This time of year is all about gathering with loved ones, sharing stories over family feasts and Christmas GIFTS -- someone had to say it. Whether receiving gifts is your love language or not, we think that everyone can benefit from getting something special this holiday season. Finding the perfect gift (and the perfect bottle of wine) can be a struggle, but don't fret, we've got an epic list of Christmas gift ideas for the foodie in your life. P.S. it's totally fine if that foodie is you.
These Christmas gift ideas are organized into three tasty categories: sweet surprises, extra salty and spicy but nicy. You're sure to find something here that will tickle taste buds or inspire your partner to, ahem, cook more, please?
The best part about our Christmas gift ideas is that each item comes from a BIPOC-owned business. We want to highlight the talented and unrepresented folks in our communities, not only during the holidays but also throughout the year.
Shake up your shopping with these Christmas gift ideas -- and shake up some Christmas cocktails while you're at it. And have your (s)elf a merry time!
Delicious Christmas gift ideas: Sweet surprises
Photography by Daniel Harrison; Styling by Amy Ward
1. Fara Coffee
This specialty coffee roaster showcases different artworks on their packaging -- and gives the artist five per cent of the revenue. Fara Coffee's Ethiopia: Sidama is blooming with floral notes along with hints of white chocolate and guava.
$20, faracoffee.ca
2. Tammy Turner Artistry candles
Hand-poured in Toronto, Tammy Turner Artistry's 100 per cent vegan soy wax candles are beautifully embellished with charged crystal gem-stones like clear quartz, amethyst, citrine, rose quartz and black tourmaline. They come as a set of three in alluring scents like Toronto in Bloom and Jamaica After Rain.
$33.33 for three, etsy.com
3. The Green Jar compostable towels
The environmentally-conscious person on your list will love this three pack of Kliin small compostable towels. Say goodbye to rolls and rolls of paper towel and say hello to machine-washable cloths that you can use again and again. And they come in fun little prints.
$14.50 for three, thegreenjarshop.com
4. Neale's Sweet N' Nice Ice Cream
Made with 100 per cent Canadian dairy and real fruit, this premium ice cream brings the taste of the Caribbean to Toronto. Choose from flavours like mango, banana-chocolate and coconut or spring for their ice cream subscription service so your loved one can enjoy the good stuff for months.
From $6.99, sweetnnice.ca
5. Neale's Sweet N' Nice black cake
Celebrate the holidays the Caribbean way with this festive dessert. Neale's Sweet N' Nice black cake is made with a signature blend of deliciously rum-soaked fruit and Caribbean spices.
$39, sweetnnice.ca
6. Festive Tea Set
From pastry chef Calvin Wat, this festive tea set is full of delectable delights. Call Kandl at 416-215-2150 to order or visit their boutique located at 88 Avenue Road.
$100, kandl-artistique.com
7. Jipi Baubles
These beautiful ornaments are handcrafted in the Andes by Colombian artisans, using leaves from the Jipijapa palm tree -- the same material used to make Panama hats. Each one in the set is a unique treasure.
Four for $100, goodeeworld.com
8. Bar Mordecai's Mulled Wine & Egg Nog
This classic holiday drink duo is perfect for gifting or hosting. Laced with dark rum, the eggnog comes ready to pour and with a side of Christmas cookies. Meanwhile, the mulled wine is ready to heat and comes with a little sachet of dried fruit, nuts and spices to finish off this festive drink. You can also swap one out and get two eggnogs or two mulled wines.
$45, bar-mordecai.myshopify.com
9. Wabanaki Maple Mini Bundle Set
This cute little bundle set makes for a super sweet gift. It includes each of Wabanaki Maple's signature barrel-aged maple syrup flavours: bourbon, whisky and toasted oak. Pancakes will never be the same again.
$33, wabanakimaple.com
10. Chu On This Studio greeting cards
Skip the dry drug store cards this year and go for something a little more personal. Founded by artist Annie Chu during the pandemic, this Canadian company makes the sweetest greeting cards featuring adorable art and clever puns.
11. Smoked Maple Old Fashioned Cocktail Kit
From Evelyn Chick's new brand Love of Cocktails (LOC), this custom cocktail kit comes with everything your bourbon lover needs to make a delightfully smokey old fashioned. Choose between a kit that makes six or 12 drinks.
From $78, loveofcocktails.com
12. Cup of Té Luxe Organic Tea Set
This luxury tea set was featured in Oprah's Favourite Things, and if it's good enough for Oprah, it's good enough for us. It comes with six different organic, ethically-sourced loose leaf teas including flavours like Peppermint Devotion, Cream of Earl Grey and Noms Berry Delight.
$119.99, cupofte.ca
13. Pacha Indigenous Art Collection table runners
Add a little flair to the festive table with these table runners patterned with intricate Andean motifs. Each one is made in Otavalo, Ecuador by the Lema family.
$48 each, pachaarts.com
14. Mary's Brigadeiro chocolates, 12 Brigadeiros in a Gift Tin
Gift your loved one (or yourself) a moment of bliss with these handcrafted chocolates from Mary's Brigadeiro. They come in a set of 12 inside a limited-edition reusable tin. And yes, they taste as good as they look.
$36, marysbsweets.com
15. Tap Phong tea set
Make tea time even sweeter by pouring it from this stunning teapot from Tap Phong.
$64.59, tapphong.com
Delicious Christmas gift ideas: Extra salty
Photography by Daniel Harrison; Styling by Amy Ward
1. Vinegar-Raspberry,
Make salads shine with this raspberry-flavoured vinegar that has the perfect balance of sweet and sour. It can also be used as a marinade for your holiday meat.
$25, shop.allwoodmrkt.com
2. Kiin: Recipes and Stories from Northern Thailand
Chef Nuit Regular and her restaurants (Pai, Sabai Sabai, Kiin and Sukhothai) are an integral part of Toronto's culinary landscape. And now you can take her cooking into your home with this stunning book of recipes, stories and photography.
3. Tap Phong salt shaker
Salt shakers are one of those no-brainer gifts because everyone has salt at their place. How much salt to use is the real pickle but no fighting at the dinner table, OK?
$1.16, tapphong.com
4. Tap Phong pinch pot
You know when recipes call for "just a pinch" and you have no idea what that means. Well, this pinch pot won't help with that but at least it looks cool.
$2.92, tapphong.com
5. Take Back the Tray: Revolutionizing Food in Hospitals, Schools, and Other Institutions
Chef and activist Joshna Maharaj wants readers to really think about their food, whether you're in your home during the holidays or dining in a public space like a school or cafeteria. You won't be able to put this manifesto/memoir down.
$23.95, indigo.ca
6. Zing Triple Threat
Add some vibrancy to your kitchen with these small-but-mighty flavour bombs. Hakka-ish Chili Crisp, Mogambo Spiced Garlic Spread and Buzz Hot Honey are three must-have guests at our holiday table.
$38, cookwithzing.com
7. Salt Garlic & Thyme
It's thyme to up your seasoning game. Forget buying a bushel of herbs or crushing garlic each time you make a new dish. Just sprinkle this blend and it's smooth sailing to flavour town.
$25, shop.allwoodmrkt.com
8. Olive Oil, White Truffle
Truffles are having a moment (are they ever not?). Incorporate some umami into your cooking without spending all your Christmas cash with this specialty oil extracted from high-quality truffles. Looks like you're about to be on everyone's nice list.
$26, shop.allwoodmrkt.com
9. Naked soap bars
Dish duty doesn't have to be a drag if you're doing it naked, ahem, the soap, to clarify. Buck Naked Soaps are handcrafted in Ontario using all-natural, vegan ingredients which leave the skin feeling clean, moisturized and smelling delicious.
$9 each, thegreenjarshop.com
10. HO MEI Joyspice and Crazy Rich Chilli Sauce
Ho Mei Crazy Rich Chili could make cardboard taste good. It's not too overpowering for the spice-adverse but still packs a punch for those flavour-seekers. It's a chilli oil for all palates which adds some "oomph" to your eats.
$18.40 each, auntiessupply.com
11. Hitohira Chromax Santoku Knife
Even if you're not a high-performing cook, you're going to need a high-performing blade. Hitohira Chromax Santoku's thin blade and eye-catching hammered finish make slicing and dicing a breeze -- and you'll look like a badass.
$145, toshoknifearts.com
12. The Double Happiness Cookbook
The Double Happiness Cookbook by Toronto's Trevor Lui is pure food joy. It's a mix of feel-good, Asian-inspired recipes and heartwarming stories will bring inspiration to any coffee table and all kinds of cooks.
$37.99, indigo.ca
13. Always Pan by Our Place
You may have seen this gorgeous pan all over Instagram, and let us tell you, it is worth the hype. This cult-favourite, non-stick pan does the work of eight traditional pieces of cookware, and it comes in a range of different colours -- one for each person on your list?
$195, fromourplace.com
14. Our Place Drinking Glasses
It doesn't matter if you're sipping wine or eggnog, these hand-blown glasses, made from recycled glass and sand, can make any drink sparkle. They're naturally dyed and stackable so you can save on space.
$65, fromourplace.com
Delicious Christmas gift ideas: Spicy but nicy
Photography by Daniel Harrison; Styling by Amy Ward
1. Rose tumble glass
So long boring, clear wine glasses. From now on we want our rosé in these stunning rose tumble glasses from Siafu Home. Bonus, they are sustainably crafted in Kenya from recycled glass.
Set of 2, $98, goodeeworld.com
2. Pomegranate Candle Holder
Make your holiday table pop with a burst of merry-and-bright red from this ceramic candle holder in the shape of a pomegranate which represents prosperity.
$63, goodeeworld.com
3. Nyarai Cellars Christmas 2 Pack
You know what they say, "good things come in twos." OK, we're not actually sure that's a saying, but this special vino set which includes a red and a white (plus, four chocolate truffles) from Niagara-based "virtual" winery, Nyarai Cellars is pretty darn great.
$36.90, nyaraicellars.ca
4. Stainless steel Odor Away
Spend less time this holiday season trying to wash the smell of garlic off your sticky paws with this magical odour remover from The Green Jar. The negatively-charged stainless steel Odor Away combines with positive charged cool water to neutralize the funk.
$13.50, thegreenjarshop.com
5. Spice of Life Million++ Pepper Sauce
First, light up the tree. Then, use a dab of this spicy mother to light up your entire world. This natural pepper sauce uses a mix of Ghost Peppers and Trinidad Scorpion Peppers for one hecking hot topper.
$13, spiceoflifeselections.com
6. Lignum Blue Mountain Coffee Honey and Scotch Bonnet Pepper Honey
These honeys are made from 100 per cent natural, raw honey sourced from Jamaican apiaries. The Scotch Bonnet Pepper adds some heat to the sweet, while the Blue Mountain Coffee has a rich, tropical flavour.
From $15, shop.lignumhoney.com
7. Spice of Life Red Pepper Jelly
Bring on the baked brie because we've found the perfect, natural red pepper jelly for pairing. Or, forget the cheese and go all in with a spoon.
8. Tap Phong chopsticks and holder
We don't know what we love more about these chopsticks -- the elegant design or never getting a splinter on takeout chopsticks again. Either way, we're pretty pumped about this find.
From $1.99, tapphong.com
9. Firecracker Pepper Sauce
No, we're not trying to kill you, we're just trying to shed some light on bold, beautiful flavours like this Trini-style, all-natural hot sauce. It's small-batch and made in Ontario and will knock your Christmas socks off.
From $10, firecrackerspice.com
10. The Ultimate Kandl Snob Set
Write your holiday cards by a very small, contained, deliciously scented fire this year. This gift set from Toronto's luxury candle store and café comes with a 13 oz candle, snuffer, matches, mini travel candle and a set of greeting cards.
$230, kandl-artistique.com
11. Hiakai: Modern M?ori Cuisine
Yes, a turkey is great and all, but so is learning something new. Explore the often untold world of Maori cuisine through chef-author Monique Fiso's story. In this beautiful book, you'll learn all about Maori traditions and ingredients -- and you'll even pick up some recipes along the way.
$68.11, amazon.com
12. Tap Phong bamboo steamer
Did someone say dim sum? We may not make the perfect dumplings every time, but at least they look good when they're presented in this no-fuss bamboo steamer.
From $3.89, tapphong.com
