Canadian Small Business Holiday Gift Guide
Hello, hello & happy first day of Christmas content on the blog! After running a poll on my Instagram, it seems like everyone was content with the holidays starting on the blog after Remembrance Day, so where we are – ready to jump right in. To start off the holiday 2020 content, I wanted to specifically highlight some of my absolute favourite Canadian small businesses. We all know this year has been tough on small businesses everywhere, and I, myself, am doing my best this year to try and shop from small shops in Canada as much as possible, so I wanted to share the small-shop love with all of you guys today too!
I want to note — I did keep this list to small businesses who I have actually purchased from so that I could actually speak to the quality of the products they provide. There are tons & tons & tons of small businesses out there (some will be mentioned at the bottom of this blog post), so I do highly encourage you to check out some other small businesses that are local to you this holiday season & see what you can do to support them not only during the holidays, but year round. Kick back & put your feet up folks, this is going to be a long one!
Clothing & Accessories
BBxCollection
If you’re looking for fun tees, sweaters or just about anything you can wear, check out BBxCollection (and use code EMILY15 to save 15%!)
Allette & Co.
Another well mentioned small business on this blog is Allette & Co. If you’re looking for some stylish scrunchies or face masks, make sure to make your way over to the Allette & Co. Etsy shop.
State of Grace
Got a family member who loves wine? Or a friend who loves a sassy statement? Check out State of Grace for everything you will need for the wine lovers & potty mouths in your life.
Lakeside Loops
This one is definitely for the more hands-on people out there, but if you know someone who loves to crochet, check out Lakeside Loops for a pattern & pick up some materials for them to make their item!
Jewellery
Flourish Stonewear
A couple of months ago, I was so kindly gifted a couple of pairs of earrings from the lovely ladies behind Flourish Stonewear, and I was instantly hooked! For those who are looking for some beautiful, handmade stonewear jewellery, I insist you check out their gorgeous pieces.
Gemma by Design
After I came across the Gemma By Design Instagram account, I knew I had to get one of the gorgeous bracelets that shop owner Ashley creates, and I got myself a pink one (duh)! My favourite way to wear my bracelet is alongside some more simple bracelets with my watch.
Merry Mae Design
In the Summer 2020 Jilly Box, one of the add-on items was a pair of fun Merry Mae Design floral shaped earrings that paired so nicely with my favourite summer pieces. You would think they are heavy, but they’re so lightweight & so different from anything else I’ve ever seen. If you know someone who loves a bold piece of jewellery, I highly recommend checking out Merry Mae Design.
Knots & Pipes
Another shop I came across after a partnership with Jillian Harris was Knots & Pipes. When they arrived in the mail, I was blown away by the quality and colourful design of the earrings. If you want to surprise someone on your shopping list with some beautiful hanging earrings made of a fabric material instead of a plastic, head on over to the Knots & Pipes shop!
Handbags
Quince
A newer small shop on the market is Quince & of course, I knew I had to have one when they launched. I picked up a round market tote & have 0 regrets. If you know someone who loves a rattan handbag, Quince is your place to go.
Tuula Collective
Tuula Collective is a small shop I’ve had my eyes on for a while, particularly after seeing her gorgeous toques. After connecting over Instagram earlier this year, I knew I had to finally get myself one of the many beautiful tote bags. If there’s one thing I’ve learned this year, is that handmade bags are truly something I value & hope to purchase more from Tuula Collective in the future!
De Almeida Designs
Ah yes, did you think I truly wouldn’t come across tons more shops because of Jillian Harris? Another one to add to that list is De Almeida Designs when she co-created a beautiful gold sequined clutch for the holidays. Check out her shop if you’re looking to find someone on your list a new clutch for whenever we’re allowed to go back out again.
Home Decor
BD Imaging
If you know someone who just moved or is just generally looking for some colourful, fun artwork to display in their home, check out BD Imaging for a wide selection of hand-drawn art. Bonus: BD Imaging also carries other goodies like handmade bracelets, face masks & more!
Milk Jar Candle Co.
*gasp* Another small shop I came across from Jillian Harris? I’m a huge fan of the strength of the scents in their candles - not too strong, and just right. The wicks are wooden, so they are much better for the enviornment & the best part is that they do a jar recycling program so the empty glass jar can be reused instead of just thrown away.
Hudson & Oak
While the planters from Hudson & Oak are on the more expensive side, they’re highly worth it, that I can promise as someone who owns two of these gorgeous planters! If someone on your shopping list is a plant-parent & looking for a new planter for their baby, head over to Hudson & Oak — and if a planter is out of your price range, you can always purchase a gift card.
Looks Like White
Know someone looking for some new dishes who values high quality, handmade & made in Canada? Looks Like White is your answer! I have one of their mugs made in collaboration with – you guessed it – Jillian Harris, and it’s my favourite mug in my collection.
KE Design Co.
This is a small shop I’ve recently discovered (as in, like two weeks ago!), and I’m so glad I did. KE Design Co does custom calligraphy for a wide variety of events, however the reason I added her to the list is her custom Christmas ornaments she’s currently selling. In fact, my mom ordered one for our little Freddie to commemorate the year he joined our little family.
Beauty
Raw Nails
The one shop that I haven’t had the opportunity to try as I’m writing this blog, but knew I needed to add to the list was Raw Nails as all of their products are vegan, cruelty-free & non-toxic which is all so important to me. I’m hoping to get myself some goodies by the time this blog goes live so I can really speak to how wonderful their product is.
Freon Collective
Lastly, but certainly not least is Freon Collective. For the environmentally-friendly person on your list, check out her wide array of reusable cotton pads & even reusable nail polish removing pads.
If you’ve read up until this post, I just want to say thank you! I know this was a lengthy one, but I’m so happy to highlight some of my favourite small businesses in Canada, and we all know that this year has been hard on lots of small businesses. I’d also like to mention some other small businesses that I haven’t actually tried, but I’ve heard wonderful things about: Farm & Folk, Cedar & Fern, Cloth & Main, Crawford Creek Designs & Emma Knudsen. Please drop some of your other favourite Canadian small businesses where we all could do some holiday shopping this year! See you guys again on Monday for a new gift guide.
