‘Tis the season for holiday shopping and local stores in Sidney are charmed with inviting decor and artisan wares on stocked shelves.
With Christmas fast approaching, we spoke with some Sidney business owners on the latest holiday shopping trends and asked them to suggest a few gift ideas they think Santa should slip under the tree.
Homewear
Dinner plates, napkins, fancy olives and throw pillows. These items serve to create a festive, welcoming atmosphere, but homeware is one of the most popular shopping categories for gift-giving.
Paul Chambers, owner of entertaining and homeware store Davidson Chambers, helps people to create an elevated home atmosphere. He said this holiday, people are saving by making their at-home entertaining more mesmerizing.
“With more people choosing to stay in as the prices of going out increase, we are seeing that money being spent on upgrading glassware, barstools, cocktail books and over-the-top bar items (e.g. smoking boxes and cloches).”
One trending item he thinks would make a great gift is a meal bowl. “The idea of using a bowl to hold the entire meal has taken off,” said Chambers. “As people become more comfortable trying and cooking foods from around the world, they have realized that using one bowl is simple, easy and can suit many meals.”
Charcuterie boards are also continuing to grow in popularity, and with that, the question becomes what to put on them. Chambers is stocking up on food items that are not easy to get on Vancouver Island – including items from Europe – so people can entertain with flair.
He is also seeing “amazing results” in his store with non-alcoholic beverages, including a non-alcoholic Gin from England and a sparkling wine from Germany. “Both are hard to believe they are not the real thing. The non-alcoholic beverage business is the fastest growing food segment currently and the product only gets better,” he said.
Kids’ toys
Despite Lauren Powell, manager of Buddies Toys in Sidney, getting asked every year about Christmas toy trends, she said that their company prefers to match a toy to a kid rather than recommending ‘hot’ toys. And she’s seeing parents get behind that idea as many are watching their budgets.
“I’m noticing more of a conscious choice this year. People seem to be choosing very intentionally based on their child rather than popularity and advertisement,” she said.
But, of course, there are some toy trends she’s happy to mention, and some she’s even a little surprised about.
“There’s a real resurgence in traditional train sets. It was a bit of a surprise,” Powell said. Train sets, she adds, involve “investing in toys for kids.”
“It’s an easy one to buy and build over time and it makes the choice easier for parents and grandparents when they’re collecting something.”
On a similar track, toys that involve building, like immersive kits to make a gumball or claw machine, are in. So are toys that highlight the importance of science and technology in kids’ lives while getting them off of screens.
“Toys like LEGO are always popular but this year, MAGNA-TILES has been a huge area of growth for us,” Powell said. “They’re magnetic tiles that connect to each other. They’re translucent so they’re really beautiful to build with.”
READ MORE: Sidney’s museum builds into Christmas with Lego exhibit
There’s also Gravitrax, a marble run builder. It’s gained huge popularity recently through TikTok users like @gravitrax_alidoeri, who build elaborate Gravitrax tracks that include ziplines and trampolines.
With board games, most popular are escape-room-style games where kids work cooperatively together to crack a mystery.
For stocking stuffers, Lava lamps are making a comeback. There’s also slime, Playdoh’s Canadian cousin Tutti Frutti and bath bombs with toys inside of them from Loot Toy Co.
One of Powell’s personal favourites are Needoh’s little squishy stress balls, which are for anyone ages 6+, including those with anxiety or ADHD.
“There’s this one called a ‘Nice Cube’ and it feels so cool and I think it’s going to be the stocking stuffer of the year.”
READ MORE: Thousands light up Sidney during 2019 Sparkles Christmas Parade
Men’s Wear
Anami Vakil, owner-operator of Moden Men’s in Sidney thinks that men and gift-givers who care about fashion need to embrace more roomy bottoms.
“Maybe, just maybe, some guys are willing to give up their skinny jeans? Recently I’ve noticed that the young-dad-ish are comfortable in something a little less paint-on - myself included. Once in the middle of a group of young men posturing in front of another group of young men outside a nightclub, I yelled at one of the opposing team members, ‘Whatever! Boot-cut jeans…’ And was met with roaring laughter from my side as this was, at the time, a magnificent insult. Times change,” he said.
But apart from bottoms, there’s one fashion-forward find he declares should reign on men’s gift lists.
“Setting aside slippers, socks, and scarves for the moment, I think a chunky sweater makes a great gift,” Vakil said. “First, guessing at someone’s pants or shirt size rarely goes well. But a cable knit is less fussy.
“Second, a beautiful pullover is appropriate dinner attire but also makes formidable loungewear. If chopping wood or trapping foxen, simply pair with denim.”
Women’s Wear
At Moden Boutique, owner Devon Bird is seeing customer preferences shaping the options available to them in fashion collections, rather than the fashion industry dictating trends.
“This has become most apparent in the way our winter/holiday collections have been curated, especially this year. Fussy, overly-contrived, festively-forced garments have been modified with more flexible silhouettes, super-soft fabrics, and styles that allow you to celebrate in style without sacrificing comfort. We have elegant velvet pull-on pants, sweaters with a touch of sparkle and shine, and even a sequin bolero that pairs beautifully with your favourite pair of jeans,” she said.
Bird’s favourite thing about the season is watching what her customers choose for their loved ones, and she has some suggestions that she finds inspiring.
“An item that always feels thoughtful and personal is our collection of Monogrammed Jenny Bird necklaces. Whether it is her initial or that of a child or relative, the lettered pendants hold a lot of meaning for a fashionable accessory.”
“I often also love to purchase items that my recipient wouldn’t normally indulge in for themselves. An elegant and ultra-soft pair of pajamas from Eberjey is just the thing I know any lady in my life would love to have but wouldn’t often think to spoil herself with. The contrast pipe detailing and cotton/modal fabrication make these silky soft pajamas as chic as they are comfortable.”
