Your 2021 Holiday Shopping Guide
The holidays are just around the corner, and to help you get ready, we’ve put together a shopping guide packed with items and experiences you’ll find here in Hastings County. To make it easier, we’ve categorized the 30 gift ideas into six personality categories: The Outdoor Adventurer, The Gourmand, The Serenity Seeker, The Creative, and The Family. Happy shopping!
The Outdoor Adventurer
For any adrenaline junkies on your list, check out Madawaska Kanu Centre’s whitewater rafting trips, which can be reserved for next summer. You have two options: a nine-person adventure where the raft guide does the paddling and a five-person trip where rafters paddle, surf, and attempt to flip the boat.
Want to give that adrenaline hit this winter instead? Then reserve a dogsledding day trip with Call of the Wild. On these two-hour excursions near Maynooth, visitors learn how to hook up and handle the huskies before following a guide out into the wilderness with their own dogsled team.
If you know someone who would prefer motorized power over canine, a snowmobile tour with Ride the Wilderness could be the ticket. These guided tours on groomed trails near Algonquin Park can be done over two, three, or four hours. They include snowmobiles, helmets, and balaclavas.
Stock up on fishing gear for your angler at Madoc’s Fish & Co. Owner Hannah Cowell also has lots of other items on offer, including clothing, books, and cottage décor items, so you might just want to pick up a gift card.
Stand up paddleboarding is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, and Trips and Trails Adventure Outfitting in Bancroft has all of your SUPer’s needs covered. If they’re a beginner, consider the RAVE 3-in-1 SUP, which can be used to sit, kneel, or stand.
For the budding geologist on your list, visit Lakeside Gems near Bancroft, the Mineral Capital of Canada. You’ll find everything your rockhound enthusiast needs here — from tumblers to picks to goldpanning supplies to goggles. You can buy books, jewellery, and other mineral-related gifts here, too.
The Gourmand
Beef eaters know that the quality cuts and sustainable practices of Tweed’s Enright Cattle Company are hard to beat. The only problem is what dry-aged cuts to pick for your beefcake. Best to let them decide with a gift card.
The Britophile on your list will definitely enjoy a reservation for afternoon tea at The O’Connor House in Deseronto. This classic British tradition includes freshly prepared tea turned out on beautiful double or-triple-tiered plates alongside a medley of finger sandwiches, scones, preserves, real whipped cream, and sweets.
Coe Hill’s The Barn Chefs are known for their charcuterie, cheeses, breads, and desserts, but don’t forget about their preserves, which make great stocking-stuffers. The spicy onion marmalade is a crowd favourite, but they also have mustard, pesto, marmalades, jams, spicy ketchup, pasta sauces, and seasonal specials.
Give the gift of hard cider and glamping next summer at Stirling’s Kings Mill Cider. Each of the seven orchard yurts here comes with a queen bed and stylish seating area, as well as a wood-fired pizza and flight of five ciders. For breakfast: fresh fruit, warm croissants, cheese, jam, yogurt, and coffee or tea.
For the wine lover, go for Potter Settlement’s 2017 Marquette. Aged in French oak, this red wine has notes of black currant, peppercorn, cherries, and dark chocolate. It won gold at the National Wine Awards of Canada, gold at the San Francisco International Wine Competition, and gold at the Challenge du vin in Bordeaux, France.
That wine lover might also appreciate a cheese box from Maple Dale Cheese. The small cheese box is always available, which includes four 250-gram pieces of medium, marble, one-year cheddar, and two-year cheddar. Larger and customizable boxes and baskets are also on offer during the holiday season.
The Serenity Seeker
You might know someone who could use a getaway by the time the holidays are over, and Parks Creek Retreat, near Roslin, is a great option. This timber-frame luxury retreat sits on 18 acres of forest and offers a wide range of customizable amenities, including wellness and spa services, fine dining, and custom tours.
This Mongolian yurt near Deseronto is another excellent getaway for those wanting a mindful escape to nature. Sitting on a limestone ridge and surrounded by mature forest, the setup includes a double bed, single bed, woodstove, firepit, and outhouse. The nearby Salmon River is just a 15-minute hike away.
Aromatherapy is a practice growing in popularity that uses aromatic materials like essential oils to improve psychological and physical well-being. Cedars Wellness Clinic in Marmora offers a number of aromatherapy services, including a one-hour consult that ends with an individualized aromatherapy blend.
Winter might have done some serious damage to a loved one’s skin by now, but Tweed’s Wandering Star Wellness knows exactly what’s needed for rejuvenation. This skin care and mini spa centre offers 13 different treatment services — all under $100.
Have a couple on your list needing some R&R? Then send them on a One Night Escape to Black River Retreat, a small couples’ resort on six acres of land along the Black River near Tweed. The One Night package includes accommodation for two, a four-course dinner, a gourmet breakfast, and the exclusive use of all resort amenities.
The Creative
Bee’s Nest is a creative space in Stirling where owner Terri (aka “Bee”) hosts quilting and sewing classes. There are small group classes available for beginners and experts, as well as private lessons. As Terri says, this isn’t your grandma’s quilting bee. “Fun, fast, and finished” is the mission of each class.
If you have a crafter in your ranks, head to the online shop of Shannonville’s Ecstasy Crafts. You should be able to stock them up on almost anything — from paper goods to paints to canvas supplies to glitter, stickers, pens, and markers.
Know a writer who prefers the almighty pen to a keyboard? Then check out The North Fence, near Tweed, which makes pens from trees grown on the property. Each stylo is hand-turned and sanded, then sealed in a finish that highlights the grain and retains the natural feel of the wood.
If your creative needs a bit of inspiration, a painting from Quinn’s of Tweed could be the perfect gift. This fine art gallery specializes in contemporary and historical works by Canadian artists, but you can also get something framed here and find other Canadian-made gifts as well.
For the burgeoning or veteran rock star, go to Ryer Guitars for a handcrafted axe made by Madoc’s own Dave Ryer. He builds everything from classical guitars to mandolins to standard steel strings. Dave also does custom builds and teaches guitar-building courses.
Maybe your creative just needs a new custom sign for the house or cottage. The artists at Brush with the North, in Maynooth, have you covered. They’ll do a quick consultation and then draw a few sketches before you decide on the final sign they create on a material of your choice.
The Family
Live performances are back, and for that Frozen fan on your list, pick them up a ticket to Disney’s Frozen Jr., which runs from March 15 – 20 at the Stirling Festival Theatre. The production is based on the 2018 Broadway musical, and brings Elsa, Anna, and the magical land of Arendelle to life.
Maple Ridge Creations is a small woodworking shop north of Madoc that crafts children’s toys and games, among other items. They love taking ideas from customers and making them a reality, so for a truly memorable gift, have them build a custom toy just for your little one.
Maynooth’s Foxfire Gallery, Gifts and Antiques has a little bit of everything, including a large selection of boardgames and puzzles. It might be a long winter, so best to stock up on a few for those cold, dark weekends.
O’Hara Mill Homestead is a popular historic property near Madoc with buildings and grounds depicting pioneer rural life in Central Hastings during the 1800s. It’s open from dawn to dusk, but you can also book a private tour of the grounds where volunteers demonstrate pioneer life and skills, including blacksmithing, carpentry, sawmilling, farming, hearth cooking, and teaching.
For that family of booklovers, grab gift certificates from Ashlie’s Books in Bancroft. The independent bookstore has new and used titles in a variety of categories, including Canadian non-fiction, history, local authors, and sustainable living.
You might just win parenthood if you have a member of Paw Patrol visit your home. And Deseronto’s K&M Characters can help make that happen. Starting at $50/day, a variety of kid-friendly characters can be rented with actors and without (i.e., you rent the suit).
Want even more gift ideas? Check out the holiday shopping guide from last year.
Looking for a list of holiday markets & events in the area? Look no further.
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