It’s never easy finding just the right Valentine’s Day gift for the ones you love. Do you go with the standard flowers and chocolate? Or something a little more unique, like a painting or a gift pack from a local brewery? To help narrow your search, here are 18 gift ideas you can find right here in Hastings County. All of them are available via delivery or curbside pickup.
Stirling, Deseronto, and Shannonville
Have a hard cider lover on your list? Then head to the online shop of Stirling’s Kings Mill Cider, pick a few award-winning brews, and get them shipped anywhere in Ontario (free shipping on orders $40 and up). You can even throw in a couple of drinking glasses.
Roses may be the go-to Valentine’s Day flowers, but for an arrangement to remember, give Karen Clarke a call at her Stirling flower shop, Blooms. Take a look at the photos on the Blooms Facebook page for a preview of Karen’s handiwork.
Although the reopening of theatres may still be a few months away, Stirling Festival Theatre has tickets available for multiple dates in 2021, including tribute shows to the Grand Ole Opry, Buddy Holly, and Roy Orbison.
As the novelist Maude Hutchins once put it, “love is a pie.” And if you want to really show your affection through baked goodness, it will be tough to beat the legendary coconut cream pie at The O’Connor House English Tea Room in Deseronto (pictured).
If your love is more of a baker than a buyer of pies, they may appreciate “new” kitchenware from Karen Brown’s Antiques and Collectibles in Deseronto. This is the largest antique market in Eastern Ontario, so you’re bound to find that one-of-a-kind piece that will last a lifetime.
Home crafting has taken off during the pandemic, so your crafter might need to restock the essentials by now or find something new to work on. Head to the online shop of Shannonville’s Ecstasy Crafts for it all. Gift cards are also available.
Madoc, Marmora, and Tweed
From its Isolation IPA to Al’s Best Bitter, Madoc’s 7/62 Craft Brewers makes some seriously good craft brews. If you don’t know what to choose, pick the Growler Box, which comes with a 64-ounce growler, a certificate for a fill of your beer lover’s choice, and two 7/62 glasses.
Hidden Goldmine Bakery in Madoc has been satisfying our cravings for all things doughy and sweet since 2004. The butter tarts will break your heart, but we say go for the cherry cheesecake for its Valentine’s worthy luscious white cheese layer and oozing bright red cherry topper.
Who needs takeout when you can pick up all of the farm fresh ingredients you need for an impressive dinner from Ontario Water Buffalo Company? The Buff Shop, near Stirling, is stocked with the farm’s butter, cheese, roasts, steaks, sausages, tarts, gelato, and way more. You can even buy a handmade charcuterie board to take your presentation to the next level.
Tweed’s Enright Cattle Company is famous for beef cuts, but the farm also sells a variety of high-quality leather goods. Perhaps an overnight leather bag (pictured) is just what your Valentine needs to keep looking forward to the day when it’s safe to travel again.
Believe it or not, spring is just around the corner, and Tweed’s Stonepath Greenhouses and Landscaping has everything your green thumb needs to get their gardens ready. Check out the comprehensive online store for hundreds of plants, soils, and tools. Gift cards are also available.
As ubiquitous as digital communication has become, the almighty pen is still a necessary tool. For a truly special stylo, The North Fence has you covered. The wood for the pens comes from trees grown on the North Fence property near Tweed. Each one is hand-turned and sanded, then sealed in a finish that highlights the grain and retains the natural feel of the wood.
Coe Hill, Bancroft, and Maynooth
The Old Hastings Mercantile and Gallery in Ormsby has been a go-to spot for one-of-a-kind gifts since 2003. Details about the shop’s 11 themed rooms are online, but you might start with the Garden and Outdoor Room, where you’ll find a wide assortment of candles perfect for a romantic night in.
For the Valentine’s Day gift that keeps on giving, consider enrolling your love in the Chocolate Harlots’ Club. Every month, the Bancroft-based Chocolate Harlot will send a monthly package of caramels, truffles, and other special treats.
Posies Flowers and Fashion in Bancroft has a couple of dozen floral arrangements you can select online and then pick up or have delivered. Perhaps “Cup of Love”, “Everlasting Love”, or “Soft Embrace” is just what you’re looking for.
For the outdoors valentine, Bancroft’s Trips and Trails Adventure Outfitting has snowshoes and cross-country skis available for daily rentals. Staff can recommend where to strap them on, but the nearby Silent Lake Provincial Park, Algonquin Provincial Park, and Hastings Heritage Trail are good options.
The vast Madawaska Art Shop in Maynooth has a six-room art gallery on the second floor, most of the contents of which you can now find in the online shop. Many of the original paintings are landscapes done by local and Canadian artists.
Cassidy’s in Maynooth may be small, but it’s packed full of potential Valentine’s Day gifts, including an impressive collection of affordable and unique estate jewelry (pictured). From rings to earrings to necklaces, you’re bound to find the perfect piece for your sweetheart.
