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.

[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.

[oblivions.livejournal.com]

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

Inuit/west coast native art?

[wendy-licious.livejournal.com]

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

[ethnowoman.livejournal.com]

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

[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.