A big list of beautiful gift ideas from Canadian brands and makers

To help you with your holiday shopping this year, we've curated a big list of delightful items from shops, brands and artisans from across the country. From custom puzzles to retro sweats, there are so many thoughtful items at a variety of price points that might be special to you, or to them. Let these Canadian makers help you find the special something you've been looking for.

We're certain anything from this collection by Scarborough Spots will be a hit with friends and family who grew up in Scarborough, Ont., especially this T-shirt. 

A Kid From Scarborough T-shirt, available in black or grey, $32, Scarborough Spots

This sweet little sentiment from Dartmouth, N.S., is hand embroidered and would make a lovely addition to their decor.

Katiebette Embroidery Dartmouth Ferry, $34, Inkwell Modern Handmade 

Send them a print featuring Canadian sports icons, a favourite city, or one of the many other stunning designs by Toronto-based freelance designer, illustrator and screen printer, Stephanie Cheng.

Art Print, starting at $31, Stephanie Cheng 

You can't go wrong with hoop earrings — especially when they're 18-karat plated gold with a twist design from Adae, a sister-run business based out of Toronto.

Kyra Hoops, $46, Adae Jewelry 

These beautiful linen napkins are individually handmade in Winnipeg and, according to the website, the Niizh pattern on them "reflects an Anishinaabe pottery style that was uncovered in Southern Manitoba (3,000 plus years old)." 

Niizh Napkins △ Boreal, set of 4, $68, Indigo Arrows

It's fun to gift salt from a place that's special to you — or to them. This one from Newfoundland Salt Company is crafted from Trinity Bay in Bonavista, N.L., and their gift box includes their signature sel de mer, juniper smoked and green alder or coffee sea salts.

Three Salts Gift Box, $40, Newfoundland Salt Company

Brighten up their kitchen with a vibrant, screen-printed tea towel from Vancouver's Badger and Burke.

Tea Towel, $20, Badger and Burke via Etsy 

Surprise your bestie with a friendship necklace that's made by hand on Salt Spring Island, B.C. Heart + Stone makes it easy for you both to get your gift because they will ship each piece to a separate address.

Fleur Friendship Necklace, $178, Heart + Stone 

This Sḵwálwen Botanicals trio is crafted on traditional Squamish Nation territory in British Columbia with "the gentle botanicals of wild rose and yarrow." The kit includes a face mask, bath salts, and salve and is a luxurious addition to any skincare routine this season.

Renewal Set, $85, Sḵwálwen Botanicals 

There's a lot of customized pet merch out there, but we particularly love Truro, N.S.'s StellaCoShop because the designs they create will look exactly like your giftee's cat or dog! 

Custom Pet Portrait T-shirt, starting at $35, StellaCoShop via Etsy

Toronto's Catherine & Co. pride themselves "in having a candle for every situation" which makes shopping easy! For candle lovers who also love Toronto, you'll find very specific scents such as "This Candle Smells Like Kensington Sundays" and for the person you simply want to praise, look to their candle called "This Candle Smells Like You Are Appreciated."

Candle, $32, Catherine & Co.

We love the idea of giving a puzzle featuring a Canadian spot that means a lot to you or someone you love — perhaps a photo of their hometown or a famous landmark you visited together. North Shore Puzzles has a collection of Thunder Bay Landmarks, but you can also order custom puzzles from them too.

Thunder Bay Landscapes, from $24.99, North Shore Puzzles

This hand-crafted pearlescent bundle of hair clips and a ring from Vancouver's Foe and Dear is just the thing for loved ones who are really into the pearl core trend. 

Meli's Pearl Hair Clip Bundle, $75, Foe and Dear via Etsy

These necklaces are truly one of a kind! "I needed to find a way to preserve a snowflake so that I could send it to my family. That's how snowglobe started," says Artist Dalhai Vela on her site. Her technique allows her to capture and preserve snowflakes in Yellowknife, which she then makes into sterling silver jewelry.

Heart Snowflake Necklace, from $179, Snowglobe Jewelry 

This bundle has all the makings of a delicious "seacuterie" spread, including a three-piece cheese set, stoneware bowls, an acacia serving board and three cans of Canadian seafood from Vancouver's Scout Canning. 

Scout Market Goods Holiday Bundle, $84.99, Scout Canning 

The nostalgia is strong with this BodyBreak sweatshirt from Toronto-based apparel brand, Good For Sunday! It's perfect for fans of Canadian fitness icons Hal Johnson and Joanne McLeod — which means pretty much everyone!

BodyBreak Retro Crewneck Sweatshirt, $120, Good For Sunday

This adorable stuffed polar bear is handmade in Quebec, very Canadian and very cuddly. Big selling point: it's also machine washable!

Hilaire the Polar Bear, $39.50, Papoum Papoum 

Featuring an illustration by Satoshi Kurosaki, this shirt from Montreal-based Stay Home Club is for all the cat lovers on your list this year.

Indoor Cat - Classic Loose Tee, $48.75, Stay Home Club 

If you're shopping for scrunchies, we turn your attention to these colourful ones from Kokom Scrunchies, a company founded by 11-year-old Algonquin entrepreneur Mya Beaudry from Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation.

Scrunchie, $10, Kokom Scrunchies 

This set from Toronto-based mother-daughter skincare company Sade Baron features body lotion, cleanser, beauty balm and a sea sponge that will delight any beauty product-obsessed giftee on your list.   

Body Care Set 1 - Normal Skin, $89, Sade Baron

Joanna Fox's new cookbook is a collection of "fail-safe recipes Canada's chefs use to win over their toughest critics: kids." With stunning photos and loads of delicious dishes to cook through, we think it's a perfect present for anyone making meals for kids. 

Little Critics: What Canadian Chefs Cook for Kid (and Kids Will Actually Eat), $35, Indigo

Sending a bag of beans from your favourite local cafe is a really nice present for the coffee fiends in your life. Whitehorse-based Firebean Coffee Roasters has packaged a perfect trio of their crowd pleasers.

The Trio, from $22.99, Firebean Coffee Roasters 

Send them a very Canadian game! This handmade walnut and birch board from Crokinole Canada comes with everything needed to play and instructions for getting started — but we think they'll also appreciate you sharing the link to our beginner's guide to crokinole. 

Traditional Octagon Crokinole Board Game Set, $291.50, Crokinole Canada via Etsy

Saskatoon's Hardpressed put a classic Saskatchewan dessert onto an adorable tee that's perfect for little ones in your life. If you want to send something to match, the pie design is also available in T-shirts for grownups too.

Saskatoon Berry Cutie Pie Tee, $27.50, Hardpressed

They'll love to get a beloved classic! The flavours in this trio of barrel-aged maple syrups from Tobique First Nation's Wabanaki Maple include bourbon, whiskey and toasted oak.

Mini Bundle Set, $33, Wabanaki Maple

DIYers will love this punch needle kit from Calgary's MadeLaineStudio that comes with everything they need to make this snowy scene even if they've never tried this technique before. 

DIY Punch Needle Kit Forest Winter Wonderland Night, starting at $70, MadeLaineStudio via Etsy

Give someone an entire year's worth of artwork with this calendar, featuring prints made by a community of Inuit graphic artists who cooperatively own a printmaking studio in the hamlet of Kinngait (Cape Dorset), Nunavut. 

2023 Inuit Art: Kinngait (Cape Dorset) Wall Calendar, $21.99, Craft Ontario Shop

Offering up loads of nostalgia, this varsity hoodie — or anything from Retrokid's Degrassi collection — is ideal for fans of the iconic Canadian show.

Degrassi Varsity Hoodie, $88, RetroKid

Handmade and hand painted in Toronto, this adorable pair of candles makes such a sweet present. If this design isn't a fit, you can custom order a set instead.  

Strawberry Picking Candles, $32, This Candle is Lit

Give your astrology-loving friends a necklace from Calgary-based Coutukitsch that lets them sport their sign with a 18k gold-plated stainless steel or stainless steel pendant. 

Atlas Necklace, $65, Coutukitsch

This tree ornament from Toronto's Drake General Store channels one of Canada's most well-known treats and since it's felted, it's particularly great for sending in lieu of a breakable one.

Felt Ornament - Donut Box, $16.95, Drake General Store

Montreal-based Baby Minou's site has so many fun designs of hand-beaded bags to choose from — we think pals will love this one made in the spirit of a matcha latte.

Matcha Latte Bag, $250, Baby Minou 

If their walls could use a little sprucing up, Oh Hey P.E.I. has a whole collection of island images from Rachel Peters Photography to choose from.

Rachel Peters Photography Print, from $35, Oh Hey P.E.I.

And finally, we may be a bit biassed but we think this collab between CBC and Truro, N.S.'s My Home Apparel would make for a cool and cosy gift for fans of Canada's national broadcaster.

Retro Unisex CBC Long Sleeve Shirt, $45, My Home Apparel

Brittany Toole is an associate producer at CBC Life.