As the end of November draws near, it's high time to be making a list of holiday gift ideas for the special someones in your life... and to be checking it twice.
Odds are, this year, you won’t be scouring the mall for days on end, hunting for the perfect presents for the nearest and dearest in your life.
Instead, it’s likely you’ll do most of your shopping online, inviting your purchases to land at your doorstep.
Or, perhaps, if you're buying for a cottage-owner, maybe you'll have said gifts land directly on their doorstep, while they stow away in their holiday home in a northern pocket of Ontario.
READ: Here’s How to Hygge Up Your Home for the Chilly Season
Whether the cottager in your life is spending the chilly season enjoying their vacation house, or they're already dreaming about returning to it once warmer days come back around, there's no doubt they'll appreciate a holiday gift meant to amplify their time away.
To make your search easier, we’ve gathered up 12 of the top items you could gift a cottage-owner as 2020 comes to a close. From utilitarian to extravagant and everywhere in between, these are our suggestions for your shopping endeavours:
Kitchenware
The cottage deserves its own kitchenware, from funky mugs to pristine plates to deep, broad bowls. As such, you're implored to invite some freshness into your friend's wintry space through handmade ceramics, which can take their kitchen experience from "ho hum" to "oh yum!"
These mugs, for example, are made by a local-to-Toronto ceramicist and are sure to add a little extra pep to the morning coffee experience.
Where to buy: Garden of Weeden Ceramics, order via Instagram
Price: Varied
Cottage-Worthy Lighting
Have you ever seen a light fixture so divinely suited for the cottage environment? These treasures take an already stunning space to new ligh-- err, heights. Made to order, you could stake your claim on one of these fixtures now and see it ready in six-to-eight weeks, meaning it'll be prepared just in time for new-year-redecoration.
Where to buy: Made Design, 70 Geary Avenue and online
Price: $1,050
Outdoor Blanket
Winter weather doesn't stop the true outdoorsperson from spending time outside. But, as the days get ever more frigid, it's fair to say even the most nature-loving individual might need a little help staying cozy. We're only human, after all!
Pendleton blankets are a classic wool luxury, ideal for wrapping around shoulders on chilly porch mornings, cup of coffee in hand. And, blankets from The Bay, featuring the classic Hudson's Bay stripes, are a solid (and more affordable) alternative.
Where to buy: Pendleton Woolen Mills online, The Bay online
Price: $299 and up (Pendleton); $45 and up (The Bay)
Reusable Food Wraps
Those who spend significant time in nature may be more inclined to respect it, and it benefits the earth and humans alike if that reverence is transformed into action. Why not aid your cottage-owning pal in transitioning toward more eco-friendly behaviour by gifting them reusable food wraps?
These wraps live way longer than a standard strip of saran does, and they can be used to wrap up vegetables, carry trail mix, cover bowls, and more. Plus, they're super cute to look at, and they come in different designs and colour schemes depending on the season.
Where to buy: bare market online
Price: $35
Anytime, Anywhere Tent
A night at the cottage can, very easily, turn into a night of camping... so long as there's a tent around. Ensure the cottage-owner in your life is covered and ready for anything by gifting them a tent they can pop up whenever they choose. Whether they end up setting up on the beach, on the terrace, or even in the living room to make more fun out of a cold night in, tents and camping vibes make any sleeping experience feel that much more exciting.
Where to buy: MEC online
Price: $240 and up
Excellent Coffee
When staying at the cottage, it quickly becomes clear that it's the most simple things are also the most important. For example, the morning cup of joe. A ritual, a classic, a necessity, and also, a source of major pleasure. It makes sense, then, that anyone in their right mind would want the stuff to be good.
Give the cottage-owner in your life the gift of a delicious morning through some local coffee beans. To really round out the present, consider pairing the beans with a ceramic mug or two, like the ones at the top of this list.
Where to buy: Sam James Coffee Bar online
Price: $18.50 and up
Firewood Hutch
Where to buy: Mjolk online
Price: $1,100
Pillows
Based in Hamilton, Ontario, Eeuwes is a design studio that crafts rugs, pillows, and home accessories through traditional weaving techniques. Featuring contemporary designs and colour stories, each of the items in their collection look -- honestly -- picture-perfect for a cottage environment. Choose a cozy pillow adorned with a loon, or a rug with a cozy design woven in, to add a little extra hygge to a cottage-owner's space.
Where to buy: Eeuwes online
Price: $100 and up
Travel Bag
Again, form and function meet. This weekend bag, crafted by Toronto-based design shop Hart & Hive, is "built to last." The brand crafts leather goods that can be customized and are meant to serve their owners for the long haul; if the cottage-owner in your life is back and forth from their vacation home often, a sturdy and reliable suitcase alternative might be just what they need.
Where to buy: Hart & Hive online
Price: $999
Pasta Maker
Cottage days = slow living. What better environment is there, then, to experiment with those dishes that are always on the "to make" list, but which there never seems to be time for? Encourage the cottage owner in your life to take the plunge by gifting them a pasta machine, with which they can whip up their own spaghetti, linguini, ravioli, and more.
Believe it or not, these things are easier to use than they look, and the end result is... *chef's kiss.*
Where to buy: Cookery online
Price: $60 and up
Something Fun to Drink
When the cottage is perfectly decorated and the owner insists they have everything they need, there's only one direction to turn to: the realm of fancy consumables. Whether you're hoping to treat your pal to a wine they've never tasted, a new brew, some sake, or a whisky to keep them warm on a cold night, the offerings at Bŏt’L Shop will provide. In fact, give the team here a shout, and they'll offer up recommendations based on your budget and your (friend's) taste.
They'll even go so far as to gift wrap "one small ass cane of dope beer." Trust us, they said so themselves.
Where to buy: Bŏt’L Shop online
Price: $7.75 and up
Custom Furniture
This one could be the kicker. Your kid just bought their first cottage or -- on the flip side -- your parents have finally treated themselves to the vacation home they have deserved for so long. Make their first cottage-owning holiday even more special with the gift of a locally-made, custom piece of furniture. Maybe they could use a chair, or a desk, or some stand-up shelving, but we're really swooning over the root tables from Brothers Dressler.
Featuring salvaged, washed-out roots from rivers in Southern Ontario that are strapped together with finished wood, the base of these tables is created to hold a solid wood top. The end result is both stunning and ideal for a cottage environment. One-of-a-kind, these pieces are limited, and you can reach out to the store to learn how to get your hands on one for someone you love.
Where to buy: Brothers Dressler online
Price: Varied
