Thompson Okanagan Holiday Gift Guide

December is here and the Holidays are just around the corner. As you put together your annual Holiday shopping list, why not shop local and support small business?

Small businesses have been heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This holiday season offers a chance for us all to give back, support our communities, and find amazing, locally made gifts for the ones we love.

We know picking out gifts can be hard work sometimes. Let us help! We’ve put together some ideas for Thompson Okanagan-based businesses where you can find awesome gifts for the holiday season. Yule be sorry to miss out on these awesome local businesses!

Lolin By A Jewelry

Gift Idea: Square Heart Necklace
Location: Kelowna
Perfect For: Fashionistas

There might not be so many parties and other events to go to these Holidays, but that doesn’t mean you can’t dress up. The “A” in Lolin By A Jewelry is Aris, “a curly hair enthusiast, wife and a full-time mom of a beautiful boy” based in Kelowna. Aris has hand crafted a beautiful collection of elegant jewelry to help add sparkle to your loved one’s season. And there’s 15 per cent off this Holiday season.

Grace & Flow 

Gift Idea: Class Pass
Location: Vernon
Perfect For: Your flexible friend

Give a gift that can literally make someone feel better. Grace & Flow is all about wellness, for the body, mind, and soul. Buy a one-time virtual movement, yoga, or Pilates class to help that special someone in your life enjoy the end of a difficult year. Don’t forget to throw in a cocktail kit or charcuterie picnic box. Grace & Flow also offer virtual yoga subscriptions to keep the good feelings going.

Raven Reads

Gift Idea: Subscription Box
Location: Kamloops
Perfect For: Bookworms who love to grow and learn

Give a gift that keeps on giving. This Indigenous-focused business offers seasonal, bi-annual, or annual adult and child subscription boxes. Adult boxes contain a book by an Indigenous author, a letter from the author or box curator, a printed culture card teaching you about an Indigenous culture, an Indigenous handmade craft or art piece, and a literature-themed trinket. Children boxes include two or three children’s books for ages four to nine, as well as buttons, colouring sheets, stickers, or other book-related items.

Tiki Time Tours 

Gift Idea: Gift Card
Location: Kelowna
Perfect For: Day-dreamers and travellers

Know someone who needs to float away from it all? Sometime soon we’ll be able to enjoy worry-free travel and adventures again. When that moment arrives, Kelowna’s only floating Tiki Boat is ready and waiting to add some fun to your summer. Owned by two Kelowna residents, Tiki Time Tours offers boat trips on beautiful Okanagan Lake. They’ll even transport you to your own private lakefront campsite—set up and waiting for you to arrive. Tiki Time Tours even provide the marshmallow sticks.

Inked Mama 

Gift Idea: Quirky T-Shirt or Sweater
Location: Salmon Arm
Perfect For: Someone who likes to be different

Inked Mama is all about expressing yourself through unique clothing. The Salmon Arm business offers quirky, pre-made designs through their Facebook store, or they can work with you to create whatever you like. This creative brand loves to be quirky. Their “Happy-ish Holidays” collection offers sweatshirts and t-shirts with names like “Ya Muggle,” and their “Tis The Season” t-shirt proclaims “Baby it’s COVID outside.”

Grizzli Winery 

Gift Idea: Okanagan Ice Wine
Location: Kelowna
Perfect For: The grape-lovers on your list

It’s going to take a lot more than a pandemic to stop wine growing in the Okanagan. Grizzli Winery is situated at the heart of the Okanagan wine growing region, on West Kelowna’s Wine Trail. If travel is restricted and you can’t attend a tasting, tour, or other event, you can still order from their range of international award-winning wines, including red and white table wines, fruit wines, and famous Canadian Icewines. As the Grizzli website says, “Great wine brings us together.” That’s true, even if we’re apart just now.

Find More Products on the Marketplace

These businesses are just a small slice of the awesome local entrepreneurs on the BC Marketplace. Your wallet has more power than you realize. This Holiday Season, make a difference in your community and shop local.