Thanksgiving giftsSupplied
Whether you’re headed to a dinner party with relatives or a long weekend at a friend’s cottage, a small host gift is always a good idea. Wine, homemade food and flowers are reliable standbys that will be well-received, but sometimes it can be nice to go above and beyond to show your gratitude for their hospitality.
Twelve unique host gift ideas for every budget
Visiting someone for the weekend? Surprise your host with a specially commissioned ink and watercolour portrait of their home or cottage by Port Coquitlam, B.C.-based artist Dilys Huang. There are three sizes available, starting with a three-inch by four-inch mini. Dilys Arts custom house portrait, from $48 through dilysarts.carrd.co.
Designed in Canada and made in India, Badger & Burke’s 100-per-cent cotton tea towels feature colourful and bold prints. Gift one on its own or use it to package up homemade cookies or preserves for your host. Badger & Burke lemon branch tea towel, $20 through etsy.com.
This Toronto-based company offers a wide selection of down-filled, linen and cotton-canvas pillows printed with vintage maps. This pillow case features the 1,000 Islands and Gananoque, but there are options for Muskoka, Cape Breton and more Canadian locales. Vintage Map Co. 1000 Islands vintage map pillow, $70 through vintagemapco.com.
Libertine Fragrance’s minimalist incense cones are available in three calming scents, including this one which features notes of Japanese cypress, cedar wood and moss. There are up to 25 cones a can, and each offers 25 to 30 minutes of burn time. Libertine Fragrance Hinoki & Moss incense cones, $45 through libertinefragrance.ca.
This soap dish, made with hand-polished marble, is pretty enough to display on its own. Pair it with one of the Toronto-based company’s decadent, modern soaps to create a practical gift set for the very discerning host. Binu Binu blue marble soap dish, $110 through binu-binu.com.
You can’t go wrong with a fancy candle as a host gift, and Vancouver Candle Co. offers themed neighbourhood ones as well as a Great White North collection that calls out different regions of Canada. This soy wax candle is hand poured in Vancouver and incorporates perfume-grade fragrances. Vancouver Candle Co. Kitsilano candle with notes of jasmine, tuberose and sandlewood, $48 through vancouvercandleco.com.
Kasama Chocolate’s award-winning offerings are made from scratch using a bean-to-bar process, which requires making chocolate from scratch from cacao beans. Bring a few bars to dinner and you’ll satisfy any host with a sweet tooth. Kasama Chocolate 75-per-cent Tupi chocolate bar, $12 through kasamachocolate.com.
The team behind Stoke Deli Bar in Fonthill, Ont., offers a range of packaged condiments, pickles and more, all made from scratch in Niagara. This fun starter pack includes a multipurpose seasoning mix and a maple chili crisp. Stoke At Home Keepin’ It Tasty Starter Pack, $19 through stokeathome.ca.
Quality, sustainability and transparency are the cornerstones of this woman-owned Toronto roastery, which offers both filter and espresso roasts. This one features beans from smallholder producers in Colombia. Java Roasters Cosmic Goose coffee, from $22 through javaroasters.ca.
Staying with family or friends for the weekend? Make your hosts pancakes or crepes one day, and serve them with this conifer-infused maple syrup made with Quebec maple sap. La Ferme Du Loup maple syrup, $17 through lafermeduloup.com.
Available to ship across Canada, a box of high-quality and exotic fruits from Toronto-based Fruter is a gift that will be sure to delight. Ship it directly to your host as a thank you, or bring it to dinner to share. Fruter Mystery Fruit Box, $60 through fruter.ca.
This Quebec City-based company offers prepackaged dessert ingredients that are healthy and easy to make. The beautiful packaging also features the work of local illustrators. Bela Peko Classic Combo, $27 through belapeko.com.
