I’m back with another holiday gift guide. This year it felt extra important to showcase some small businesses. All of these businesses are located within a few hours of my place and are gifts that I’d love to receive and would be so proud to gift. Luckily for me, I get to enjoy these gifts and share them with the ones I love.
As a small business owner myself, I know exactly what it feels like when you make a sale. Your business is putting groceries on the table for a family, your business helps a hardworking owner hire staff and ultimately your business is creating the potential for someone else to contribute to the growth of your community. By keeping your money local, you’re allowing a community to grow and to thrive creating more opportunity and a better place to live. We’re super lucky to live in such a vibrant community full of small businesses and I am really excited to share just a fraction of these businesses with you! Let’s have a look!
LOFTY BUTTER COMPANY
Marie and Chad are killing it! I love that they are using simple yet high-quality ingredients to churn small-batch cultured butter in Northumberland County. It’s a business they had intended for mostly farmer’s markets but quickly made the change because of COVID-19 to offer online sales. Every two weeks they have a new batch and they are selling out!
The butter has a unique flavour profile but isn’t something to worry about! It has a quality tang and silky smooth taste. Think butter, but more buttery and elevated. We were lucky enough to try both their sea salt and everything bagel butters. It looks like Marie and Chad are always experimenting – check out what they have going on for the holidays! We also had their buttermilk (used it while making fried chicken!) and their crème fraîche. Plus, they’re working on opening Lofty Kitchen in the historic town of Colborne, Ontario.
LAVENDER GRACE HEAT BAGS
You know those bags or sacks that you can heat up or freeze to help with a sore tummy, muscle soreness, cramps or just to cool down or keep warm and cozy? Shonagh is a Courtice, Ontario based business owner and creator of Lavender Grace Heat Bags. The bags are filled with flax seeds tossed in organic lavender oil and are hand made out of 100% cotton.
Lavender Grace Heat Bags are easy to use. Pop it in the microwave to heat it up. I do about 2.5 minutes. Remember your microwave and tolerance for heat will vary. You can pop it in the freezer if you wish to make it cold. While these are great for kids and babies, be careful and don’t leave them unattended with one!
THE NORTHERN LITES COMPANY
Candles are enjoyed by so many of us. They bring warmth, comfort, relaxation and a variety of scents to our space. Teri is a Bowmanville, Ontario based business owner. She pours her soy candles in small batches to ensure the highest standard of quality and care. She uses reusable jars with handmade decorative lids and a wax seal. All of her candles are phthalate and paraben free. Teri also sells wax melts, linen/room sprays and label customization for your business or event.
HAPPY POPS
Leila in Toronto, Ontario started her business after finishing up a Kin degree at UofT. Her delicious, all natural frozen treats made with organic cane sugar have been featured on Dragons Den. They are dairy free and handcrafted in Toronto. Happy Pops are treats that appeal to Canada’s diverse tastes. They have flavours like pineapple coconut (heeeeellllo!) mango, lychee, blueberry, strawberry, passion fruit, chocolate (made with oat milk!) and so many more!
ELVY SOAP CO.
How cute! Kathryn from Bowmanville, Ontario owns Elvy Soap Co. It all started because she was dealing with the constant itch of eczema. She was interested in natural products and the old school benefits they have. After focusing on carrier oils and essential oils that help with eczema and testing ingredients, she found a soap great for dry, itchy, sensitive skin. Her soaps also help to moisturize and leave skin feeling smooth and clean.
The branding is so cute and I love how fun each label is. Her soaps are cold-pressed and handmade with biodegradable ingredients. They are palm oil free and vegan. There are no fragrance oils used, yet they smell lovely. We got to smell the arctic boost bar, the spiced solstice and the sasquatch bar which is good for use as a soap, for shaving and as a shampoo! The arctic boost bar is great for those with itchy skin or for after a work out because of the peppermint!
UNFILTERED ESSENTIALS
Leah & Lindsey are Durham Region business owners that sell natural lotion bars, CBD lotion bars and all-natural deodorants. Their branding has always caught my attention because it’s unique and they’re using it! You might be wondering wtf is a lotion bar? A lotion bar is lotion… as a bar. It’s that simple! You don’t need water either, the warmth from your hands is enough.
Lotion bars are a no-mess solution and are environmentally friendly. Their lotion bars come in their own metal tins which makes them great to travel with. They are smell great, last and aren’t greasy.
SPLENDID GREETINGS
I love Anna’s cards! I have supported her business in the past and was super excited to see her holiday cards. I posted on my IG about the cute cactus greeting card “Hope your birthday is on point” and the fun mother’s day “You’re not like a regular mom you’re a cool mom” card. Such a hit!
Anna is a Courtice, Ontario based business owner and creates fun handmade greeting cards and stationery. She started the company on the side, while she was on mat leave with her little first little guy. Of course, people around her saw her work and pushed her to start a Facebook page and from there, it turned into a full blown business! Be sure to check her out for custom stationery needs!
Want more ideas? Check out my 2019 Gift Guide.
