Christmas Prezzies

[mallt]

As many of you know, I'm going to the UK for Christmas this year & will be spending it with various members of my family... some I saw last in 2004, some in 1998, & some never.
I would like to buy them something Canadian, something they can't get in the UK... this plan will hopefully increase it's novelty value to the recipient & have the added bonus that I'll be buying in Canadian $$ with 5% GST rather than UK prices with 20% VAT.
This said, it means that the gifties need to be relatively small, light & easily portable, read: non breakable!

I have considered:
Maple syrup/maple syrup candies/chocolates.
Roots Canadian hats/toques, scarves, hoodies, etc.
Smoked salmon - the real BC stuff not the thinly sliced stuff you can buy anywhere.
Limitations to clothing - I don't know anyone’s sizes so we'd be looking at "one size" or "general" items.
No sweet stuff for one of my grandmothers as she has diabetes.

Ok so who do I have to buy for?
2 x grandmothers
3 x uncles
1 x aunt
EDIT
1 x female cousin (13 - turns 14 early next year)
1 male cousin (11, he is the one of the ones I've not met)
1 x uncle's g/f (who is the other one I've not met)

So... suggestions? It doesn't have to be only available in Calgary, I should have time to buy on the interwebs & have it shipped here before I leave.

Comments

[manyra.livejournal.com]

Any books on Canadian History or by Canadian authors. For the female cousin, we have a great series called Dear Canada.

[mallt.livejournal.com]

Great idea... I'll look up the Dear Canada books.
Do you know of any books about Canadian landscape art? One of the uncles is into painting, mainly landscapes.

[manyra.livejournal.com]

I don't offhand but the Glenbow has a good collection of them.

[wendy-licious.livejournal.com]

There's probably some good ones out there on the Group of Seven.

[mallt.livejournal.com]

Group of Seven... check.

[jamesq]

Double-check UK customs before attempting to bring in foodstuffs. Maple syrup is almost certainly OK. Smoked Salmon or Montreal Smoke Meat might be iffy.

Also, learning how to make smoked meat sandwiches will make you very popular, both here and there.

[mallt.livejournal.com]

I don't think the UK is as strict as Canada is about foodstuffs but I'll check.

[oblivions.livejournal.com]

To be completely impolitic, something made of seal skin? A damn good grain/grass fed steak?

Inuit/west coast native art?

[mallt.livejournal.com]

lmao... I think the one aunt & uncle would be ok getting something made from fur (they've been known to go hunting) but the general feel in Europe is so anti-fur I'm not sure they'd want to try wearing it in public!

I wish I could take fresh meat... there's so little good steak in the UK.

The art is a good suggestion tho... I shall do some Googling.

[wendy-licious.livejournal.com]

Saskatoon berry stuff (syrup, chocolates, jam). Om nom nom.

[wendy-licious.livejournal.com]

A stuffed moose with a mountie outfit for the 12 year old.
Team Canada hockey jersey.

[ethnowoman.livejournal.com]

Ice wine chocolates! Barring the real thing, the (fragile) ice wine itself.

[mallt.livejournal.com]

Mmmm... ice wine... ice wine tea is my current favourite!

[ethnowoman.livejournal.com]

For Canadian authors, how about Stuart Maclean? Also there is a book by (I think) Will Ferguson called "How To Be a Canadian" which isn't really "how to", it's more like a humourous anthropology lecture. I have it, it's hilarious. Breaks down Canadian customs by regions.

Also, how about some nice Native artwork? You know, the kind with seals and swoops and flying birds? Or some little seals or inukshuks carved out of indigenous rock like jasper?

[jopickles.livejournal.com]

"olympic mittens" (which are still available at Zellers.

A copy of Anne of Green Gables for the 12 year old girl?

Cowichan knits? (sweaters might be too bulky, but toques maybe?)

A Tim Horton's travel mug for everyone - they're cheap, and SCREAM Canada.

[mallt.livejournal.com]

I wonder if british cars have cup-holders yet... hmmm...

[jopickles.livejournal.com]

hahahahaha! If not, you can get those 'attach to the heat vent' cup holders like I had for my old Tercel!

[jopickles.livejournal.com]

like this: http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/4/Auto/VehicleAccessories/InteriorCarGadgets/PRD~0371304P/Car+Drink+Holder.jsp?locale=en

or this: http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/4/Auto/VehicleAccessories/InteriorCarGadgets/PRDOVR~0375353P/Faux+Leather+Drink+Holder.jsp?locale=en

[mallt.livejournal.com]

lol... well there you go!