Crowd-pleasing Canadiana

Canada is having a moment. In 2017, our country marks its 150th birthday and we’re throwing a coast-to-coastto-coast party to celebrate. Meanwhile, publications ranging from The Economist and the Guardian to Lonely Planet are raving about everything from our worlddominating musicians to our spectacular scenery. Even our whisky has been named best in the world. So this holiday season, why not give a homegrown gift that celebrates the True North, strong and free?

Bring our traditional wildlife in from the cold with a stylish black-and-white moose photo pillow cover, $39.50 (cushion insert sold separately), from Indigo. The store is going full-on Canadiana this season, with plenty of festive plaids, faux furs and regional scented candles, too. indigo.ca

Keep warm with madein-Canada sippers such as Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye ($35 to $40), named 2016’s best whisky in the world, or the spicy-sweet maple-flavoured whisky liqueur Sortilege ($28 to $35). Available at local liquor stores. love their adorable red moccasins with a Maple Leaf detail, $61.96. Available through Etsy, etsy.com. SUBHED: Canada by design

A piece from any of Canada’s internationally renowned fashion designers — such as Erdem, Smythe, Pink Tartan, Jason Matlo, Paul Hardy or Canada Goose — would be a stylish gift indeed. Or go full-on hoser chic with the rugged appeal of a classic Roots knitted pom-pom toque, $38, and matching scarf, $68. roots.com

Assemble a nationwide array of cheeses — say, awardwinning Celtic Blue Reserve from Lancaster, Ont., luscious Riopelle triple cream brie from Quebec and tangy Farm House clothbound cheddar from B.C. — and arrange them on a Maple Leaf-shaped wooden cutting/serving board made by Love My Local, $90.87. Available through Etsy, etsy.com

Throughout 2017, entry will be free to all of Canada’s national parks, so make sure your favourite adventurer is geared up to go. Pick up a high-quality backpack from Vancouver’s Herschel Supply, $39.99 to $109.99, shop. herschelsupply.ca. Then fill it with essential gear such as a flashlight, first aid kit, water bottle and multi-tool, all available at Mountain Equipment Co-op, mec.ca.

Share Canada’s stories by popping some CanLit under the tree, starting with these great 2016 releases: The Man Booker-nominated, Giller-winning Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien; Margaret Atwood’s Hag-Seed; Louise Penny’s latest Chief Inspector Gamache novel, A Great Reckoning; Wenjack by Joseph Boyden; By Gaslight by Steven Price; The Wonder by Emma Donoghue; The Hidden Keys by Andre Alexis; Testimony by Robbie Robertson; and, of course, Canada, by funnyman Mike Myers.

Canadian diamonds are among the purest to be found on Earth. They are not only beautiful, they are responsibly mined without the environmental and human rights concerns that cling to stones from some other parts of the world. So if you’re thinking of giving a special someone a very special something this holiday season, remember that nothing sparkles quite like a Canadian diamond. One lovely option: a ring from the Birks Amorique collection. Starting at $2,495. maisonbirks. com