It’s the season of giving, and that means I am back again this year with my annual Holiday Gift Guide!
My Holiday Gift Guide includes products in the food, drink, and home decor categories that I really love (and actually use!) throughout the year. I aim to exclusively include locally made products in my Holiday Gift Guide since it aligns with my philosophy of buying local and supporting local businesses. For my Holiday Gift Guide 2020, I’ve kept it super local– all of these products are made on Vancouver Island or the Gulf Islands!
Buying local has never been more important than it is this year and we have to do what we can to support local businesses! I hope this years Holiday Gift Guide helps you discover some awesome local products and get some gift inspiration for your friends and family!
Check out these amazing products and pick them up for your family, friends, or even yourself this holiday season! Also, check out my Holiday Gift Guides for 2018 and 2019 for more gift inspiration!
Rootside Soda Mix Gift Set
I discovered Rootside a few years ago at a local market in Vancouver and I have been a huge fan ever since! Now that Rootside has relocated to Esquimalt, they have added a few new flavours to their Soda Mix lineup and have even expanded to make vermouth, wine, AND bitters!
Rootside’s flavourful range of Soda Mixes are bar cart staples in our home. They are so delicious and can be enjoyed year-round! All you have to do is add 2 tablespoons of the mix to some ice along with the liquor of your choice and then top it off with some sparking water! And just like that, you will have a refreshing cocktail in seconds! I admit the convenience of this has really helped me get through 2020!
If you have been looking to try some of Rootside’s Soda Mixes, pick up a Gift Set that includes three bottles of Ginger Beer Mix, Cardamom Citrus Tonic Water Mix, Rosehip Lemonade Mix! Each bottle can make 5 drinks.
These Gift Sets are limited, so pick them up while they are still in stock!
$24.99 • 3, 148ml bottles – Purchase Rootside’s Soda Mix Gift Set & more online!
Instagram: @rootsidemixers
Chocolate Tofino Hot Chocolate Elixir Orbs
Our wedding photographer, Shantal, introduced me to these delectable orbs when she brought one for me to try on our wedding day! The wedding day was absolutely amazing, and I think that these Hot Chocolate Elixir Orbs may have had something to do with that!
These orbs come individually wrapped in a pack of three and each orb can also be split in half to create a lighter or richer hot chocolate. Personally, I prefer to use a whole orb in my hot chocolate to make it like a rich European drinking chocolate.
You can also buy these Hot Chocolate Elixir Orbs in regular chocolate or a vegan/dairy free chocolate to suit dietary preferences. Plus, you can add whatever type of milk you enjoy to these orbs, so you don’t always have to use dairy milk!
While I’ve only enjoyed these during the fall and winter months, I feel like these are definitely a year-round treat that you should always keep stocked in your kitchen! They are adaptable to everyone’s taste and dietary restrictions, plus they are so convenient that they can fix a chocolate craving in a pinch!
Chocolate Tofino’s Hot Chocolate Elixir Orbs will make the perfect gift or stocking stuffer for the chocolate lover in your life this holiday season!
$11.95 for 3 orbs • Regular or Vegan/Dairy Free – Purchase Chocolate Tofino’s Hot Chocolate Elixir Orbs & more online!
Instagram: @chocolatetofino
The New Hotness Hot Sauce
The New Hotness Hot Sauce has become a staple in my kitchen this year and is the perfect gift for anyone who loves spicy food!
I have been on the hunt for a hot sauce that has a good bite and that was actually spicy. Every single one of the hot sauces I’ve tried have totally impressed me…and made me break a sweat! From mild West Coast Verde, to Charcoal Pineapple, to Sriracha-ish, to Savage Scorpion, these hot sauces have complex flavours and can really pack a punch!
The man behind the spice, Nick, uses as many local and seasonal ingredients to make the hot sauce. And of course when cooking with the seasons, the ingredients change quite often, so there’s always a new hot sauce to try! Some of the peppers used in these sauces are also pretty exotic and spicy (like Scorpion Peppers!), so these hot sauces are for those with an adventurous palate! Nick makes this hot sauce in small batches, get them while they are around!
You can find The New Hotness Hot Sauce at various local retailers in Victoria including Part & Parcel, Cocos Provisions & Maiiz Nixtamal!
$12 per bottle • Purchase at local retailers including Part & Parcel, Cocos Provisions & Maiiz Nixtamal!
Instagram: @thenewhotness
Picot Collective Honey Tobacco Candle
So by now you guys know I’m totally obsessed with the Honey Tobacco Candle from Picot Collective. I have included this candle in my Holiday Gift Guides in the past, I’ve taken a bunch of pictures of it on my Instagram/ Instagram Stories, and have even included it in a YouTube video or two!
But when I find a candle that I absolutely love AND that’s locally made, I have to tell everyone!
With a name like Honey Tobacco, a lot of people often ask what this candle smells like. For me, it’s a really great mix of both masculine and feminine scents, with a hint of musky men’s cologne and sweet notes of honey and vanilla. I always have these candles burning around our house, and it is now our homes signature scent. You can also make it your own personal scent with their Honey Tobacco Body Mist and Honey Tobacco Crystal Roller (with Rose Quartz, Amethyst, Green Adventurine, Orange Calcite, and Lapis Lazuli crystals to choose from!).
This Honey Tobacco Candle is made of soy wax and comes in an 8oz size, with either white or black labels. You can find Picot Collective’s candles online and at local retailers around town.
$43 • 8oz candle – Purchase Picot Collective’s Honey Tobacco Candle & more online!
Instagram: @picotcollective
Picot Collective Hand Sanitizer- Peppermint, Blood Orange & Eucalyptus
My Holiday Gift Guide for 2020 wouldn’t be complete without a hand sanitizer! This is one thing that all of us have been carrying around with us all year… and we definitely need to treat our friends and family with a fancy and GOOD smelling hand sanitizer!
I love Picot Collective’s Peppermint, Blood Orange & Eucalyptus Hand Sanitizer for many reasons. First, it smells AMAZING and second, it doesn’t leave a nasty sticky residue on your hands! The sprayer ensures that you get a good distribution of hand sanitizer on your hands and makes it feel so fancy! Plus, the glass spray bottle is also super cute and can be reused for other products once the hand sanitizer runs out!
Picot Collective’s Peppermint, Blood Orange & Eucalyptus Hand Sanitizer is formulated with 99.9% isopropyl alcohol (65% v/v), distilled water, aloe vera, vegetable glycerin, and essential oils of Blood Orange, Peppermint and Eucalyptus.
This will make the perfect stocking stuffer for everyone on your holiday list! Plus, you can give this gift knowing that you are doing your part to keep your friends and family safe!
$13 • 50ml – Currently SOLD OUT! Watch for a re-stock and in the meantime, browse for more products from Picot Collective!
Instagram: @picotcollective
Abeego Beeswax Food Wraps (Variety 3 Pack)
I have been a HUGE fan of Abeego’s Beeswax Food Wraps since I discovered them from a friend when I was living in Vancouver. I have been using Abeego’s wraps in my kitchen for a while and I feel that I have realized their full potential this year, which is why they are in my Holiday Gift Guide for 2020!
Apart from reducing the use of single-use plastic wrap and aluminum foil, Abeego’s Beeswax Food Wraps are made to reduce the amount of food waste from your kitchen. These wraps protect your food from harsh environments while also allowing it to breathe, keeping your food fresher for longer. They are also made from 100% natural ingredients, so you don’t have to worry about what materials your food comes in contact with. These wraps are also incredibly durable and can handle being washed regularly for about a year before they need replacing!
I typically use these wraps to cover bowls of salad or leftovers in the fridge– which works great at keeping food fresh. But this year, I discovered that you can fold up the wrappers to create little bags to transport snacks like nuts… without having to bring a container with you! Simply eat your snack, rinse off the wrapper, and it let dry before folding it up into a tiny, easily portable square!
Abeego’s Beeswax Food Wraps would be a great gift for the foodie/cook in your life, and also any hiking or outdoorsy friends who love to snack but don’t enjoy carrying a ton of things with them! See why these wraps also makes a great product for outdoorsy people in the next gift in my Holiday Gift Guide below!
$18 • 3 wraps (1 small, 1 medium, and 1 large) – Purchase Abeego’s Beeswax Variety Pack & more online!
Instagram: @abeego
Abeego Firestarters
I have had my wraps for about a year and I noticed that they are starting to get to the end of their lifespan. The wax is slowly beginning to go away and they are less sticky than before. While a year is a very long time to have a kitchen product like this (I know other brands aren’t as durable), Abeego really thought about the whole product life-cycle and made their products amazing AND zero-waste!
Abeego’s Firestarters are made from scrap beeswax wraps leftover from production. They are simply shredded up and can be used to start fires when camping or cooking over open flames. They’re also water resistant as they are covered in wax. This means that you don’t have to worry about not being able to get your fire started! Plus, the packaging is all paper, so you can burn it as well once your fire gets going! How genius is that?! And of course, once your wraps have reached the end of their use in the kitchen, you can totally cut them up and use them as a firestarter as well!
These Firestarters make the prefect gift for your outdoorsy friends who like to hike and camp. They are also perfect for foodie friends who love cooking over open-pit fires!
$4 per package • Purchase Abeego Firestarters & more online!
Instagram: @abeego
Babe’s Honey Farm Wildflower Honey
Located at Galey Farms on Blenkinsop Road, Babe’s Honey Farm is a fantastic spot to get some local honey. As the seasons change, various varieties of honey come into season. For instance, during the summer months, you can get Wildflower and Clover honeys. During the fall, you can indulge in some Maple Blossom honey. And during the winter, their Gingerbread honey and Creamed honey is divine! There is always something new and exciting to find at Babe’s!
My favoutie honey from Babe’s Honey Farm is their Wildflower Honey. I use it in tea as well as when I’m testing sweet or savoury recipes year round. Some of my favourite recipes to make with Babe’s Wildflower Honey are my Gochujang Chicken Wings, Apple Cider & Honey Pork Chops, and a very indulgent appetizer, Fried Goat Cheese with Honey!
Varying price points • Purchase from Galey Farms or other local retailers.
Instagram: @babeshoneyfarm
Tout De Sweet Organic Champagne Gumdrops
If you walk into Tout de Sweet Confections in downtown Victoria, you are guaranteed to walk out with some amazing locally made sweets!
Tout de Sweet is known for their wide range of delicious gumdrops. There are so many flavours to choose from, including Craft Cola, Black Currant, Sour Cherry, Holiday Hibiscus, and my favourite, Champagne! They are all made here in Victoria in small batches, so there is always freshly made candy and sweets available!
The flavours of these sugar-coated gumdrops taste just amazing and they have a great texture that isn’t too chewy. I also love how big these gumdrops are! You can have just a few and feel like you’ve handled your sweet craving! Or you can eat the whole bag…totally up to you!
$8.25 • 103g bag, 11 pieces – Browse for other gumdrop flavours and more sweet confections online!
Instagram: @toutdesweetvic
Tout De Sweet Organic Mallow Sweet Stacks
What better to go with Chocolate Tofino’s Hot Chocolate Elixir Orbs than some locally made marshmallows?!
This sweet Organic Mallow Sweet Stack from Tout de Sweet Confections is the perfect little bundle of fluffy goodness to add to your hot chocolate this holiday season. This Sweet Stack is Neapolitan flavour, with a chocolate, vanilla and strawberry flavoured marshmallows. I love this flavour combination and you also get to try three flavours!
The marshmallow recipe is amazing as they are super light and fluffy. Plus, they are made with organic ingredients, and made without corn syrup, eggs or artificial colours or sweeteners!
$3.50 • Neapolitan flavour SOLD OUT! Browse for other flavours and more sweet confections online!
Instagram: @toutdesweetvic
Saltspring Soapworks Soap Bars
Hand soap has become a staple in 2020. And with all that hand washing, you go through quite a bit of soap! So I decided to include some of my favourite local soap from Saltspring Soapworks in my Holiday Gift Guide!
The Rosemary Mint and Cypress Clay soap bars can be used as a hand soap or body soap in the shower. I absolutely adore the Rosemary Mint soap bar since I love how refreshing and invigorating Rosemary and peppermint essential oils are! And for more of a detoxifying feeling, nothing matches the Cypress Clay Bar.
These soaps are made with a base of saponified palm, coconut and olive oil. Grey clay is also added to the Cypress Clay Bar to add a different cleansing element!
Photo credit: Saltspring Soapworks
$6.95 • 20g soap bar – Purchase soap bars at Saltspring Soapwork’s store in Fan Tan Alley, a local retailer, or online!
Instagram: @saltspringsoap
Enter to Win!
You can enter to win ALL of these products (worth $190!) included in my Holiday Gift Guide 2020! I am hosting an exciting Giveaway on my Instagram and is open to Canadian residents 19+! Get all the details on this Instagram post below!
