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Perfecting the Art of Conversuasion

holiday gift ideas

The Easy Gift Giving Solution

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Although I don’t like to admit it… from time to time, even I get stressed out by shopping.

(Yes, you are actually on Listen to Lena. No, do not adjust your computer monitor.)

The thing is, I have a certifiable problem – a medical anomaly, in fact – called prezzieselectophobia. It’s the fear of choosing the wrong holiday gift for someone. Sadly, treatment is currently not covered by any drug plans, but I do plan on lobbying the government for support. In the meantime, I employ coping techniques, such as accepting help from others who know a thing or two about holiday gifting.

This year, I’m taking advantage of GIFTS MADE EASY by Shoppers Drug Mart.
LogoShoppers Drug Mart has an abundance of inspiring gift ideas for everyone on your “nice list”, and this holiday season, shopping is even easier with their online gift finder that allows you to filter hundreds of gift ideas by price, categories, or the type of person you are shopping for.

(My inner prezzieselectophobic is at peace.) …

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The Top Three Toys Under My Tree

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Worst kept secret: I LOVE alliteration in my post titles. Hahaha!

Now there are just two more shopping days left until the BIG DAY. You know, that little holiday known as Christmas. And this past weekend, I locked myself in the basement and wrapped up a storm; prezzies for my gorgeous new niece, the boys’ awesome grandparents, and even a surprise or two straight from ol’ St. Nick. With delight, I arranged the gifts under the tree, pausing to coordinate the colorfully wrapped boxes.

Of course, I spent the rest of the evening swatting curious hands away from the presents, doling out reminders to be good boys and wait for Christmas Day. For the most part, the kiddos were on their best behaviour – I only found a few gifts out of place this morning. But a little box shaking here and there never hurt anyone, right?

So, you may be wondering – what’s under MY tree? As a Canadian mom, with free will and the means to choose her favourite gifts, what did I wrap up last night? Presenting (pun intended)…. The Top Three Toys Under My Tree.

1. Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Crawl Around Car

For my sweet little niece, of course, and perfectly age appropriate from 6-36 months. The Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Crawl Around Car puts baby in the driver seat of a fun-filled stationary vehicle with all-around learning and play. The interactive lights and sounds dashboard keeps baby busy with a light-up baby “GPS”, horn to honk, gears to shift, and more. With over 75 songs, tunes and phrases, and three modes of play, there’s plenty of fuel for learning adventures and fun!

The stationary car encourages baby to sit up, crawl, pull up, stand and move all around for play inside and out. Includes a built-in ramp for ball play (3 balls), shapes and colors sorting door (3 shape blocks) , and introduces baby to letters, numbers, colors, first words, greetings and more. The Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Crawl Around Car is rated one of the Top Toys of 2013!

2. LeapPad Ultra

For my curious little pre-schooler. It’s got the graphics, the camera, and the looks, just like my own wireless device. But LeapPad Ultra is a kid-tough tablet. Built from the inside out just for kids, it has child-friendly controls, an ultra-tough frame and a screen designed for a kid’s light touch. Plus, LeapPad Ultra is the only child tablet with LeapSearch powered by Zui—a secure browser that lets kids explore the content they love. Everything on LeapSearch has been handpicked by a team of learning experts, with parental settings for easy fine-tuning. And, the LeapPad Ultra learning tablet comes packed with 11 apps and tons of fun features, designed by educators just for kids. Little ones can write, draw, snap photos and even make videos. With so many ways to create and explore, LeapPad Ultra is the ultimate kids’ tablet to inspire a love of learning.

3. Nintendo 3DS XL

For my enthusiastic gamer who’s at the perfect age to perfect his coordination. The Nintendo 3DS XL system opens up a whole new world of eye-popping gameplay possibilities. The stereoscopic 3D display of the upper screen gives objects within the game world a feeling of space and depth that extends far into the back of the screen. It becomes easier to see the position of characters and obstacles in the world, making many game experiences even more intuitive for all types of players. Achieve total immersion with a 90% bigger screen than the Nintendo 3DS; I’ve taken a peek, and it’s spectacular.

And the hottest game? Mario Party: Island Tour of course. Gather your friends and family—up to four people can join Mario on the Party Islands: a wonderland of 80 all-new minigames, 7 new boards, Streetpass minigames, and more. Packed with content and unique ways to play on the 3DS and 2DS, this island tour will seem brand new every time you play.

Well folks – those are the top three toys under my tree. Consider it my official endorsement!  

Countdown to Christmas: Great Gifts On-the-Go

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Here we are, in the last full shopping week before the Christmas holiday. In the past, I’d be making a list and checking it twice – in a panic – right about now. However, over the years, I’ve learned that it’s possible to find amazing gifts in unconventional places! So, if you find yourself out and about this week, I’d love for you to consider the following gifting ideas –

The Airport

Know someone who’s flying in? Taking a flight home for the holidays? Don’t forget to take advantage of last-minute gifts, special edition items and duty-free alcohol. For example, did you know that Toronto Pearson has something for everyone right at the airport? Whether you’re shopping for the beauty buff, the gadget geek, the hostess or you simply forgot a last-minute stocking stuffer for a special little one, Toronto Pearson has tons in store this holiday season.

My Picks: Delicious holiday themed caramel apples are available at Toronto Pearson’s Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in Terminal 1; Chivas Brother’s Blend Scotch and Johnny Walker Explorers Club Collection Spice Road are new and exclusive to travel retail at Nuance Tax and Duty Free locations; and The Hudson’s Bay Company Trading Post in Terminal 1 has cheerful knitted and wooden holiday friends ideal for last minute stocking stuffers and gifts. Stop in and pick up Echo the Bunny for $40 CAD or the HBC Nutcracker for $25 CAD.

The Grocery Store

The very first time I had a Bauli Canada croissant, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. Soft, sweet and as fresh as a Parisian Patisserie (okay, not *quite* the same, but darned close), it was absolutely love at first bite. Available in delectable chocolate cream, custard cream, cherry and apricot jam, you’ll want to have one in your desk drawer at 3:00pm.

This Christmas, share a sweet gift – classic Bauli Panettone. The sweet richness of Panettone can be enjoyed many ways: either made up into a fancy recipe (LOVE this Panettone Bread Pudding) or paired with a simple glass of fresh milk. They’re perfect for having on hand as “emergency” gifts – and if you don’t end up giving one away, you get to enjoy it yourself! Sounds like a festive win-win to me!

The Office Supplies Store

Shopping online at Staples Canada for a few office essentials? Grab RealCup Brown Gold 100% Coffees Variety Pack, RealCup Martinson Coffees Variety Pack or RealCup Higgins & Burke Teas Variety Pack for a hot beverage-lover on your holiday list. Why RealCup?…

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Give the Gift of Good Food

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With just two shopping days left until Christmas, chances are you’ve got most of your friends and family crossed off your holiday shopping lists. However, a select few of you may be scratching your head trying to come up with a gift for neighbours, your boss – or family and friends that you’ll drop in on over the holidays. And so I’m here to say worry not; when all else fails, give the gift of good food.

Need some inspiration? The following gift ideas are readily available, and won’t break the bank either!

1. Metro Irresistibles – I had the sweet opportunity to try Metro Irresistibles for the first time this holiday season, and I daresay I was impressed with the products I sampled. I’m normally not a fan of fruitcake (who is, right?) but O-M-G I can’t believe I finished every crumb of Metro’s macerated fruit loaf. Covered in candied pecans, it’s to die for. I sent along a few small pieces with my mom, and she told me the next day that my dad and her fought over the last slice. Yum!

Based on the success of the fruitcake, I picked up Irresistibles Chocolate Cream Fudge to add to our dessert spread, and also for friends/family who pop by during the holidays. The next time you’re at Metro, take a look at their lineup of Irresistibles – I’m sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

2. Shop Home Grown – For my friends in Ontario, consider this: the average Ontario shopper intends to spend almost $700 on holiday gifting this year.  If just $70 (or 10%) of this was spent on edible gifts crafted from Ontario artisan producers, the economic impact would equate to $500 million extra dollars in our Ontario food system, supporting up to 10,000 food sector jobs. The moral of the story: pick up some delicious home grown bites for those special people in your life.

Suggestions: Bringing a bottle of wine to your festive gatherings? Try Southbrook Vineyards, from Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON. Named Winery of the Year at InterVin (a wine competition), Southbrook Vineyards is also the maker of Bioflavia (seen on Dragon’s Den), the grape skin powder with incredible health properties that can be used for cooking or on its own.

Don’t have time to venture out to find the perfect locally-grown gift? Help a friend buy local all year round with Chef Lynn Ogryzlo’s book The Ontario Table. In it, you’ll find:

– 320 full-colour pages plus 109 recipes, each with stories of growers and regions
– Pictures of dishes and agricultural landscapes; Ontario wine pairings with recipes
– An Ontario pantry so consumers can identify local food products
– Over 90 culinary websites helping consumers find local food
– $10 a week message; the Billion Dollar Impact and why we should buy local

This holiday season, give the gift of good food. It’s the perfect way to a person’s heart… and tummy!