Union Station Holiday Market is now open

The twelve days of Christmas take on a whole new meaning inside Toronto’s busiest hub at the Union Station Holiday Market. From the 5th to the 16th, the Oak Room that’s usually home to little more than apologetic TD Bank construction signs and an info booth explodes with life as small Canadian vendors take over to sell their wares.

The market is meant to be a one-stop shop for those who don’t have a spare second during this stressful season to even navigate away from their route home to get gifts. Not only is it convenient, but the market showcases vendors who emphasize local, sustainable, quality products, so your shopping trip can be not only stress-free but guilt-free too.

One of the brands that embodies this most is Encircled, a women’s lifestyle and clothing line that uses sustainable materials to create their garments like modal which is made from the beech tree and doesn’t even require the plant be cut down, and fabrics made from eucalyptus and bamboo. Sexy yet practical items can be worn many ways.

For the suave suit-wearer in your life that likes a little play in their work wardrobe, there are these cool cufflinks from Kinzoku that come in designs such as hockey rinks or the CN tower. Kinzoku also does custom work. Cufflinks go for $65, but for a more reasonable $20 you can get an independently designed tie clip, or a money clip for $24. Still baller.

For someone who’s even more casual about their cool sense of style, there’s laid back brand G Fox and Co, which makes these awesome watches with unusual wooden faces (around $130). They also sell dope flat brim caps in wicked Hawaiian prints.

Laborde is the last name of the Toronto woman who designs her own jewellery collections, earrings seen here running about $50. All her gold items are made using vintage brass and her silver items, sterling silver.

Whether your giftee likes shiny things or not, anyone is bound to love seeing this in their stocking: butter. Lee’s Provisions sells little jars of Lee’s Ghee (ghee is a type of liquid-y Indian butter) at the market this year, in za’atar, turmeric, and maple flavours (about $20 for 200 g). Butter is actually revered in ancient traditions as beneficial, and Lee’s is all local and organic.

Twig Floral is selling tiny plants appropriate for desk companionship if your giftee spends long hours in an office away from the joys of nature. Little pals like this ring in around an affordable $20 range.

Moroco Chocolat, which has a store on Dupont, is selling cute little holiday treats like these little cabin-shaped “smores” that would make great stocking stuffers, as well as fun outside-the-box treats like bacon candy bars ($8.95).

Menos puts together fun gifts of a more savoury nature with their signature olive oils as the star. A small basket of floral olive oil, deliciously wakeful Ecuadorian tea, and chocolate goes for $25.

These “ear jackets” by Foxy Originals go for $20 for a cheap way to show a fashionista you care and aren’t just going to get them some regular sparkly earrings from just anywhere: these hook around the ear to create a cool “jacket”-like optical illusion.

Papabubble creates candy in eye-popping flavours that are just as vibrant as the cute colourful decorations and images on them. The fruit flavours are bursting with intensity, and there are holiday-themed packages with snowmen designs and marshmallows in red and green apple flavours. Small bags or ornaments filled with candy go for $6.

Visit Bathorium and Honest Leaf for remedies for those you know are pushing themselves far too hard in this season that’s supposed to be for rest and reflection, or to grab yourself a reward for all that shopping! Bathorium has this rosemary citrus emulsion as well as eucalyptus and charcoal soaks, $8.95 for one creamy foaming bath’s worth.

Honest Leaf teas are respected and sold by a ton of Toronto cafes and restaurants, and they’re bringing the straight goods to the Union Station Holiday Market with their lines of teas, gift packages, and even candles. A gift set of 4 teas is $30.

by Amy Carlberg via blogTO