30 special gift ideas from Canadian makers and brands

If you're still struggling with what to get your loved ones this year, we've rounded up a very long list of gift ideas that may come in handy, including festive PJs, DIY craft kits, lip balms, body butters and a lot in between. This curated collection of items from exclusively Canadian brands, makers and artisans also features a wide range of price points, so you're set whether you're looking for big-ticket items or special little somethings this holiday season. Happy shopping!

These colourful wooden cribbage boards are handmade in Calgary and are perfect for pros or anyone just getting started with the card game. (Be sure to share the link to our beginner's guide to cribbage for novices on your gift list.) 

Handmade Cribbage Board, $130, Steeling Home 

Evoke seaside memories with this burgundy-ribbon-trimmed Christmas tree ornament from Amos Pewter in Mahone Bay, N.S. 

Sand Dollar Ornament, $23, Amos Pewter

This hat from Collingwood, Ont.'s Red Sky will give the gift of endless vacation vibes, even if they're not travelling for the holidays.

Endless Vacation Hat, $35, Red Sky 

These red-and-white-striped pyjamas from Abbotsford, B.C.-based Little & Lively feel particularly festive and are made in Canada from a super-soft bamboo-cotton fabric. 

Long Sleeve Pyjama Set - Candy Cane, $55 (on sale for $46.75), Little & Lively  

These pompom-topped knit socks from Manitobah Mukluks are the perfect present to help counter cold floors this winter. A portion of the proceeds from these slippers will go to the Manitobah Mukluks Storyboot School, which gives young people the opportunity to learn traditional art forms like moccasin- and mukluk-making from Indigenous artists.

Pom Pom Lined Knit Sock, $60, Manitobah Mukluks

Many of us have beautiful but empty candle vessels that we can't bear to part with. Enter Toronto-based company Everly's candle-refill kits. Simply place the new wick, microwave the bag of wax and pour it into your old candle container (or the handmade vessel you can buy from the brand). 

Clean Candle Refill Kit - Firewood + Musk + Vanilla Bean, $35, Everly

This limited-edition candy cane body butter by Toronto-based Essentials by Temi is now available for pre-order and will ship starting Dec. 8. It has a sweet and peppermint-fresh aroma and is made with a range of moisturizing ingredients such as shea butter, babassu oil and mango butter.

Candy Cane Buttercream (Limited Edition), $52, Essentials by Temi 

MacAusland's wool blankets are an iconic gift from Prince Edward Island. The family-owned-and-operated company has been making them at their mill in Bloomfield since 1932, and you can purchase a selection of them from various retailers, including The Made in Canada Store. 

MacAusland's Woollen Mills 100% Virgin Wool Lap Blanket, $125, The Made in Canada Store

Gift the pups in your life this Toronto sports-themed pack of toys from Barrie, Ont.'s Pawty Animals. Even if they aren't sports fanatics like their humans, they'll love that these toys are plush and have squeakers in them.

Sports Fanatics Pack, $39.99, Pawty Animals 

This will be the gift they keep in their coat pocket all winter. Available in a fragrance-free version and scents such as rose and chai, this lip balm from Toronto's Ghlee is made with ghee, mango seed butter and vitamin E to help heal chapped lips.

Lip Balm Original, $16, Ghlee

The Spa at Home gift box, curated by The Little NB Box in Saint John, that will encourage them to take a little "me time." It features six products — including bath salts and a room spray — from six local artisans.

Spa at Home, $65, The Little NB Box 

Made in Montreal, this 2024 planner from Baltic Club features a calendar for each month and a double-page spread for each week. There's also room for checklists, monthly goals and notes, making it a great pick for the planner-obsessed person on your list.  

Promenade 2024 Agenda, $34, Baltic Club

This sewing kit from Lunenburg, N.S.-based artist Rita Van Tassel comes with everything your giftee needs to stitch their very own house hippo (and tiny potato chips). They'll love the '90s nostalgia that comes along with it. 

House Hippo Hand Stitching Felt Kit, $23, Rita Van Tassel Studio

This one-of-a-kind, sunset-hued choker from Vancouver-based jewelry designer Three Sisters by Emma is made of vintage hand-crafted beads. 

Vintage Sunset Choker Necklace, $125, Three Sisters by Emma 

Toronto-based beverage expert Evelyn Chick's new book of cocktails includes recipes they'll be able to stir up this season (and all year round), and features low-alcohol, zero-proof and canna-curious options, too. 

For the Love of Cocktails, $39.45, Figure1Publishing

For the littles on your list, consider these adorable wooden bunnies from Sudbury, Ont.'s The Wooden Kind. Exclusive to Toronto's The Playful Peacock, this playset is made of Canadian maple, accented with water-based paints and finished with a natural food-grade oil.

Wooden Toy Bunny Set, $36 (on sale for $26), The Playful Peacock

Give the gift of plush comfort with this bamboo fleece, Y2K-inspired lounge set from Toronto brand Cherry Gardens. It comes in two colours, and there's a bralette to match. 

Rosalee Pant, $133, Archie Tee, $98, Cherry Gardens

Gift them a DIY that's pretty and practical. This kit from The Yukon Soaps Company comes with enough supplies to make two felted soaps (for the uninitiated, wrapping bars in wool offers gentle exfoliation and extends the life of the soap underneath). 

Felted Soap Kit, $32, The Yukon Soaps Company

Bows are so big right now! This necklace from Montreal-based jewelry brand ORA-C is part of the shop's ready-to-ship collection, but they also offer made-to-order options. 

Bow Realis Golden Necklace, from $200, ORA-C 

If whimsical socks are their thing, we turn your attention to the fun and festive collection from Calgary's Friday Sock Co. And if you can't decide on a pattern, they offer a subscription service, too. 

Men's Ski Scene Socks, $16.95, Friday Sock Co. 

Designed, printed and bound in Toronto, The Paperhood's 2024 calendar offers a trip across the country in the form of 12 hand-painted illustrations of Canadian cities. 

Soul of the City - Canada 2024 Calendar, $38, The Paperhood

A gift to help keep their hands cosy! These beaver-fur hand warmers are designed and made in Fort Smith, N.W.T. (Thebacha, Denendeh). "We uphold the tradition of beaver harvesting by offering natural wild fur products," founder Brenda Dragon says. "I love supporting sustainable economy in our remote community, for both Indigenous women and men."

Reusable Hand Warmers, $79.99, Aurora Heat

We love the literal illustration of a bunny hug on this piece from Saskatchewan's Flat Clothing. It comes in seven colours and is a cosy prairie-themed gift to give this season.  

Original Bunnyhug, $85, Flat Clothing 

This art print is perfect for giftees who can't imagine a Christmas without Jiggs Dinner, perhaps the most iconic supper from Newfoundland and Labrador. Artist Amy Adams makes all her prints by hand in her home studio in Conception Bay South, N.L.   

Jiggs Dinner 8x10" Print, $19.95, Amy Adams Art & Design 

Picture your giftee cosied up with a cappuccino in hand this winter. These minimalist cups from Fable are designed in Vancouver, come in seven colourways and are sold in sets of four.

The Cappuccino Cups, $75, Fable

If you need gift suggestions for feline friends, Mini Tiger Design, based out of Kentville, N.S., makes many cute handmade catnip toys. We think the mini felt baguettes are particularly adorable. 

Baguette Catnip Cat Toy, $17.99, Mini Tiger Design via Etsy

These Christmas tree ornaments are handmade in Warren, Man., by glass-blower Brook Drabot. They're made upon request and are available in six different colours, but we particularly love these gorgeous green ones.  

Monochrome Blown Glass Decorative Bubbles Set of 3, $50, Simons 

You can't go wrong with books when shopping for kids, especially these beautifully illustrated ones from Iqaluit-based printing company Inhabit Books. Their catalogue features stories for all ages in English, Inuktitut, Inuinnaqtun and French.  

Children's Books, various prices, Inhabit Books 

Mala the Brand's coconut-soy candles come in tin containers, feature a wood wick and are hand-poured in Vancouver, and lucky for us, they just released their holiday scents. Candy Cane is described as: "a tingly cool peppermint scent with just the right amount of creamy vanilla sweetness." 

Candy Cane Candle, from $24, Mala the Brand

For the plant lover who also loves a project, consider this colourful cross-stitch kit from Toronto's Diana Watters. It comes with everything they'll need to create this design, which also happens to be part of a larger murder mystery series (maybe they'll unearth a clue!). 

Glorias Greenhouse Modern Counted Cross Stitch Kit , $42, Diana Watters Handmade via Etsy