Savvy holidays gift giving

A breakdown of places to score unique presents

By Power up with Steph Power

The holidays almost here and for most of us, our loans are on their last legs. The last work pay cheque before the break covers rent, utilities, food, and not much more. ’Tis the season for savvy gift giving. There are many ways to give a great and thoughtful gift without breaking the bank (or letting your account balance go into the negative). There are many places in St. John’s and in the online world that can help you find the right gift for everyone, while saving a few bucks. Posie Row on Duckworth Street has an assortment of local treasures and some great deals. Shopping for a lady? They have local jewelry. Other places that you can find awesome local items are Twisted Sisters, Johnny Ruth, and the Newfoundland Weavery. Although these places have a lot of high-end items, you can find gifts for under $25. Not to mention, supporting local businesses is always a great idea. For those in your life who need their caffeine fix, you’ll find that many places will put together gift packs with coffee or tea, a mug, and tasty treats. Think about buying Fair Trade – not only will you be giving a gift to someone, but you’ll also be ensuring the farmer who grew the product got fair wages. Another wonderful way to figure out the holiday gifting dilemma is to turn to the Internet. Although some may shy away from online shopping, there are many places on the web where you can find creative, thoughtful, and really cool gifts. One of my favourite places is www.etsy.com – a place where people set up online shops. There are heaps of vintage treasures, hand made and eco items, and lots of different customizable products. You can shop for friends, family, and maybe even score something sweet for yourself. Getting into my favourite category, another great Internet site for scoring sweet vintage and used goods is Kijiji. This ever-growing online marketplace often has many a fantastic deal. If you’re thinking of surprising a special someone with a kitten or puppy, this is the place to check out. Also, people are regularly selling items like TVs and game systems because they liked another model better or got it as a gift. Finally, going back to vintage, places such as Model Citizens, Sandy’s Quality Used Clothing (Kelligrews), Value Village, and Previously Loved Clothes and Things can have amazing finds. That is, if you have the patience and time to go browsing. It may seem daunting, but when you find that brand new Banana Republic dress shirt with the tags still on it for your boyfriend or the 100 per cent silk dress that fits like a glove for you, your search will have more than paid off. The most important part of the holidays is not surprising someone with an incredible expensive something – it is finding a thoughtful gift. Money is not always the answer to savvy gift giving. Whether bought new, used, or homemade, gifts from the heart are always the best ones.

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