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Food and drink: Wrap it up for real

Tantalizing gifts that say “love” in a big authentic way

Ho, ho, ho! Yes, it's that jolly time of year again. What? You're not feeling that jolly, torn as you are between the news headlines piling up around you - sustainable this and unsustainable that - vs. all those lovely Christmas traditions tugging at your heart strings?

Fret not, for you, too, can celebrate the holiday season in a jolly good way that doesn't involve over-consumption of bad durable goods made by "cheap labour" that will end up in the Goodwill box in February.

The thing about Christmas, even through all its reinventions and reinterpretations over the years, is that it all boils down to love.

So if you hit the "pause" button for a minute in the pre-holiday glut and think for a bit, you'll no doubt hit upon gift-giving ideas that feel good and make sense.

Try starting by picking a theme. Like, how about multiplying the giving effect by supporting all your entrepreneurial friends who have their own businesses?

Get creative with gift certificates or token items you can "wrap up." I've made paper cutouts to symbolize the gift and "wrapped" them in a box I painted with acrylics - a storybook shirt for a real custom shirt. A freshly scrubbed potato represented 10 hours of free weeding time in spring.

Write a poem describing the intended gift, or a free-flowing paragraph. Heck, you can easily make your own gift certificates with coloured pens, collaged images or your computer.

Even if it might not initially seem that you can secure some gift-giving options, try negotiating. A dog-walking service might also double as a dog sitter if that's one of Sis's dilemmas when she's out of town. See if you can pay for your friend who's a computer geek to give Uncle Muddly 10 hours of IT support. You get the picture.

Over the years, I've themed my gift-giving in a variety of ways. I've bought all my gifts from crafters and artists, performing and otherwise. I've supported women who have their own businesses, in myriad forms. I've turned my giftees on to baskets or pots (made by a local potter, say a Meg Gallup or a Binty Massey?) of products I believe in - organic foods I love, or "green" cleaners (Nature Clean is my Canadian favourite).

Once you get going with your own ideas, it's actually fun to subvert the usual mall options and come up with your ideas.

If you're really into the homegrown and don't want to buy a "thing," whip up a batch of your pal's favourite brownies and print out the recipe for him. Offer to make your giftee a dinner for six and tuck your hand-made gift certificate into a "bouquet" of bright paper napkins. You're a great skier or boarder? Give personalized lessons - by you.

Find a quirky bottle and fill it with sand from the beach at Lost Lake (shhh, don't tell the parks people). Attach a note that says the recipient can look forward to one beachside picnic, hosted by you, in the merry month of May. Better yet, plan a snow picnic during the holidays. How romantic, and unique, is that?

Are your gift juices going? Then here's another flurry of ideas.

Whatever you decide to give, make it fun, make it yours and make it early. Then you'll enjoy it, too.

 

Best local gift tips to punch up your spirit

Check out In the Raw Organics in Squamish to bag a whole lot of crazy gifts. Maria Mattei runs the little stand tucked right in to Gelato Carina (38078 Cleveland Avenue). Just about everything is organic and tastes great. I love the malted balls (made with fructose), the wild rice mix - ooh so nutty - and all the beautiful dried beans and lentils that are downright sensuous to run your hands through once you get them home. It's fun to poke through the rows of big glass jars of pretty pulses (that's what you call all those dried beans and things), deciding on what to give to whom. Maria has classic paper bags that are easy to tie up with rattan or festive bits of satin ribbon (brown paper bags make excellent gift bags!). Bundle up three bags of goodies, tuck in a tiny spruce or holly branch with your favourite bean dish or French lentil soup recipe and somebody will feel very lucky - and very healthy.

In Pemberton, stop by North Arm Farm (1888 Sea to Sky Highway). They'll be open this weekend and have bags and bags of root veggies - carrots and beets each in four magical colours, salsify, crones, celery root, potatoes. Or how about Magic garlic (don't forget, garlic is magic for your immune system)?

Honestly, I'd take a bag of their rootin' tootin' veggies that you washed for a gift any day. In fact, I owe this idea to my gal-pal, Anita, who gave me a bottle of Yes to Carrots body lotion (love it) along with a couple of giant freshly scrubbed carrots. I shredded them for a salad that night and loved the fact I didn't have to clean them.

Starting Dec. 14, right through to Christmas, the Foodlovers - Jenna "Butterchik" Dashney and Maxim "Best Chef" Ridorossi - will be bringing their own brand of goodies to North Arm. Standby for pastries and Christmas goodies extraordinaire.

Speaking of the Foodlovers, why not give one of their "supper club" dinners, or arrange for cooking lessons for some deserving soul (supperclub@the foodlovers.ca).

Given the provincial government is leaving our arts people out in the cold with murderous funding cuts, what could be a better gift than the Whistler Arts Council's Christmas Gift Package (www.whistlerartscouncil.com). This dynamite gift includes a year's membership, which gets you all kinds of discounts, a pack of art cards by local artists, and a six-pack of tickets to any event in the Performance Series. Sounds like a holiday to me.

Or contact Lauren (604-935-8438) at the Whistler Library. For as little as $15 you can sponsor a book in the name of a friend - they'll even get a bookplate on the inside cover. Or ask about giving a magazine subscription to your local library in your giftee's name. Now there's a gift that will give more and often.

 

Glenda Bartosh is an award-winning freelance writer who wishes you all a holly jolly Christmas!