Holiday Gift-Giving Preview: Get a Head Start on Your Christmas Shopping

Credit: Janet Gyenes

Set a festive holiday table with silver and white dishes and placemats from PC Home

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas, and the countdown to shopping for holiday gifts is on

In the magazine world, where we work several months in advance, it’s felt like Christmas since July. That’s when, on a breezy summer afternoon, I set sail from Granville Island on a Christmas-in-July-themed cruise to get a look-see at some of the items that would be on offer at this year’s One of a Kind Show (December 8 to 11).

One of a Kind Show for Crafty Gift Ideas

This year, you’ll be able to find decadent bon bons from Mint Chocolates, old-school shaving supplies from Victoria’s The Copper Hat and plenty of other carefully crafted art pieces, like these artful cups (below) made by April Gates.

(Image: April Gates)

Almost as soon as Halloween was over, my email in-box has been filled with gift guide ideas, featuring eye-catching baubles, kitchen tools, and even — seriously — a company that you can order bacon from to send to your family and friends.

PC Home Holiday Collection for Affordable Seasonal Decor and Clothing

Yesterday afternoon I popped out of the office to get a sneak peek at the new holiday collection from PC Home. The event was hosted at a stunning condo in the Kayak building at The Village in False Creek, and the sleek and sexy space was staged with ultra-affordable treasures from PC Home.

Cheery wooden nutcracker soldiers lined up in a row on a console table greeted us in the entryway. On the sofa, super-soft felt pillows with snowflake motifs popping against a red backdrop (below) made the impending winter season almost seem welcome.

The dining room table was fully set in shimmering silver and white (above). And other great gift ideas were tucked under the tree.

(Fashionistas take heed: the bedroom’s walk-in closet was filled with the latest clothing from Joe Fresh!)

There are more than a few things that will make it on my Christmas list, like the faux bois pillar candles (in white, please) and the divine felt baskets, ideal for stashing my stacks of magazines. And who could resist the old-fashioned charm of a knit hot water bottle cozy?

East Side Culture Crawl for the Art Lovers in Your Life

Stay tuned for my holiday gift guide, which will feature a range of cool gifts to suit every budget. And until then, head out to the East Side Culture Crawl this weekend (it starts tonight at 5 p.m.) to get a head start on your holiday shopping and support some of B.C. best artists.

My must-sees? Dahlhaus Ceramics (Heather Braun-Dahl’s vases have made their debut in Anthropologie’s local collection) in the Mergatroid Building (875 Vernon Street), Doug Lane’s reclaimed wood furniture (1000 Parker Street) and David Robinson’s compelling sculptures (1000 Parker Street).