Christmas Gifts That Give Back: A Canadian Holiday Gift Guide
The holiday season is an important time to give back to others. While gift giving is a traditional part of the holiday season, there are some easy ways to incorporate giving back into your holiday shopping. From supporting Indigenous arts in remote communities, to coffee with a cause, there are many ways to shop in a socially conscious way this holiday season.
Art for Aid Project
Supporting art in Canadian Indigenous communities
The Art for Aid Project is an initiative that supports Indigenous art while giving back to First Nations, Inuit and Métis art education programs in Canada. Métis artist Colleen Gray from Smiths Falls, ON has been selling her beautiful and unique art since 2013, and uses the proceeds to ship art supplies to Indigenous schools across Canada. Colleen believes strongly in the power of art to help heal, and as a way to bring light to the isolation Indigenous youth face in remote communities across the country. Colleen received the Governor General of Canada Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteering in 2019, and receives no salary from the proceeds of the Art for Aid Project.
Great gift ideas from the Art for Aid collection include Colleen's stunning original art prints, beautifully decorated note cards, bookmarks, and even masks. Land acknowledgment plaques (customizable to specific territories) and gift cards are also available for purchase.
Fun gift idea: Opt for one of the beautiful note cards as an alternative to a traditional Christmas card.
How to buy and donate: To purchase Art for Aid art, or do donate visit https://www.artforaid.ca
Location: Smiths Falls, ON
High Jinx
Second-hand store and community space
High Jinx's mission is simple: neighbours helping neighbours. The downtown Ottawa second-hand store is owned by Leigh Reid and Karen Nielsen, friends who worked together in the social services sector over a decade ago. Frustrated with the social services system, the duo opened High Jinx as a way to help people in the community without restrictions. The shop and community space are open to anyone regardless of their financial status, age, gender, race or religion - a simple concept but a beautiful one.
If you're looking for a gift for someone who loves antiques or unique collectables, then High Jinx is your spot. The store is packed with cool finds from vintage furniture and jewelry, to housewares and one-of-a-kind trinkets. Proceeds from the shop help to provide fresh food, canned goods, bus fare, and to support to those in the community needing assistance.
Fun gift Idea: Putting together a holiday gift basket? Pick up a crate, basket, antique tin or wooden drawer and use it as a creative way to package your holiday gifts. There is also a wide selection of antique vases and bottles. Pair them with some fresh evergreen branches or a colourful bouquet for the perfect vintage holiday centerpiece.
How to buy and donate: Visit the High Jinx antique store at 290 Kent St, Ottawa. To donate visit https://www.highjinxottawa.com or drop off food items and clothing directly in store.
Location: Ottawa, ON
Birch Bark Coffee Company
Helping bring clean drinking water to Indigenous communities
Roasting up delicious coffee since 2018, Birch Bark Cofffee Co. is an Ontario-based coffee company brewing up delicious coffee and social change.
Established by owner Mark Marsolais-Nahwegahbow, an Ojibwe and a band member of Whitefish River First Nation, Birch Bark Coffee Co. is an innovative Indigenous small business whose goal is to bring clean drinking water to First Nations communities across Canada. For every 100 bags of coffee sold in store, and every 50 bags sold on their online store, Birch Bark Coffee provides one home with a certified water purification unit purchased and installed for free.
Birch Bark Coffee’s blend each have a name symbolic of important elements and symbols of Indigenous culture, including the Summer Solstice dark roast, Coureurs des Bois medium roast and Dream Catcher decaf. Their coffee blends are all organic, fair trade, and SPP certified, are available online for shipping across Canada, and available in stores, cafés and shops across Canada.
Fun gift Idea: Put together a coffee basket for the caffeine lover on your list with bags of Birch Bark Coffee and a handy pour over carafe (also available in their online store)
How to buy: Coffee can be purchased online and is available in stores and cafés across Canada
Location: Available across Canada
Maker House
Supporting Canadian artisans and local charities
The place to go in Ottawa for creative artisan gifts, Maker House in Ottawa’s Wellington West neighbourhood is also creating change in the community. Focusing on unique Canadian-made and local products, Maker House donates 2% of all sales to a community non-profit and since 2015 has donated over $300,000 to over 33 local non-profit organizations.
Cool items to check out at Maker House include hand-made leather, wooden and ceramic coasters, unique jewelry, beeswax candles in fun shapes and festive shapes, hand-blown glass tumblers, and scrunchies from Indigenous-owned Kokum Scrunchies. For foodies they also carry a wide variety of local foods including Artery Community Roasters coffee (roasted and packaged by those living with disabilities), Hummingbird Chocolate, cordials from Split Tree Cocktail Company and more.
Fun gift Idea: Maker House has something for everyone, so you’ll have no trouble finding great gifts. For a quick gift, try their curated gift boxes, including their Gourmet Boxes, Bath and Body Boxes and their amazing Give Back box.
How to buy: Visit the store at 987 Wellington Street West, Ottawa, or buy online
Location: Ottawa, ON
Cheekbone Beauty
Beauty line supporting Indigenous youth scholarships
One of the first Canadian Indigenous-owned and founded cosmetics companies, Cheekbone beauty is changing the face of the industry. With vegan, sustainable, high-performance makeup and beauty products, this popular beauty brand is also giving back to its Indigenous roots.
Cheekbone supports many organizations dedicated to helping Indigenous communities, and in 2021 launched their Beauty Scholarship Fund Program. Each year the company produces limited-edition “For Future Generations” products where 100% of all proceeds are used to fund Indigenous youth scholarships. They also support the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society of Canada with 10% of profits from sales going to this important organization.
Fun gift idea: Put together the ultimate beauty gift with ”For Future Generations” products, along with one of their complete beauty bundles, lip kits or cheekbone palettes
How to buy: Items can be purchased online, or at stores throughout Canada and the U.S.A.
Location: St Catharines, ON
Spread the Joy
Hand-made products providing opportunity and dignity
If you're looking for stocking stuffers that give back, then include Spread the Joy on your holiday shopping list. Spread the Joy is an initiative coordinated by the Innovative Community Support Services (ICSS) in Ottawa. ICSS provides people in the community with developmental disabilities employment opportunities through the Spread the Joy program. The program allows participants to interact with the public, be creative, contribute to society and ultimately, feel fulfilled. All sales from Spread the Joy are invested directly back into the program.
Some of the great products available for purchase from Spread the Joy are homemade jams, salsas, jarred pickles and beets, as well as wooden coasters, bath and spa products and even homemade pillows.
Fun gift idea: Pamper someone with a fun basket filled with local jams and preserves, a cheerful pillow and some relaxing bath products.
How to buy: Items can be purchased at the two the Spread the Joy locations, 108 Mill St, Russel, ON and at 2025 Lanthier Dr, Orleans ON. Orders can be placed by emailing millstreet@icss.ca. The full 2025 catalogue can be viewed here.
Location: Russel, ON
The Donkey Sanctuary of Canada
Provide a home for the holidays
The Donkey Sanctuary of Canada, located just outside Guelph, ON, is a refuge for donkeys and mules who have been neglected, abused or can no longer be cared for by their owners. Established in 1992, the Sanctuary is one of only two accredited animal sanctuaries in Canada, and the only accredited equine sanctuary in the country.
A great gift for an animal lover is to sponsor a donkey or mule from the Sanctuary. Each sponsorship (starting at $75) helps contribute to the care of a sponsored animal for an entire year, including feed, vet care and bedding. Sponsors receive a sponsorship package including a photo of their adopted animal, a sponsorship certificate and detailed information on the animal, including an annual report on their well-being.
Another great idea to help support the Donkey Sanctuary of Canada is to purchase products from the Long Ears Boutique. Some fun donkey-themed gifts include stuffed animals, baby rattles, puppets, donkey cookie cutters, kitchen aprons, donkey imprinted wooden coasters and a variety of clothing and books. For holiday-inspired gifts, don't miss donkey Christmas cards, gift tags, and donkey-themed tree decor including beautiful blown glass Christmas ornaments.
Fun gift idea: Sponsor a donkey for a loved one and create a unique gift with their sponsorship package, a donkey canvas tote bag and items from the Long Ears Boutique stuffed inside.
How to buy and donate: To sponsor a donkey or mule for yourself or as a gift, visit https://www.thedonkeysanctuary.ca/give/sponsor. To purchase items from the Long Ears Boutique visit https://long-ears-boutique.myshopify.com.
Location: Guelph, ON
