Christmas Gifts that Support Small Businesses in Canada

Living with COVID-19 has changed the way we shop for and celebrate the holidays. This year, it’s more important than ever to shop local and support small businesses.

With that in mind, I’ve created a list of Canadian small businesses that I’ve shopped from, can personally recommend, and am happy to support.

I’ve included items that would either make a nice Christmas gift, or a good stocking stuffer.

None of these companies have sponsored this post, or paid me to include them in this list. These are truly just companies that I know and love, and I hope you’ll love them too!

Please keep in mind that all shipments and postal services are slower than usual this year. Order early to help ensure that your gifts arrive in time for Christmas!

Tea

Do you have a tea lover in your life?

Whether they’re hardcore tea drinkers, or have just discovered the joys of tea, you’re sure to find something they’ll enjoy from these quality tea companies.

Genuine Tea

First on the list is Genuine Tea. This Toronto-based tea company is run by David and Sarah.

Genuine tea makes my all-time favourite tea: Organic Peach Apricot. My friend Deb (who I’ll talk about in a moment) was keeping me stocked for a while, but I just purchased a 500g bag directly from the Genuine Tea website.

Their products shipped out pretty quickly, and their customer service is excellent!

Dessert by Deb

I met Deb a few years ago through Food Bloggers of Canada. We’ve collaborated in the past (and meet up for tea every once in a while), and I’m happy to support her latest endeavour.

Deb is currently selling her own line of tea, tea subscription boxes, stationery and more through her Dessert by Deb brand.

I personally love her Orange Ginger Shortbread Rooibos Tea. With notes of orange, ginger, maple, vanilla and brown sugar, it’s a lovely dessert tea.

Dessert by Deb is based out of Markham, Ontario.

Citizen Tea

My friends Tori and Jon bought me tea from Citizen Tea for Christmas one year, and I’ve been a fan ever since.

If you like sweet teas, try their Creamy Nut Oolong blend. My absolute favourite tea from Citizen Tea is their Rooibos Earl Grey though. It’s my go-to cup to wind down at the end of the day.

This tea company is based in North York, Ontario.

Sweets & Snacks

I wouldn’t be much of a food blogger if I didn’t mention some edible gifts. So, here are a few sweets and snacks from small Canadian businesses that I’ve encountered over the years.

Soma Chocolatemaker

If you live in Toronto, then you’re probably familar with Soma. With 3 locations across the city, they’re a popular stop for tourists and locals alike.

While literally everything I’ve tasted from this company has been wonderful, I am particularly fond of their Pecan Pie tumbles and their English Toffee.

Jewels Under the Kilt

My friend Lis has a great sense of humour. Her company, Jewels Under the Kilt (🙈 ) sells artisan roasted nuts that she grows herself on her farm in Fergus, Ontario.

Her Apple Pie Pecans are pretty great (what can I say, I love pecans!), but she has spicy options too like her Spicy Caesar Walnuts.

You can purchase her products from her website, or online at Amazon.ca.

Andrzejewski Perogi Shop

Ok, I realize you can’t exactly wrap these as a Christmas gift, but I’m willing to bet that anyone would be happy to get some of these guys delivered frozen to their door for a yummy (and easy!) weeknight dinner!

First of all, Andrzejewski Perogi Shop makes the BIGGEST perogies that I’ve ever seen. Secondly, they are also the tastiest perogies that I’ve ever had. Their customer service is also pretty great.

Try their classic Potato, Bacon, Cheese and Onion perogies, or go all out and get their popular Pulled Pork perogies (great with sour cream!).

This perogi shop makes their perogies by hand in Fonthill, ON.

Candylabs

It’s been a long time since I’ve visited this super cute candy shop in Montreal, Quebec, but it looks like they’re still up and running!

Candylabs is an independent candy shop run by Lin and May. I discovered them while on vacation with my friend Mandy in 2015, and had the opportunity to try their adorable candies.

If you like sour candies, their Acid Drop Mix is for you! These aren’t just your regular old sour candies, they are SERIOUSLY sour and the colours are pretty, too.

I wrote a whole article about Candylabs if you want to learn more about the company.

David Chow

I really wanted to include David in this list, because his chocolates are both delicious and breathtaking.

Unfortunately, he has had to temporarily shut down his Toronto kitchen due to the COVID-19 situation. I’m hoping he’ll be back up and running eventually. Until then, please check out his website and give him a follow on Instagram.

You can also read David’s article the Ultimate Guide to Eating Chocolate that he wrote for this website.

Jewellery

Who doesn’t want a little sparkle under the tree this year?

These two companies are VERY different, with different styles and price ranges, but I love both of them equally.

Lisbeth

If you’re looking for beautiful, timeless jewellery, Lisbeth is the brand to buy.

Lisbeth is run by a lovely lady named Sophie, and all of the pieces are hand made in Toronto, Ontario.

I was introduced to Sophie’s work back in 2008, and I’ve been investing in a piece or two from her collection every few years or so.

Although some of the items in her collection sell out pretty quickly, you can still get the Josephine Gold earrings (shown above) that I bought a few months ago.

FraniBananis

If you’re looking for a more alternative/artsy style of jewellery, then Frani Bananis is the place to go.

I think I’ve ordered more times from Frani’s shop than any other shop on Etsy! I’ve never met Frani in real life, but I’ve ordered several pieces of her jewelry and she has even done some custom work for me in the past too.

I have several of her Ear Cuffs, but she also sells studs, rings, nose rings, and bracelets as well.

Sidebar: Yes, all of my ear cuffs are clip-ons. When I wanted to pierce my cartilage, literally every person I know who has a cartilage piercing advised me against it because theirs got infected.

Anyhow, Frani’s customer service is excellent, and I’ve always had a good experience shopping with her. Her jewellery is inexpensive but also has excellent quality.

Frani handcrafts everything from her studio in Blenheim, Ontario.

Essential Oils/Home Fragrance

Fern & Petal

If you follow me on Instagram, then you’ll already be familiar with this Vancouver-based essential oil company.

I’ve been talking about Fern & Petal over the past few months because their essential oils smell amazing, and they’re Canadian! I’ve just become an ambassador for their products as well.

My favourite blend is Summers End, which has notes of grapefruit, clove and lavender. It sounds like a weird combination, but it’s such a fresh, comforting smell. I put this in my diffuser when I’m feeling stressed or agitated.

I also love their Morning Bliss roll-on. It helps me get started in the morning with a combination of fresh citrus and lavender essential oils.

And now I’ve got my eye on their new holiday scents too…

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If you’d like to support me, without any additional cost to you, please consider shopping through my ambassador link by clicking here. Thanks!

Accessories

Kaseme – Phone Cases/Macbook Skins/Wireless Chargers

This Quebec-based company makes beautiful phone cases, Macbook skins and wireless chargers.

I highly recommend their “Tough” cases – I’ve dropped my phone on concrete from about 4 feet and my phone was fine! The case itself has a few minor dents but overall it’s very sturdy.

I’ve purchased the Juliette and Hedwig phone cases for my Samsung Galaxy phone and the Succulent skin for my Macbook.

Wonder Pens: Fountain Pens, Ink, Paper, Stickers etc.

Run by Jon and Liz Chan, Wonder Pens strives to find the best and hardest-to-find stationery products from Japan and around the world. This family-run shop has two locations in Toronto.

I’ve been following Wonder Pens on Instagram for ages, hoping to one day make it to their brick-and-mortar store. Hopefully when things go back to some kind of normal, I’ll be able to make a trip out there.

I did order a sheet of super cute cat stickers from them earlier this year though, and their customer service as excellent! I had never placed an order from them before, and Brendan from their team was very helpful and friendly.

Board Games & Trading Cards

401 Games.ca

If you love board games or trading cards, 401 Games has got you covered.

With locations in downtown Toronto and Vaughn, this store is a go-to for board game and trading card enthusiasts.

I have been to their Toronto location before, but I just recently placed my first online order from them. My board game arrived quickly with no hassle.

I didn’t take a photo of the game, as I bought it as a Christmas gift for a friend.

Greeting Cards

Everyone loves getting happy mail! Sending your friends and family a card in the mail is a cheap and cheerful way to celebrate the holidays with them from afar.

Fine Lime Designs

Ok, how cute are these Christmas cards from Fine Lime Designs? These were hand drawn by Melissa in her studio in Delta, British Columbia.

This card pack comes with:
– 10 Christmas Cards
– 10 matching envelopes
– a sheet of 12 matching envelope closure stickers.
All 10 cards feature the same illustration and are blank inside. 

This is just one of several cute illustrated products available in Melissa’s Etsy shop.

I actually used to write for Melissa as a freelancer, once upon a time. I haven’t seen her in a long time, but I’m happy to show my support for her shop.

CraftedVan

I just found this company on Etsy a few weeks ago and ordered birthday cards for two of my friends.

Owners Erica and Diana have a collection of super cute characters that range from a happy bubble tea cup to a snuggly bear with a heart. These designs are used on their products which range from cards, to magnetic books, prints and more.

Their cheery designs are sure to brighten up anyone’s day! You can purchase directly from their website or from their shop on Etsy.

That’s it! That’s my 2020 list of Canadian small businesses. I’m still shopping for Christmas gifts though, so if I find another small business that I can share, I’ll add it to the list.

If you know of another Canadian small business that you’d like to recommend, please leave a comment below!

Happy shopping, and stay safe!

Disclosure:

This is not a sponsored post.

This post contains affiliate links for Kaseme and Fern & Petal. I am an ambassador for Fern & Petal and have included my affiliate links for that brand.

This post also contains Amazon affiliate links. I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for content creators to earn fees by linking to Amazon and its affiliated sites. This means that if you click a link and purchase something, I will receive a tiny percentage of the purchase price (at no extra cost to you).

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