Still haven’t crossed everyone off on your Christmas shopping list?
The Langley Advance Times has created a last-minute holiday gift guide to help those struggling to decide what to buy their loved ones, without making it seem like you left your Christmas shopping to the last-minute.
With several businesses open late during this holiday season this locally curated list of last-minute gift ideas will surely suggest you spent thoughtful time on your holiday shopping.
A gift basket featuring local wine, treats for the pet-lover in your life, or tickets to a Vancouver Giants game will all be instant Christmas favourites.
For brew or wine lovers
If there is a person on your Christmas list that comes to mind when the phrase craft beer or craft brewery is mentioned, then you’ll want to visit Five Roads Brewing Co.
“Right now we’re Langley’s newest craft brewery and tasting room so we have a pretty wide selection of crafts that we make in house here, and then the tasting room is a place you can come try all our beers, and then we have the takeaway options as well,” explained Tanner Smith, front-end manager.
The local gathering place offers 11 beers on tap and 10 of those are available in growlers or cans for easy gifting.
“Growler fills are a good one,” said Smith. “They don’t last quite as long, but we do have some canned product.”
A growler fill can cost between $8 and $14, while cans range from $9 to $14.
Gift cards are also available so the beer lover in your life can come back and decide whether they would like to spend the funds on Five Roads merchandise, food or beer.
The brewery is open regular hours leading up to Christmas Day, except on Christmas Eve, where they close at 6 p.m.
Also, local hobby farm owner Teresa Townsley at Festine Lente Estate Winery has great suggestions for last minute holiday gifts at great prices.
“We’ve got a lot of gift baskets available at the moment, and one of our most popular gift baskets is one that contains our specialty coffee wine and we pair it with chocolate, which is a really lovely combination this time of year,” she explained.
Gift baskets range from $45 to $75 in price and can be customized to taste.
The winery has three types of specialty wine available for the Christmas season: a cranberry mead, a cranberry honey wine that’s Townsley describes on the drier side; a pumpkin mead that is slightly off-dry and recommended to be enjoyed in front of a fire; and a Christmas cookie in a glass, a Luna, a spiced mead, which can be enjoyed heated up on its own.
“Right now the Christmas cookie one, the Luna, is flying off the shelf,” she said.
Specialty wins are all $23 a piece.
For those looking to treat themselves the winery is running a holiday promotion.
“If you purchase a bottle of wine for yourself for Christmas dinner we give you a free gift card for a free tasting for four people,” said Townsley.
There is no shortage of gift ideas available at the winery.
“We can do a gift certificate, we also have gift wrapping available, we also have things like coffee cups, [and] artisanal honey,” said Townsley.
The winery is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., but closed on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day.
Ideas for pet parents
Gifting a Christmas present to the pet lover on your shopping list is a sure fire winner.
Owners of The Dog Mother, a local pet store, house a variety of all natural Canadian-made products, including their own brand.
Shayla McAllister-Knudsen, co-owner, makes a “doggie settle down spray” that soothes the family pet if they’re feeling particularly anxious, or there’s a paw protectant.
“With the snow coming up, that salt can be really deadly, so it’s for the dog’s nose and the dog’s paws,” explained Shannon McAllister, co-owner.
The pair also suggest a harness, leash, treats or clothing for pets make good gifts.
“We have neck warmers that are really nice, the crocheted neck warmers and then the knit neck warmers for the dogs,” said McAllister.
If all else fails the mother-daughter duo suggest purchasing a gift card that can go towards grooming services.
The Dog Mother has extended its holiday hours from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday. On Christmas Eve the store will close at 2 p.m.
Let the recipient decide
A grocery store isn’t a place that necessarily comes to mind when thinking of last-minute gift ideas, but it really is a great place to check off multiple people from your shopping list.
Superstore in Langley has several departments to choose from, plus it’s open late.
“We have what they call a gift card mall, so it’s a full selection of all the major retailers… as well as your brick and mortar stores,” said Joe Viana, manager at the Langley store. “We have a great selection of chocolates. We just revamped our cosmetic department so we have a whole bunch of Christmas gift sets.”
The store is also open late during the holidays. From Dec. 14 to 23 the store will be open until midnight, and on Christmas Eve from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“For those people running to a party we have a selection of fruit trays and meat trays,” said Viana. “You can get your wine here, too. We started carrying a wider selection of wines now, not just B.C., but we’re carrying boxed wines and some other top brands.”
Gifting an experience
For those really strapped for time, there’s nothing quicker than going online and purchasing tickets to an event happening at the Langley Event Centre (LEC).
“We have gift certificates available through the box office for Giants games that are redeemable at any Giants home game, which are great gifts that anyone can fit into their schedule,” explained Tyler Dinwoodie, associate director of event services at the events centre.
In the coming month the Giants will be making a push towards playoffs.
“Events during the holidays always do well as people are always looking for something to do with the family,” said Dinwoodie. “The giants return to LEC for their first game after Christmas on Dec. 28, which will be a popular one, and for people looking to fill New Year’s Day with an activity, the Giants play at 2:00pm on Jan 1.”
Tickets can be purchased online at vancouvergiants.com/tickets.
Literacy with local flare
A good book always makes for a great gift.
In the fall, columnist for the Langley Advance Times released his third book Jim McGregor says Hold on to Your Small Town Values.
McGregor was born and raised in Langley and reflects on his childhood through a collection of stories available in his latest work.
“It’s all stories about Langley when Langley was a small town, and growing up in a big family and so a lot of people identify with those things,” McGregor explained. “A lot of people have said it really resonates with their upbringing and brings back memories of their times from their childhood.”
The book is available for $15 through the author himself. He can be reached at nine-1@telus.net.
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