Holiday Gift Ideas: Beauty, Local Business & Food

This year around the globe, thousands of people have had to change their lifestyle, including working from home. The holiday season will be no different. With limited gatherings, most people are opting for a socially-distanced holiday. I’ve rounded up my holiday gift ideas and what I’ve purchased this year as Christmas gifts. Our country has had limitations on which stores were to be open so I’ve also featured a few small businesses to support. Parcel delivery during the holiday season has been particularly busy. While your gift may not arrive on time, you can always take a photo and let them know!

Christmas Gifts for Foodies

The Heritage Bee Company

I’ve always loved honey! Growing up as a kid when my mom was making tea, I would sneak a spoonful and let it melt in my mouth. I love buying local honey and I’m always looking for small businesses to support!

Heritage Bee honey is raw, unpasteurized, minimally processed and local. They believe in natural beekeeping which also means chemical-free and antibiotic-free honey. I purchased a few different flavours of their creamed honey to gift during the holidays. (Dark Chocolate Infused Creamed Honey, Vanilla Infused Creamed Honey, Triple Lemon Infused Creamed Honey and Ginger Infused Creamed Honey, $15 CAD each)

Cha Cha Late

Chocolate is always a classic and crowd-pleasing gift during the holiday season! To prevent the gifting and regifting of the same main brands of chocolate (boring!), I’ve turned to small businesses starting with local artisans.

In recent years, I’ve made a point to purchase chocolate brands that are certified Fairtrade. Chachalate goes beyond fairtrade, sourcing cocoa beans that have a more simplistic supply chain: farmers, fermentary, distributor… to Chachalate! With so many flavours and types to choose from, I love variety packs (hi fellow Libras!) and got the Chachalate Classics Bundle which features 5 different bars ($55 CAD).

Wabanaki Maple

Known as one of Canada’s most patriotic products, maple syrup is loved on foods like pancakes to salmon. I have yet to meet someone who dislikes real maple syrup so it’s a no-brainer gift for me!

100% Indigenous female-owned, Wabanaki Maple is located on Tobique First Nation. Harvested, boiled and refined with techniques dating back generations, they also barrel-age their maple syrup. I purchased several bottles of their Traditional Maple Syrup ($13.50 CAD, 375 mL/$11 CAD, 200mL) for gifting as well as some Barrel Aged Whiskey Maple Syrup ($19 CAD, 200 mL/$12 CAD, 100 mL).

Christmas Gifts for the Beauty Lover

Farmacy

Combining my love of natural ingredients and science, Farmacy is a skincare brand after my own heart. From cruelty-free to paraben-free ingredients, Farmacy is also committed to sustainability which I love.

Their newest product, Honey Halo, is an ultra-hydrating ceramide moisturizer that helps to replenish dry skin – perfect for holiday gift ideas! The ingredients are ultra-hydrating as the plant-based ceramides replenish the skin barrier while shea butter and vitamin E lock in moisture.

Mario Badescu

From acne solutions to anti-ageing treatments, the cult-classic Mario Badescu Skincare has products for every skin type. I remember my first introduction to the brand was through their iconic Drying Lotion which worked wonderfully on problematic skin!

A great introduction to the brand (or set to stock up on!) features amazing products like the Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater and the iconic Drying Lotion in The Icons (on sale for $18.50 CAD). 

What’s on your holiday wish list this year?