Exploring Unique, Local Gift Ideas This Holiday Season

Counting Down The Days Til Christmas With A Few Present Suggestions

Christmas. It seems more like a deadline than a holiday, and the deadline to have all your shopping done is fast approaching. To help in that effort, we are going to spend some time this week looking at some of the cool, unique, local gift ideas available to you…

Friday‘s arrival means Christmas is practically upon us. We’ve explored float tanks, a night of wine and paint, tattoos, even underwear! But today we’re feeling patriotic. And what’s more Canadian than beer? Better yet, local beer. Redline Brewhouse in Barrie’s south end has a gift idea or two for you.

That’s Kari Williams of Redline Brewhouse, who said they’re already getting a New Year’s version primed for sale. She adds it’s not just beer flying off the shelves either.

More information about Redline and its swag can be found on the company website.

Thursday is already here, and we are really running out of time to find a unique, local gift for the holidays. We’ve had some great suggestions so far, but today I might aim a little lower. Below the belt, with Gagnon garments, a local underwear company that boasts super soft, super comfortable undies for boys and girls, as co-owner Jocelyn Gagnon says, it was a labour of love for her and her husband.

Jocelyn points out, you can’t go wrong with underwear either, especially during the holidays.

Jocelyn and her husband Marc have a virtual store you can visit, and say there’s still time for the underwear to ship and be under the tree Christmas morning.

Wednesday finds me continuing the search for the perfect gift, and I’m running out of time. Today, I’m thinking of really leaving my mark with this next unique local gift in this week’s series, maybe a tattoo for Christmas. Pushing Inc. Tattoo Emporium, just off downtown Barrie, offers up gift cards, as tattoo artist Jamie Russo says, tattoos are way more commonplace these days.

Better yet, you’re getting some value for your dollar.

You can find more information, and see some of Jamie’s work, on the Pushing Inc website.

Tuesday finds us still on the hunt for something special for that special someone, and today, we’re feeling artsy. That’s why we went to downtown Barrie to talk to the owner of Canvas and Cabernet, Cyndi Taylor, to find out if we need to be able to paint to enjoy a night at her studio/wine bar.

She has some gift cards available, and she stands by them too.

You can learn more about Canvas and Cabernet through its website.

Monday’s unique, local Christmas gift idea takes us to Float Tank Barrie. The south end Barrie locale is run by brothers Charles and Mitchell White, and this year they’ve got a few gifts on offer, as Charles explains.

He says it’s a great way to get someone in the door, who’d otherwise not even consider Float Tank Barrie.

More information on Float Tank Barrie’s holiday specials can be found here.