Our local Christmas gift guide, covering decoration, textiles and workshops

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One of the most satisfying ways to battle monoculture and keep your city exciting is to shop locally, and Edmonton businesses will appreciate your support – especially this month, which is making its year.

For those of you who do your Christmas shopping and are looking for local suggestions – let us help! Our final gift guide of the season is a broad mix of lifestyle, fashion, and decorating ideas in addition to our pre-published, focused suggestions for books, the culinary world, and local art. We hope this helps. All aboard!

Clos General Leather Co. (10047 80 Ave.): The smell of this place alone is worth a visit. Locally made bags, purses, belts, pet accessories, leather care products – whatever. Sweet origin story too. “I was looking for a belt and a wallet and couldn’t find any here in the town I really liked,” explains owner Kyle Closen, so he went to a local leather shop, got some tools, and the rest is Story . What you get here is a gift that will last a long time.

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Custom crossword puzzles : As personal as it gets, an individual crossword puzzle could hardly be a more personal and thoughtful gift. You give the hints, answers and even a fancy title if you want – the automated robot at printablecrosswordmaker.com does the rest. And it’s free too unless you are counting your precious time. Make sure you hit the “Make Crosswords” button, PS, instead of the big green “Start” button.

Edmonton Christmas gift book : Easy, local and an ideal way to distribute gift cards like you were a skilled poker dealer. Ten gift cards worth $ 20 from Adewunmi Skincare, Meat Delicatessen, Glass Bookshop, Hideout Distro (see below), Kind Ice Cream, Lot 34, Maven & Grace, Show Shine Shack, Sugared and Spiced and Take Care. Order on yegholidaygiftbook .com and then buy it in the Glass Bookshop at 10242 106 St.

Fern’s School of Craft (10350 122 St.): “Workshops for the semi Serious Crafter”, this textile workshop school teaches weaving, carpet hooks, punching needles, embroidery, knitting, Sashiko, Indigo, Shibori, natural colors, block printing, bundle dyeing, fabric marbling and – yes – the old standard Basket weaving. They also carry supplies. Personal opening times: Thursday 1:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at the above address. The full list of workshops can be found at fernschoolofcraft.com. $ 65- $ 315 depending on the medium.

Grindstone classes (10019 81 Ave.): The rising superstar of the local theater scene also offers classes all year round! These include – take a deep breath – Dance Combo, Intro to Improv, Musical Improv, Stand Up, Sketch Writing, Burlesque, Intro to Acting – every 275 / two months – and Drama Discovery for children / adolescents (US $ 230), so to speak catch Do everything that explores stage awareness, character development and improvisation for the little party animal in your life. Full details at Grindstonetheatre.ca.

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Hideout Distribution (12407 108 Ave.), must-have nasarimba artist shirts, and even local magazines, ribbons, and stickers. And all of this at least indie, if not local. You will find it here, do not hesitate, dogs are welcome!

Hot stones spa (13075 156h): Open seven days a week, it’s specifically the banya – Russian bath – side of things I am promoting here, a tradition that dates back at least as far as the 19th century, including hot bucket showers (you pull on Rope), hot stone sauna and Venik Platza – hitting yourself (or someone else) with a paddle made from healing oak leaves. Oh, plus herbal tea! What can I say except it’s amazing. $ 95 / hr for up to eight people; $ 150 / two hours “romantic”.

Understanding Mother Earth (12316 111 Ave.): Cree Medicine Woman Carrie Armstrong founded this company to “share nature-inspired teachings rooted in the sacred plants of the medicine wheel.” In addition to her successful book Mother Earth Plants for Health & Beauty: Indigenous Plants, Traditions and Recipes, her personal shop offers tea, handmade soaps, essential oils, hair care products, and a variety of cedar, sage, licorice, and tobacco preparations. The prices are really reasonable, starting at $ 2.50 for a bar of cedar soap.

Pet love : For the person who absolutely refuses a gift, good for them. But please donate to an animal welfare organization on their behalf. A few suggestions: ARTS Senior Animal Rescue, Little Cats Lost, Second Chance! Animal Rescue Society and Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society.

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Printed with love : You may have noticed that it is the future – there are even flying cars now – so why not 3D print some for the one you love the most? That can be a plant that is totally cool, and especially great are the body positivity and hexagonal plant grids and plant pots. Also super affordable from $ 6 – on-site pickup in Edmonton available as soon as you order. Find them on Etsy.com, search for “Printed with Love YEG”.

Whyte Knight / Mars & Venus (10326 82 Ave.): I’ve often responded with the trustworthy Whyte Knight, “where can I get my kid an old Transformer” or “Star Wars character”, from 1950s comics to Atari cartridges to first edition of Magic the Gathering cards. And of course a treasure trove of vintage accessories for Dungeons & Dragons. Downstairs, Mars & Venus is also full of witchcraft, punk horror, and custom sock-y (e.g. Mister Rogers, George Takei, Pickle Rick). Plus there is tons of locally made fashion – just ask.

Vibrant printing (10342 82 Ave.): Just down the “Ave”, last stop on our journey to total satisfaction when buying gifts! In addition to a selection of great local artist prints, including from co-owner Bee Wealand, Vivid sells prints of old maps of Old Strathcona and Baby Edmonton, historical photographs and metal signs like Yellowhead Trail so you don’t have to “break free”. one! Conveniently divided into “YEG”, “Cozy Cabin” and “City Lover” on www.vividprint.ca, it is still best to stop by. They also frame. So if you want to do a really good job, I can 100 percent vouch for it. But hurry up, dear junk dealer – time is running out!

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