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8. Winter fun Is your special someone a bit of an adrenaline junky? Then perhaps the gift for them is a trip to Adrenaline Adventures. Located just west of Winnipeg on the Perimeter Highway at 600 Caron Road, Adrenaline Adventures is a winter wonderland with a bit of a difference. The park offers an assortment of activities for winter sports enthusiasts, including snow tubing, skating, and snowboarding. It also offers something called cable snowboarding. J.P. Tetrault at Adrenaline Adventures says this activity involves letting snowboarders take on jumps and obstacles while being towed by an overhead cable system. "It may be a first in North America," says Tetrault. Visitors may also want to try xorbing (extreme orbing), a relatively new recreational activity that involves rolling down a hill while strapped into a large plastic ball. Gift certificates for Adrenaline Adventures range from $25 to $50. For more information, visit adrenalinemb.com or call 800-2060. And remember, always wear a helmet and/or appropriate safety gear when participating in outdoor activities. 9. Butt out Sometimes your favourite smoker just needs a friendly nudge to do the right thing. If you think they may be receptive, a stop-smoking program – which teaches cessation tips, deconstructs the power of addiction and offers one-on- one personal coaching and support – may be a suitable gift. The health effects of quitting smoking are dramatic and swift. Lung capacity improves, the risk of heart attack and stroke plummets, and the chances of developing many types of cancers drops often within weeks of butting out. Enter Kick Butt!, the stop-smoking program at the Wellness Institute at Seven Oaks General Hospital. The $300 (plus GST) program includes five hours of behavioural health coaching and counselling with a registered social worker specializing in smoking cessation. The program also includes a three- month membership to the onsite medical fitness facility and a medical consultation with a doctor. Meanwhile, at the Manitoba Lung Association, helping someone quit smoking is a click away. The lung association has a free, self-directed quit-smoking guide available online at mb.lung.ca under the smoking and tobacco link. 'Get on Track' and 'How do you want to quit' help smokers quit for good by teaching them how to deal with cravings, replacement activities, how to make a stop-smoking plan, the many different ways to be successful, pharmaceutical options, who they can go to for support and how to talk to your doctor. They can also call the smokers help line at 877-513- 5333 for immediate personal support or go to smokershelpline.ca. And when your loved one meets a smoke-free milestone, spring for a fancy dinner, an afternoon at the spa, a new golf club or a weekend away. 10. Mix it up A blender under the Christmas tree won't win any romance points. But with a personal promise to make healthy fruit, yogurt and protein shakes and smoothies regularly for your partner or pal, a sturdy, well-made blender is a thoughtful, 'I want to take care of you' gift. At Bosch Kitchen Centre (105-2800 Pembina Hwy, Blackskitchenmagic.com; 275-2617) peruse the high-end, fully loaded blenders that will handle heavy-duty ice crushing with ease. RPM by L'Equip is a 900-watt, six-cup capacity blender for $199. Bosch Universal is an all-in-one multi-functional mixer with blender attachment for serious kitchen dwellers. The 700-watt, six-cup capacity blender (included with the mixer and other attachments) costs $554. Meanwhile, for $249, pick up a Porsche-designed Bosch blender for its sleek, brushed aluminum, 700 watt, six-cup capacity. At The Happy Cooker (464 Stradbrook Ave, thehappycooker.ca, 453- 2665) check out the five-speed, 1.75 litre Kitchen Aid blender for $230. They also stock several varieties of Cuisinart blenders. One inexpensive option is the Magic Bullet line of blenders, which start at $39.99. For more wallet-friendly blenders, check out the selection at London Drugs, Wal-Mart, Superstore, The Bay and Canadian Tire, where many smoothie-quality blenders cost about $30 and up. November/December 2011 23

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