GIFT GUIDE: SECRET SANTA

December 13, 2016

Secret Santa gift exchanges are great. They allow people to carry on the tradition of holiday gifting without having to break the bank, or generate a ton of extra waste. On the other hand, depending on the way your Secret Santa works, you could end up having to buy a gift for someone you don’t know that well, or maybe even without knowing who will receive it in the end. Yes, it can be intimidating, but don’t despair! We’ve rounded up some of our top Secret Santa picks from Spud.ca to help you out.

1. Posh sweets are a no-brainer, especially when they are locally made. This Canada Sweet Shop gift box contains both peanut brittle and English toffee, both gluten free, made right here in Calgary. Bonus – the box is so cute you can tie a ribbon around it and call it a day.

2.Winter weather is hard on the skin, especially the hands and feet, so anyone would appreciate a luxurious moisturizing lotion. Gardener’s Dream Cream is a cult favourite, with customers using it not only to soothe dry and cracked skin, but also to ease aches and pains, sinus issues, and skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema, acne flare-ups, and bug bites. It can even be used on pets!

3. The holidays can be pretty stressful, so everyone can benefit from a little pampering in the bath. Make it extra effective with Mint & Daisy Release Bath Salts! These Calgary-made bath salts have peppermint and eucalyptus essential oils, which can help combat common cold symptoms, promote good sinus health, and ease sore muscles.

4. If your recipient happens to have a beard (and honestly, what man doesn’t these days), a fancy beard balm or conditioning oil from Mammoth Beard Co is just the ticket. With a variety of scents and textures, there’s bound to be something to suit any beard. Best of all, these luxurious products are made (and tested!) by a Calgary couple, using only the highest quality ingredients, with no cheap filler oils or synthetic fragrances. They’re the perfect way to let your bearded recipient know you take his facial hair as seriously as he does.

5.This has to be the sweetest gift of all – a 3-pack of Drizzle summer honey! This raw, local honey is light and mild, with sweet floral notes. Whether the lucky recipient stirs it into tea, slathers it on toast, or uses it as a face mask, this is a gift that’s practically guaranteed to be used and appreciated.

6. Of course, if you’re really unsure, you can always go with a sure thing: a Spud gift certificate!