LAST-MINUTE SHOPPER?
Here are some unique ideas
If you’re going there any way for your brussels sprouts and pumpkin pie, don’t overlook grocery stores as a source for last-minute gifts. No, we don’t mean handing Grandma a ham, or giving a box of Wagon Wheels to your niece. But there are some non-food items in the aisles that would be welcome presents.
For the sports fans, consider Calgary Flames tickets. December tickets are still available for the lowest price in the city ($34 to $60). For the kids, or young at heart, buy Calaway Park passes. Until Jan. 1, 2018, you’ll save 63 per cent on 2018 season passes ($41.95 + GST each).
For the hostess, put together your own or buy ready- made charcuterie boards. Calgary Co-op has one that matches freshly cut cheese and meats on top of a bamboo chopping board. Another has a selection of fresh cheeses chosen to match your favourite ale. It includes Oka L’Artisan, Jarlsberg, cheddar, Jalapano Jack and Guinness cheddar
For cinema buffs, pick up a Landmark Cinema Movie due pack from Co-op. For $29.99 plus GST, you’ll get two general admission tickets, one large popcorn, two medium fountain drinks and your choice of bagged treat.
Lastly, skiers on your list will be grateful for a day out in the mountains. Until Dec. 31, pay only $99.95 plus GST at Co-op for an RCR Rockies card. Get three free ski days at four resorts — Fernie, Kicking Horse, Kimberley and Nakiska. If Sunshine is your fave hill, head to Safeway and pick up a $99 Sunshine Super Card, which gives you four free days plus savings at five resorts. But act fast. That price is in effect until Dec. 22.
For handymen and women and green thumbs consider a pit stop at Lee Valley Tools. There’s always an interesting selection of gadgets here but at Christmas, there’s an extra assortment of novelties, such as DIY stuffed animal kits from recycled clothing to a notepad that can be wiped clean and reused.
The Stuffed Animal Kit, $29.95, includes everything you need to make a one-of-a-kind stuffed animal. The fabric is sourced from second-hand garments, ensuring no two kits are alike. There a dog kit and another for a penguin; each takes four to six hours to complete by anyone with beginner sewing skills (recommended for ages 8+).
With all the hoopla over the latest Star Wars release, Lee Valley is capitalizing on the fandom with wooden model kits of the Millennium Falcon, the X-Wing and the evil Empire’s TIE fighters. Designed for ages 12 and up, these models, $19.95, are assembled without tools or glue. Each comes with a booklet detailing the spacecraft’s background, design and capabilities, and includes photos, drawings and behind-the-scenes commentary on techniques used to bring it to life on screen. Follow the pictorial instructions to put the lasercut plywood pieces together in less than an hour.
Another idea that’s creating a real buzz these days is beekeeping. Not everyone has the room or the nerve to start up a colony of bees but a solitary pollen bee nest is easy to manage and still contributes much to the environment. Solitary bees are crucial for plant pollination but their numbers are declining due to a lack of suitable nesting sites.
Lee Valley has crafted one that provides a safe place for these non-aggressive bees to lay eggs. The nest, priced at $24.50, has 20 tubes of various sizes to accommodate different species. The space between the tubes is filled with volcanic stone to insulate it against heat and cold, discourage mites and prevent fungus.
If your ideal Christmas is more environmental and less commercial, donating to a charity in someone’s name is a lasting gift. You can adopt wildlife, protect waterways, contribute to development in a foreign country or even conserve land here at home.
The Nature Conservancy of Canada has run its Gifts of Canadian Nature program for 23 years, raising nearly $2.9 million for conservation projects across the country.
“These are great gifts for anyone on your list, especially the nature lover and the outdoor enthusiast. Here is a way for people to ensure that the gifts they give and receive are unique and memorable. People can avoid mall lineups, buy local and help us care for our natural spaces and wildlife,” said John Lounds, NCC president and chief executive.
Purchasers can symbolically adopt a piece of Canada or one of eight species, including Canada lynx, wolf, swift fox, snowy owl, moose, grizzly bear, American badger and bald eagle. The gift recipient will receive a certificate, a 2018 Nature Conservancy of Canada wall calendar and a wildlife booklet on the species “adopted” for them. Gifts start at $40, with tax receipts issued for all purchases.
More information can be found at giftsofnature.ca or by calling toll-free 1-800-465-8005.