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Yikes! Was that 2010 I just saw go rushing by!? It seems like  yesterday - not 364 yesterdays - that my DH and I were making our New Year's Eve plans. We ended up spending the night with the Royal Canadian Air Farce and several Canadian celebrities on CBC Television! I don't think we even made it to midnight!

This year, it seems, we have a bit more energy. We have been invited out to several private house parties, all conveniently within walking distance, I might add. We are BYOBing ...bring your own bottle ... as well as BYOHD ... bring your own hors d'oeuvres!

Here is my take on a truly awesome Canadian New Year's Eve Party!

First of all, let's play party games, people! Wouldn't it be fun to be part of a Murder Mystery Party ? I am SO doing this for New Year's Eve 2011!

"It is the summer of 1928. Millionaire Holden Goldman has been found dead, stabbed to death in his daughter’s art studio aboard his luxurious yacht. The Captain decides to confine all guests to the dining room to await the arrival of the Coast Guard to apprehend the murderer. With each of the guests a suspect, they agree to attempt to solve the mystery and clear their names while trying to unmask the murderer."

Next on my list for the all Canadian New Year's Eve party? Food, of course! I love 99.9% of everything President's Choice has to offer, and their finger foods are sublime! I am definitely hitting No Frills to pick up some of the amazing frozen, heat and serve appetizers they have on offer! And wouldn't these Maple Pretzels from Jakeman's make a magnificent Canadian snack?

I think sparkling wine is the yummiest wine of all and, of course, de rigueur for New Year's Eve! When I found out about Peller's Estate's Sparkling Ice Wine , well, I knew it would be number one with a bullet on my list of Canadian party must-haves! The combination of delicious ice wine with bubbles makes me giddy just thinking about it!

Finally, party favours! Green Planet Parties has all sorts of goodies that will make my party Canadian ... and green! Items such as reclaimed wooden cutlery to biodegradable tableware will make for  a great party and start my year off with a smug feeling of satisfaction at being such a caring consumer!

Have a safe and happy New Year's Eve everyone! Please don't drink and drive! Thank you for reading The Good Shopper Blog!

What is your favourite way to celebrate New Year's Eve?

It's the perfect time of the year to spotlight this Buy Canadian First Member ! There's nothing like a Canadian Winter to dry the skin and nothing like goat's milk to nourish and soften it.  You won't have any trouble finding Caprina products as customers insist on them!

In conjunction with the 10 year anniversary of Canus Goat’s Milk Products, the brand has revamped its name to Caprina.  The meaning of the name Caprina pertains to goats, (think Capricorn) who are a symbol of practical wisdom and diligence.

                              The Caprina Show

Caprina is not only the new name of their brand, but is in fact, the fresh, new face of Canus and the sassiest “Goat-ess” around! This charming spokes-goat has debuted her very own talk show on the Caprina website! I watched an episode and laughed my head off! Caprina assures us  that their  faithful customers need not worry: only the name has been revamped. The products remain the same high quality that customers  have come to expect! 

                              Fresh Goat's Milk Lip Balm 

While some brands choose to use processed and/or powdered goat’s milk, Caprina prides itself on its unique use of fresh goat’s milk. Using fresh goat’s milk ensures that more of its therapeutic properties are effectively maintained. Goat’s milk is composed of smaller molecules, which are more easily absorbed by the skin. Who knew?

                         Fresh Goat's Milk Soap 

In addition to balancing the PH level of the skin, this buttery milk also contains high concentrations of caprylic acid, which promotes the absorption of emollients—a substance that helps to enhance the suppleness of your skin. The goats that generously provide their milk to Caprina products are raised in humane, hormone-free, and eco-friendly conditions. Happy goats, happy milk, happy skin!

 

The head office of Canus Goat’s Milk Products is located in Montreal, Quebec and they have offices based in Vermont, USA and Luxembourg. Their products range from a soap bar, liquid hand soap, body wash and foaming milk bath, to body butter, body lotion, and lip balm. Caprina by Canus and Lil Goat’s Milk Products are available across Canada at all major drug, pharmacy, mass merchandiser, and grocery stores. You can find them on Facebook, too!

Couldn't your skin use a drink of fresh goat's milk right about now?

For the year of 2011, I'm living Canadian. For 12 months, I will only buy Canadian products, eat Canadian food and consume Canadian media. I'm going to document this process through this website, and plan to publish a book about my project in 2012.

So, how will my project work? I'm dividing the year into 12 sections, each corresponding to a month. Each month, I'll add another category where I restrict myself to consuming Canadian products and services. It's subject to change, but my current plan looks like this:

For example, January (and all subsequent months) is about restricting my consumption of household goods-all the consumables under the kitchen sink and in your bathroom-to those, ideally, entirely sourced and produced in Canada. Starting in February, I'll Canadian clothing to the list, and so forth.

By December, I'll be living a peculiarly Canadian life. Or at least, that's the plan.

Why are you doing this to yourself?

I'm interested in what I consume. Not in a high-minded I'm-green-locavore-snob way, but in a "where does this stuff come from?" way. I've always liked shows like How It's Made, where we get the origin of our stuff.

I'll also admit to being somebody who's concerned about our environment-I've been writing about it and working for it for years. But I'm not a hemp tunic-wearing hippie. I'm a pragmatist, and I'm interested in ways to make ours lives sustainable without foregoing the occasional hamburger or iPod.

Finally, I'm hoping that this online project can become a book in 2012. I've co-authored an ebook and a big boy book, and I'd like to write another. Plus, I've always enjoyed these so-called ‘stunt journalism' projects, so I thought I'd give one a try.

 Read comments here.

Blog post re-printed with kind permission from  Darren Barefoot - 1Y1C.

Well, here we are at the end of our series on filling stockings with Canadian-made gifts on a budget by shopping at Dollarama. We have already filled the following stockings:
1) The kids
2) Mom
3) Dad
4) Pets

Today I thought it would be fun to think about all those students living away from home, or the young adults dreaming of moving out on their own in the New Year. So we made a stocking for the home!

Clockwise from top:

1) Cool Crisp fridge odor eliminator & produce crisper, made in Quebec by Karmin Industries: $ 2.00
2) Scotch-Brite scrubbing sponges (2), made in Ontario by 3M: $ 1.00
3) Felt floor protectors, made in Quebec by Dutex: $ 1.00
4) All-purpose scrubber, made in Canada: $ 0.50
5) Compostable kitchen organic bags, made in Quebec by Dorfin: $ 2.00
6) Wood-handle dish mop, made in Canada: $ 1.00
7) Hand sanitizer gel, made in Quebec by Delon Labs: $ 1.25

Total cost (before taxes): $ 8.75

As you can see, it is possible to buy Canadian on a budget. It just takes lots of label reading and a desire to make a difference. And remember, the job we are saving could be our own!

Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year 2011 from the entire team at Buy Canadian First!

Image courtesy of Isabelle Remy

It's Christmas Eve and the sun is shining on the snow! It's a picture perfect day for driving and many of us will be doing just that sometime before the weekend is over. There are lots of drivers on the road doing their last minute shopping. Stress levels are getting higher as the final countdown begins and only one more sleep remains until the Big Day. Thank goodness that the road conditions will be the least of our worries.

Earlier this month, Winter snow shut down highways 401 and 402, stranding hundreds of motorists in Northern Ontario. Severe weather warnings were in effect all across Canada and we know, as Canadians, that we have several more months of such weather to come. 

                  Princess Auto Car Safety Kit

Sometimes, when listening to yet another news report of ice and snow and car crashes, I wish that all drivers had to be tested in snowy, icey conditions before being approved to drive. Every winter, the first snowfall brings all sorts of crazy accidents that could have been avoided with a little common sense.

Be prepared this winter! Make sure that your brakes are in perfect condition and all your fluids are topped off. Windshield fluid, and lots of it,  is a must have! Set aside some time to buy a prepared safety kit or to put together one for yourself to keep in the trunk of the car. A car road safety kit is a great gift  to give a new car owner, or anyone who doesn't have one, for Christmas!

                  Princess Auto Roadside Emergency Kit

What should your kit contain? Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Shovel
2. Sand, salt or kitty litter
3. Traction mats
4. Rope
   
5. Cloth or roll of paper towels
6. Warning light or road flares
7. Flashlight, batteries
   
8. Axe or hatchet
9. Booster cables
10. Ice scraper and brush
11. Matches and a candle
12. De-icer
13. Blanket
14. Extra gloves, hats, scarves
15. Bottled water and granola bars
    

Another thing, *shaking finger* please dress appropriately for the weather when you go out in the car, even if just driving to the convenience store. Don't wear your pyjamas and slippers, I beg you! I see this all the time! Dressing like this in the winter is nutty! What if you have a flat tire or get rear-ended? Remember Murphy's Law!

                  The Safest Way to Travel ?

If you have to drive this Christmas, take it easy. Leave early. Slow down. Keep your distance and know what is going on ahead of you. Keep your cool and don't lose your temper! And do I have to say don't drink and drive? Please! Don't drink and drive! 

Have yourself a safe and merry Christmas!

Will you be travelling this Christmas?

Hello again and welcome to the fourth installment of our series on filling stockings with Canadian-made gifts on a budget. And what better place to shop than at the modern version of the 5 and dime: Dollarama!

On Monday we took care of the kids, on Tuesday it was Mom's turn, on Wednesday we shopped for Dad and today we are focusing on our beloved pets:

  
Clockwise from top:

1) PetStore small animal feed mix, made in Canada: $ 1.00
2) Suet for birds, made in Quebec by My Buddy: $ 1.00
3) Just For Me pepperoni dog treats, made in Quebec by Bio-Biscuit: $ 1.00
4) PetStore chicken dinner for cats, made in Canada: $ 1.00
5) Pedigree DentaStix for dogs, made in Ontario by Mars Canada: $ 2.00
6) REX dog treats (pigs ears), made in Quebec by Les Produits Bellerive: $ 1.00

Total cost (before taxes): $ 7.00

And of course a good belly scratch is free and will go a long way to make your furry friends feel Merry & Bright!

Stay tuned for the last installment tomorrow!

Image courtesy of Isabelle Remy

Ok, so here we are with the 3rd installment of our series on stocking stuffers made in Canada ….from Dollarama! Yes, cheap AND Canadian!

Yesterday we filled Mom’s stocking, and the day before it was the kids.

Now, it’s Dad’s time!

Clockwise from top:

1) Super Max shaving cream, made in Canada: $ 1.25

2) Endure Max body wash, made in Ontario by Todays Concepts: $ 1.00

3) Percara Full Force deodorant, made in Ontario by Percara: $ 1.00

4) Fire starter, made in Quebec by Concept Inferno: $ 1.00

5) Duramax duct tape, made in Canada: $ 1.00

6) Felt insoles, made in Canada: $ 1.00

Total cost: $ 6.25

I know, I know, not very exciting. But Dads are hard to buy for, no? I think a nice hug and some quality time spent with Dad will round up this gift very nicely.

All right, tomorrow we will take care of those wonderful animals that brighten our days!

Image courtesy of Isabelle Remy

If you have not read the first instalment of this series (stocking stuffers for kids), please read it here before you continue...

Basically, I thought it would be fun to look for Canadian-made stocking stuffers at Dollarama... Buying Canadian on a budget? Yes, it can be done! Here are some fun things for Mom to find in her stocking on Christmas morning:

Clockwise from the top:

1) Premium cotton pads to remove make-up, made in Canada: $ 1.00
2) Natural Concepts oatmeal body wash, made in Ontario by Apollo Health & Beauty Care: $ 1.00
3) Acrylic knitting yarn, made in Canada by Promofil: $ 1.00
4) Refreshing body mist, made in Quebec by Delon Labs: $ 1.00
5) Bath oil pearls, made in Quebec by Wizmet Int'l: $ 1.25
6) Goats milk soap, made in Quebec by Prima Goat Farms: $ 1.00
7) Cutex nail polish remover, made in Quebec by Delon Labs: $ 1.00

Total cost (before taxes): $ 7.25

Add a hand-made craft for Mom and you know she'll be over the moon!

Stay tuned: tomorrow is Dad's turn!

Image courtesy of Isabelle Remy

Today is the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year and the official start of the Winter season. Tomorrow, the days will start to get longer again, as we head towards Spring, which is only 12 weeks away! What is really exciting about this Winter Solstice is that there is a also a Full Moon! But wait! There is also a Lunar Eclipse!  The last time that these three things occurred simultaneously was 372 years ago!

Winter Solstice Lunar Eclipse from William Castleman on Vimeo.

By the time you read this, the lunar eclipse will have already occurred, but you can watch it happening on the video!

It's hard to imagine that, at one time, the sky was the only clock or calendar or map available. You had to really know how to read and understand the sky, if you wanted to go anywhere and find your way back, if you wanted to plant seeds that would have a chance to grow into food, or even if you just wanted to be safe from the elements.

My mom is always saying that, if she listened to the weatherperson, she would never wear the right coat. "Look out the window!" is my advice! Spectacular events like lunar eclipses get many of us looking up, but there are things going on in the sky all the time that deserve our attention. Amateur astronomy is a wonderful hobby for anyone and a great way to reconnect with Nature. Some good binoculars and a dedicated magazine, like SkyNews, can make a huge difference in your understanding and appreciation of the sky.
 

 

SkyNews, The Canadian Magazine of Astronomy and Stargazing, is among the best publications for novice stargazers and astrophotographers anywhere. Written in an easy-to-understand style by astronomy experts and edited by popular astronomy author Terence Dickinson, each full-colour issue carries amazing photos, columns, equipment reviews, how-to articles and the world's finest star charts (designed for night-sky viewing from Canada). It was named Best New Magazine in Canada in 1996.

We are so lucky to have an actual observatory near to where we live and no doubt there is somewhere similar close enough to you to visit. Tickets to an observatory, a telescope or binoculars, a subscription to a magazine such as SkyNews, would all make awesome gifts, for Christmas or birthdays, to an adult or a child! Throw in some of those glow-in-the-dark stars that you can buy and stick on the ceiling of your bedroom to look at when the lights go out and you have yourself a fantastic gift to give or keep!

A very happy Winter Solstice to you! Keep looking up! It's almost Spring!

Do you have binoculars?

:: images courtesy of  Magazines Canada, and CaptMondo.

Is it really the week before Christmas already?! Where has the time gone? It’s time for shopping, baking and decorating. It’s also time for our 3rd annual series of blog posts for Made-in-Canada stocking stuffers from Dollarama!

My son broke his leg playing hockey last weekend and he was very disappointed that he could not help me shop this year. In the past, we would do it together and would tackle it as a ‘treasure hunt’. I could really have used his help this year because it was harder than in past years to find things made in Canada at the dollar store…and some of the ones I found were no longer $ 1 (but nothing over $ 2) This year more than ever, times are hard and wallets are getting pretty empty by now. Not much left for those stockings…

Still, let’s see what we found, and of course we’ll start with the kiddies:

Clockwise from top:

1) Marshmallow Christmas Trees (5), made in Quebec by Original Foods: $ 2.00

2) Colgate kids toothpaste: $ 2.00

3) Dubble Bubble Gumballs, made in Ontario by Concord Confections: $ 1.00

4) Santa shaped chocolate, made in Quebec by Les Chocolats Vadeboncoeur: 3 for $ 1.00

5) Oracare dental floss (after all those sweets!): $ 1.00

6) Despicable Me liquid hand soap, made in Quebec by Delon Labs: $ 1.25

Total (before taxes): $ 8.25

Not bad! Next, we’ll see what we can find for Mom…

Image courtesy of Isabelle Remy

Hi. My name is Greta Walsh and I am part of the the Buy Canadian First behind-the-scene team. This week however, I found myself in front of the camera for a very exciting experience: presenting Made-in-Canada gift ideas for the whole family on CityTV's Breakfast Televison show in Winnipeg! 

My Air Canada flight was smooth and enjoyable. Once I landed, I was off to The Inn at the Forks for a good night’s sleep before my busy morning at CityTV studio for the BT Winnipeg show.

The Front Desk at The Inn at the Forks treated me as if I’d stayed there hundreds of times before and were well prepared for all the boxes that were shipped there before my arrival. They greeted me with smiles and made my stay very relaxing.

First thing in the morning I travelled to the CityTV studio for the segments which are always done live (no pressure...)!  Everyone at the studio was pleasant and welcoming. A special thanks goes out to Evan for being my rock and letting me stand on his toes in order for me not to miss a step!

The first segment was about Canadian-made Christmas gifts for your kids, stocking stuffers and the perfect gift for your pets!

You can watch the first segment here.

Here are the companies we featured on the 1st segment:

Bloco Toys, from Quebec

Picquic Tools, from Ontario & B.C.

Oven-Baked Tradition, from Quebec

While I was setting up the second segment, which was "Canadian-made Christmas gifts for him and her", everyone on set was in awe of the Ravi Solution, as they had never seen anything like it. An instant wine chiller: Christmas was suddenly all around us!

You can watch the second segment here. 

Here are the companies we featured on the second segment:

Closson Chase wines, from Ontario

Ravi Solution, From Quebec

Earth to Body, from Quebec

Opalescence Jewelry, from Alberta

I loved the experience and look forward to doing it again!

Greta

Images courtesy of Inn at The Forks and  BuyCanadianFirst.ca

Yesterday the family went to Zellers to pick up one thing. My husband dropped us off at an entrance and then circled the parking lot for 20 minutes, hunting for a spot somewhere, anywhere. He ended up creating one of his own and made his way back to the store on foot, unimpressed, to say the least!

Inside, it was how I imagine it must be to run with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain! Hundreds of people were pressing forward as one! My tiny mother and I were seperated by a sunami of shoppers, all targeting a huge box of blankets! Regularly $89.99, on sale for one hour only at $19.99! My gosh, the humanity!

Apparently spun from gold, everyone had to have one of these blankets, including my mom! I made my way, rather bravely, I thought,  into the melee, after planting Mom in a side aisle. Gaining access to the Big Box of Blankets was like trying to get toothpaste back into the tube! But, tossing aside personal boundaries, I managed to snag a precious, precious blanket! (After that experience, getting searched at the airport would be a breeze!)

The crowds, the lack of parking, the line-ups, the inappropriate fondling, the squishing ... it all makes for a somewhat unpleasant holiday shopping experience, one that must be repeated over and over until all the shopping is done. That is why, this year, I did all my personal Christmas shopping online!

If you have not done this yet, be prepared for a life changing experience! It is so easy and safe to shop online. There is even still time to do it and get your purchases for Christmas giving! Just be sure to check that it says they ship same or next day. You can have gifts wrapped and shipped directly to your recipient or have it sent to you to deliver in person.

Even if you don't have a credit card, you can shop using Paypal Canada. Paypal is making it easy to escape the mall this season! They are even offering personalised gift tags on their site,  for you to print out and use!

If your store of choice doesn't have the option of buying online, you can still save serious amounts of time by doing some informed browsing and comparative shopping on their site. Plus, many stores will provide coupons for you to print off and bring in as an incentive.

The best part for me when it comes to shopping on line is the ability to shop anywhere in Canada for the perfect gift! Venues like Etsy and Artfire enable you to shop totally by location, making it even easier to buy Canadian first! Buy It Canada is another great site for online shoppers, with links for online Canadian shops in every province! They claim that Santa shops online here and I am tempted to believe them!

Canadian Living magazine has put together some great tips that will keep you safe and smiling while shopping online. Be sure to check out their cautions and tips for a great shopping experience.

Armed with all this information, and your bedroom slippers, you are now ready to stay at home and go shopping! It's a Christmas miracle!

Do you shop online?

:: images courtesy Paypal Canada and Buy It Canada.

We're in the home stretch, folks! In just a few more days it will be Christmas. To some, it is the most wonderful time of the year. To others, it is, without a doubt, the most stressful time of the year!

Crowded stores, overspending, winter driving, choosing the right gift, making sure the turkey and stuffing are perfect, well, it all adds up. All the extra food and booze doesn't help, either. Many a late night can turn into an endlessly frustrating round of tossing and turning.

Our member, Simmons Canada Inc., has been helping people sleep better for over 120 years, because they know that nothing affects your quality of life more than the way you sleep! I found out on their website that there are three things a bedroom should be in order to promote good sleep - quiet, dark and cool.

Quiet
Fans or other noise generators near the bed can help mute sleep distractions. A cheaper alternative is to set the tuner of your FM radio between any two stations. The pseudo white noise you’ll hear will do wonders to mask unwanted sounds.

Light Level
Use room darkening shades or dark fabrics to reduce the amount of light leaking into the room. Eyeshades may also do the trick.

Temperature
65ºF is the ideal temperature for sleeping. A warm room or too many blankets can interrupt your sleep. (Source: Power Sleep: The Revolutionary Program That Prepares Your Mind For Peak Performance).

As someone who shares a bed with two large dogs, a large husband and a tiny cat, I can testify to the truth that being too warm at night is not very restful! You can find out more about better sleep conditions and how to choose a mattress on their very well designed website, available in both French and English.

The two PDFs   available on choosing mattresses,  one for men and one for women, make a very helpful addition to the shopping process! 

Since 1891, Simmons Canada Inc. has been manufacturing and selling top-quality bedding products that utilize innovative technology to help Canadians get a good night’s sleep. Simmons takes pride in being a leading bedding manufacturer in Canada - a position they intend to keep.

Simmons brand-name products are major contributors to their sales increases, starting with the nationally-known brand names of Simmons mattresses - Beautyrest®, Beautyrest® NxG™, Beautyrest® Black™, DeepSleep® and ComforPedic™. Their mattress collections are complemented by the very famous Simmons Adjustable Bed Collection.

Simmons Canada has its corporate office in Mississauga, Ontario, with manufacturing facilities in Kirkland, Quebec, Calgary, Alberta and Vancouver, B.C.

Do visions of sugar plums make it hard for you to get a good night's sleep at this time of the year?

Images courtesy of Simmons Canada

Christmas decorations have come a long way since Dad brought home that first artificial tree! I can remember him sorting all the branches by the colours painted on the twisted wire ends. It seemed to take forever, especially to an impatient little girl! Finally, the tree would be assembled, the lights untangled and strung around it, the ornaments unwrapped from their boxes and hung, the tinsel tossed on each tree tip. With any luck, all the lights still worked and the tree would be ready to behold in its blazing glory!

Our ornaments were basic ball shapes back then, with cranberry and popcorn garlands, or paper chains, and lots of tinsel. They were beautiful and shiny, but baby, we have come a long way since then! Luckily, not so far that we can't still enjoy those vintage memories as well as all the newfangled shapes!

As always, Lee Valley has just the thing to relive some of my retro Christmas memories and I am loving Debbie Travis's decorating advice and themes on the Canadian Tire site! 

Lee Valley carries beautiful and nostalgic decorations, some with a charming DIY benefit . They also provide some practical decorating solutions to issues we may face at Christmas, such as getting rid of our live tree once the holidays are over and hanging the Christmas wreath in just the right spot! Their ice mold for decorating outside with lanterns is genius! (They also have some really amazing, out-of-the-ordinary gifts , so be sure to check that out!)

Debbie Travis offers some great tree and home decorating advice and six (eeeek!)  gorgeous themed decoration sets! A Canadian Christmas, Winter Forest, Once Upon a Time, Pistachio, Masquerade Ball and Peppermint cover all the favourite ornament shapes with tons of added themed pizzaz! Honestly, you will be hard pressed to put some of these sweet little sculptures away when the holidays are over!

         Lee Valley DIY Wooden Christmas Ornaments 

The ornaments range from the excrutiatingly adorable, with tiny owls, squirrels, gnomes and other forest creatures that are found in the tartan touched, Canadian Christmas, to the brilliantly jewel-toned harlequins, masks and baubles of  Masquerade Ball! Once Upon a Time has ballerinas and fairies and an exquisite rose garland! There are tiny, knitted mittens and knit covered round balls in a couple of the themes! So cute for a crafty tree! Pistachio and Peppermint offer classic shapes with a twist!

I love them all! I can see decorating each room differently or having 6 trees! Of course, that would mean a much biggger house, so I will hold off on that. I can also see mixing and matching and using some of the decorations as stocking stuffers and gift toppers!

Do you love to decorate for the holiday season?

:: images courtesy Lee Valley and veritas

 

  

 

 

Official website:  Oven-Baked Tradition

:: images courtesy Oven-Baked Tradition