Vegan Winter Market
Dec 17
Ethical (and edible) gift-giving for the plant-based people in your life can be a challenge, but a good place to start is the Vegan Winter Market happening at Lithuanian House. Vendors here get the thumbs-up for their animal-friendly, plant-based offerings and you can also pick up vegan-approved appetizers for your holiday spreads such as nut-based, dairy-free cheeses from Fauxmagerie Zengarry. Bites and beverages from Tori’s Bakeshop and Firebat Coffee will help keep you fuelled while you shop.
Fauxmagerie Zengarry
Now in its 11th year, City of Craft brings together over 60 of Toronto’s finest makers at the Theatre Centre on Queen West. Food-focused gifts include stylish unisex aprons from Dahl’s, which are handmade in Montreal, and gourmet confectionery from Hamilton’s Sweet & Simple Co. To help ease your holiday stresses, the Theatre Centre Café will be serving up cocktails as well as their house-made baked goods throughout the weekend.
Becca Gilgan
If there’s one place to hit for your food-centric gifting, this is it. Edible goods, whether for assembling custom gift baskets or to serve at your own festivities, are aplenty at this event at the Toronto Botanical Garden. Damien’s Hot Sauces, False Ox Botanical Shrubs and Niagara Jam Co. are just some of the vendors participating. You’ll also find products to kit out the kitchens of your friends and loved ones such as handmade cutting boards from Whitby-based Featherboard Designs. Workshops on the use of bitters in cocktails and knife skills for fish prep elevates your food and beverage knowledge along the way.
The east end's favourite flea and farmers' markets have joined forces for the first-ever Leslieville Holiday Market held at Rorschach Brewing Co. Not only a place to pick up food-centric gifts, such as preserves from Spade and Spoon, there’ll be plenty of festive activities to keep spirits bright such as a 350-litre pot of hot cider and a visit from the jolly old man himself. Local farmers and growers will also have their fresh local produce for sale to make grocery shopping for holiday feasts a little easier.
Etsy is the online mecca for crafty gifts. Their annual Christmas Market, held this year at St. Stephens-in-the-field Church in Kensington Market, makes it easy for traditionalists that prefer to touch and feel their wares to shop the city’s favourite Etsy makers in one spot (and save on shipping too). Handmade ceramics such as mugs, bowls and dishes from Curious Bird are a fitting addition to the kitchens of loved ones while glass art-like confectionery from Sweet Artisan Candies make for a nice host or hostess gift. Get to the market early and snag one of 50 swag bags filled with goodies including fresh-baked cookies from Flying Narwhal Baked Goods.
Flying Narwhal Baked Goods
Makeology Craft Fair
Dec 17
Artscape Wychwood Barns hosts plenty of holiday markets throughout the season, but one of our favourites is the Makeology Craft Fair, from the crafting community of the same name. Its thoughtful list of vendors includes reusable beeswax food wrap from Sweet Green Studios and handcrafted wooden bowls from Debra Braun, along with over 60 artisans exhibiting their wares. If you need more incentive to shop, proof of three or more purchases at the market gets you entered into a draw to win a raffle basket.
Artscape Wychwood Barns
