2007 Christmas Gift Guide

If hitting the mall and big box stores brings out your inner Grinch, the ByWard Market area has gifts for every budget and taste. Whether you want a luxury gift for the man in your life, a trendy trinket for a best gal-pal, an inexpensive but memorable hostess gift, a shaving kit for dad, the best kitchen hand-soap ever, or ethical trade goods, you’ll find it here. As you stroll through Ottawa’s historic district, the proprietors and staff of each unique shop and stall will give you the kind of personal attention that makes shopping for your friends and family the enjoyable experience it ought to be but so rarely is.

Delicious

Made in France (281 ‘B’ Dalhousie) is a foodie’s delight. The big favourite with hot chocolate lovers are the colourful jute sacks of the world’s finest cacao. Or choose an assortment of deluxe truffles packed in a chocolate container (if only they made chocolate wrapping paper, too).

 
Win the eternal appreciation of any gourmet cook with a wooden gift box of rare oils and vinegars. Or select clever glass tubes with stylish acrylic stands filled with infused oils whose diffusion sprayer make a gourmet alternative to Pam with non-stick pans. In a similar vein, there are over 36 exotic spices in test tubes (with wooden stands available separately).

 
Bring your children to this family-friendly environment and create personalized gifts for grandparents by filling a wicker basket with treats from around the store. A staff member will arrange your tasty selections and wrap them for maximum impact. Or give a friend or family member with fond memories of the South of France the beautifully packaged Calisson de Provence Almond and Melon wafers. $1-$90

 
Pop into La Bottega Nicastro (64 George) for a traditional Italian Christmas cake in flavours that include lemon, chocolate, Cointreau, hazelnut, and more. They come in mini to maxi size and are all decoratively boxed with a carrying ribbon, so they make great hostess gifts, too. $2.99 and up

 
Bridgehead Coffee (224 Dalhousie) has a collection of organic fair trade chocolates, nuts, and coffees in a handsome burlap box. Or circle the York, William, George and ByWard Market blocks for gourmet foods both local and exotic (the ByWard Fruit Market (36 ByWard Market) currently boasts fresh Himalayan Truffles with guaranteed aroma).
 

Kitchen and Table

At 85 Murray, Domus is a cook’s paradise. A 16” stainless steel Cuisinart roasting pan with a handled roasting rack will do any Sunday meal proud. And, at $99, it’s the luxury pot that a cook lusts after but rarely buys. Salt crocks are also a must have item and can be accompanied with a cloth package of the coarse salt that is still harvested traditionally in the Carmague salt marshes. Tea lovers will enjoy the For Life Tea Pots and mugs, which come with a sizeable mesh cylinder that facilitates perfectly brewed cups of loose-leaf tea.
Purchase a wicker basket (small to huge) and then create a personalized gift basket by filling it with spices, candles, cloths, kitchen widgets, etc. Give a scent sensitive friend a smokeless palm-oil pillar candle. Or present a set of genuine Lagiule folding knives with rosewood handles to someone VERY special. $1.50 - $649

 
Visit Ma Cuisine at 269 Dalhousie for even more items to speed up a chef’s heartbeat. A good paring knife is always appreciated and Wusthoff steel will last at least one lifetime. The Culinhome Knife Frame will fit the most stylish kitchen—a stainless steel frame holds a slotted wooden knife bar and a sheet of angled glass protects fingers from accidentally touching a blade. The office coffee fanatic will appreciate the Java Wand, a glass straw with a mesh box that holds a cup’s portion of freshly ground coffee (just pour boiling water into a cup, insert the Java Wand, stir for a minute and presto, fresh bean coffee). Or go back to basics with that classic, the two part espresso pot. There are dozens of shining sizes and styles to produce the cup of coffee that millions of Italians wake up to every morning. Bakers will appreciate anything from the Emile Henry collection of colourfully glazed baking dishes. From the classic flan dish to a minimalist black tagine that could pass for modern sculpture. $2 - $149

 
Since 1898 the French have used a Lampe Berger to eliminate kitchen and other household odours. A catalytic converter on this flameless lamp breaks down the molecules that create offensive smells. Belle de Provence (80 George) has a large selection of these decoratively functional lamps, along with a choice of scented or odourless fuels. A starting kit with a pretty glass lamp and fuel is $38.
 

Beauty

Daya Spa (200 Dalhousie) uses only organic botanicals as the experienced and friendly staff provide a variety of beauty and relaxation services. While you may be tempted to take a break from shopping to enjoy a reviving Thai massage, their prettily designed gift certificates range from a Cucumber and Mint Sugar Scrub Manicure for $30 to an 80 minute Massage Therapy session ($115). The Stone Crop pedicure ($40) is a fabulous treat for the man in your life whose inner metrosexual might secretly yearn for a bit of pampering. The spa also sells handsomely packaged baskets of their organic beauty lotions and cleansing products.

 
Belle de Provence (80 George) boasts the ultimate kitchen hand-soap with a line of liquid soaps derived from olive oil and scented with natural herb essences such as mint, rosemary, lavender, and lemon balm. They come in an attractive dispenser, along with lotions and bar soap. A perfect gift for the friend who spends a lot of time in the kitchen, as this soap doesn’t dry out the skin, no matter how many times a day hands are washed. And it’s made without animal products or phosphates. Or, for the bathroom, the Blanc de Riz line of herbal fragrances has fresh, clean scents reflected in the gift-ready packaging of the soaps, room spray, foam bath and an elegant glass bottle of bath salts. $2.90 - $64

Fair (Trade) and Fabulous

Thanks to ethically minded consumers and proprietors, many of the stores in the ByWard Market area have at a selection of organic and fair trade gifts. But if you don’t want to spend time figuring out which is which, go no further than Abacus Trade where everything is sourced from the makers using ethical trade practices. You will find a beautiful selection of unique jewellery, décor items, and scarves for some lucky recipient on your gift list. Incised celadon porcelain plates from Thailand, a stunning modern spray of freshwater pearls on a silver ring (just the thing for the next gala event), a wood and parchment table lamp that simultaneously references calligraphy and Corbusier. $10 and up

 
At the Workshop Studio & Boutique (242 ½ Dalhousie) a funkier groove prevails. Everything in the store is designed and made by women, and over half the lines are local Ottawa/Gatineau designers. Look for accessories, unique sweaters, fabulously frivolous but practical purses, and fun gear for hip babies—if mommy or daddy is a carpenter, they’ll ooh and ah when they unwrap a package of “Onesies” featuring designs such as levels, staple guns, etc. Give the chic gal on your list a Helen Palermo 5-in-1 oversized leather flower—it can be worn as a hair piece, wrist band, purse ornament, brooch or choker. There are clothes and accessories for all ages and genders here with over 120 different designers in the mix. $14 and up

 
Although not yet a fair-trade product, the Swiss made Sigg lightweight metal water bottle provides a healthy alternative to plastic water bottles that leach harmful chemicals into the water they hold. As a bonus, they come in several different colour designs. Available at Paper Papier (18 Clarence) in adult or children sizes. $24 - $31.50
 

 
Book Lovers

Book lovers come from age 1 (board books) to 100 (whatever they want) and you will find something for any bibliophile at Nicholas Hoare Booksellers (419 Sussex), one of Ottawa’s most venerable independent bookstores. Enjoy the atmosphere of a cozy English country library as you wander the shelves or head directly to one of the well-read staff for suggestions as to what Uncle Bob might enjoy. There is a carefully chosen selection of fiction, current affairs, biographies, food and wine, travel, and unusual books for children. At this time of year, there are also several unique day journals to be found.

 
Current gift favourites for adults include Lloyd Jones’ Mr. Pip in which an idealistic lawyer’s plans go somewhat awry, Helen Humphreys’ The Frozen Thames which describes the history of London through a series of vignettes based on historical incidents that occurred each time the Thames froze, and playwright Alan Bennett’s novella, The Uncommon Reader, which describes the repercussions that occur when the Queen discovers an interest in reading late in life.
 

Manly, Yes…

Walk through the door of the Ottawa Cigar Emporium (110-B Clarence) and you will be greeted by rows of dark wooden cabinets holding tobacco, cigars, luxury shaving gear, stylish pens and other masculine accoutrements. Most of the store is devoted to cigars, of course. There are hundreds of varieties that will suit any level of cigar aficionado. Buy cigars individually, in handsome wooden boxes or, ideal if you don’t have a humidor, in stylish metal tubes. You can spend $40 for a small box of cigars, or provide a millionaire moment with a Cuban Monte Christo, the king of cigars.

 
There is also a wonderful selection of shaving creams, soaps, badger hair brushes, and soap dishes from the Art of Shaving that is guaranteed to get the fortunate recipient lathered up. Additionally, you can find high quality pens, lighters, and other mainstays of the classic gentleman.

 
If you know a man about town, consider popping into Relish Home (17 Clarence) for a classic chrome and etched glass cocktail shaker, martini glasses and silvered tray. Or really go over the top with a creamy sectional sofa fit for spy shenanigans.