne, Erin, Alliston or Creemore and enjoy a day full of beautiful stores, unique gift options, free parking, and small town charm.

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Jennifer Jansen’s blog, Simple Matters, describes her experiences living in rural Melancthon with two children, including their transition to country living, cloth diapering, gardening and eco-friendly gift-giving. When not on maternity leave, she works with Earth Rangers.