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Holiday Gift Guide 2012: 15 Fitting Ideas for Your Christmas Gift Exchange

Thoughtful ideas for foodies, fashionable friends, urban dwellers, gadget gatherers, and all-year gardeners

By Catherine Dunwoody /

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Buying gifts for friends, techie types and fashion fans is easy! All you have to do is wrap and relax

Have some hard-to-buy-for people on your list? Don’t we all. Not to label your loved ones, but the key is to zero in on their tastes and consider their “type.” Here are five categories they may fall into and some perfect gift ideas for each. ’Tis the season for giving and great gifting . . .



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For the Foodies – Taste #5 Umami Paste

Foodies know that umami is the Japanese term used to describe the fifth taste distinct from sweet, salty, sour and bitter. President’s Choice Black Label Taste #5 Umami Paste is a concentrated blend of tomato, garlic and anchovy. $4.99; Real Canadian Superstore



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For the Foodies – Cheddar Wheel

The Farm House Natural Cheeses’ cheddar wheel is waxed and doesn’t need refrigeration. Great for long-distance sending. $20



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For the Foodies – Summerhill Wines

Summerhill donates $1 per bottle sold of its new ALIVE certified organic wines to the David Suzuki Foundation. Red $24.95, white $19.95; BC Liquor Stores



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For the Stylish Girl – Bluebell Soaps

Boxed, triple-milled soaps from historic British perfumer Penhaligon in its classic Bluebell scent are still modern and coveted. $45; Beauty Bar



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For the Stylish Girl – Paper Dolls

Fashionistas will still play dolls with this retro Christian Dior paper doll set. $14; Holt Renfrew



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For the Stylish Girl – Houndstooth Candleholder

This candleholder in a houndstooth print flips over. One side holds small tealights and the other side is for larger candles. $3.99; IKEA



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For the Urban Dwellers – Vermeil Candles

The silvery Vermeil candle and fragrance collection from Voluspa creates an instant holiday ambience. $27; The Cross Decor & Design



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For the Urban Dwellers – Urban Cultivator

The Urban Cultivator grows herbs and greens at home year-round. The decadent contraption slides under the kitchen countertop and hooks up like a dishwasher. $2,200; Urban Cultivator



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For the Urban Dwellers – Doggie Treat Canister

Jonathan Adler’s doggie treat canister is good for a chuckle and stylish enough to be left on the counter. $149; Holt Renfrew



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For the Gadget Gatherer – Dual Device Headset

The Curve Headset from CB2 holds a smartphone and a tablet upright and together on a weighted base. Calls can switch between the two devices and the handset can be attached directly to the phone for mobility. $59.95; CB2



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For the Gadget Gatherer – Babycam Monitor

The Yada Tiny Traveler Babycam Monitor allows you to keep an eye on your baby-on-board without turning around to the back seat. $169; Canadian Tire



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For the Gadget Gatherer – Outdoor Helmet Camcorder

The GoPro HD HERO2 Outdoor Helmet Camcorder can be mounted to your gear. Shoot your live-to-tell sporty experiences in HD. This device has an LCD interface, a mini-HDMI port, live-streaming capability and pro low-light performance. $349; Best Buy



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For the 365-day Gardener – Birdhouse

A farmhouse birdhouse makes for a pretty addition to any garden or patio. $33; The Natural Gardener



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For the 365-day Gardener – Hand Care

Crabtree & Evelyn’s Gardeners Hand Care tin contains all kinds of hand care treats to make a green thumb even greener. $35; Crabtree & Evelyn



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For the 365-day Gardener – Watering Can

This high-end British watering can by Haws is perfectly balanced to make watering a breeze. Non-fading, in loads of fab colours and with a brass rosette. $29.99 for six-litre can as shown; Art Knapp Plantland


Originally published in BC Home & Garden magazine. For regular updates, subscribe to our free Home and Garden e-newsletters, or purchase a subscription to the magazine.