Holiday Gift Guide

2 A S U P P L E M E N T T O T H E W I N N I P E G F R E E P R E S S - T H U R S D A Y, D E C E M B E R 1 , 2 0 1 6 T he hustle-and-bustle of the holiday season shouldn't be all work, no play. Think outside the big-box stores and you can combine leisurely holiday activities with novel shopping excursions — and support local cultural organizations at the same time. Load up on unique stocking stuffers and gifts for adults, interactive toys for kids and locally crafted goods at the Winnipeg Art Gallery, Manitoba Museum and Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR). And check out performing arts calendars to give someone on your list a special experience. If you haven't paid a visit to the CMHR, now is the time. The gift shop is well-stocked with funky fair-trade fashions — cool jackets and dresses for the office party, scarves aplenty and one-of-a-kind accessories, including jewelry, colourful shoulder bags, leather handbags and felt totes that double as works of art. Along with books, artsy jigsaw puzzles and journals, you'll find an assortment of Manitoba-made goods — birch syrup from Flin Flon's Rocky Lake Birchworks and Beaconia-based The Canadian Birch Company, sweet and savoury blends of Flora and Farmer preserves and scented gifts from Clay Soap. Coal and Canary Candle Company's hand-poured soy-and-vegetable wax candles, made with long-burning wooden wicks, can be found at the Manitoba Museum, CMHR, FortWhyte Alive and several other retail outlets. The local company's holiday collection includes All I Want Fir Xmas — a blend of fir, orange, cranberry and cinnamon scents — vanilla-and-spice scented Ginger Bell Rock and peppermint-infused May Your Days Be Minty and Bright, and each boxed candle comes with a card signed by the candle artisan. Local artists help stock the Winnipeg Art Gallery gift shop with creative tree and mantle decorations in all sizes and price ranges, and the shop carries a cool selection of gifts for kids that centre on arts and crafts activities. There are plenty of on-trend adult colouring books and calendars, along with deluxe crayon sets. And the shop always has ceramics, jewelry, sweets and cards you won't find in every department store. The WAG and its satellite shop in the Johnston Terminal at the Forks — which focuses more on Inuit, First Nations and Métis arts and crafts, including luxe mittens and wraps — carry campfire- scented candles, herbal soaps and Saskatchewan-made Northlore skin care products. The small-batch botanicals are "wildcrafted" from plants, clay and honey, and on top of that they're lunar-infused — jars of herbs are exposed to specific cycles of the moon — to create birch-bark soap, mud masks, salt scrubs and more. Kids and adults will get a kick out of the wealth of cool activity-based gifts at the Manitoba Museum. Dinosaur models and puppets, glow-in-the-dark space T-shirts, calendars and nifty stocking stuffers are among the fun finds. Just add water to enjoy the magic of Grow Your Own Fox or Owl kits — an update on the old sea monkey hatching kits. While you're there, get a taste of a 1920s Christmas in the revamped Urban Gallery, head downstairs to catch the Alien Who Stole Christmas show in the Planetarium, or see a real moon rock on loan from NASA starting in mid-December. The Royal Winnipeg Ballet's Canuck take on Nutcracker is an annual highlight of the season at the Centennial Concert Hall from Dec. 20 - 30, with polar bear cubs, mice and mischievous Filbert Bear – and mini nutcrackers and plush toy bears make great gifts to go with tickets for someone special. For the music lovers on your list, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra gets into the holiday spirit with Handel's Messiah Dec. 2-3, followed by A Prairie Christmas Celebration family show on Dec. 4 and A Jann Arden Christmas Dec. 9-10. Rock into the New Year at Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, when Elvis and friends roll out musical bio Million Dollar Quartet on Jan. 5, or surprise a mystery fan with a pass to ChristieFest when the 17th annual Master Playwright Festival celebrates the works of Agatha Christie. Over at Prairie Theatre Exchange, milk and cookies — and special pyjama party performances — are an annual tradition when the theatre presents the stories of Robert Munsch. This year, Munschbusters! runs from Dec. 22 - Jan. 8. Wrap up a favourite Munsch book with tickets tucked inside and some young fan is sure to Love You Forever. ❆ on the old sea monkey hatching kits. While you're there, get a taste of a 1920s Christmas in the revamped Urban Gallery, head downstairs to catch the Alien Who Stole Christmas show in the Planetarium, or see a real moon rock on loan The Royal Winnipeg Ballet's Canuck take on Nutcracker is an annual highlight of the season at the Centennial Concert Hall from Dec. 20 - 30, with polar bear cubs, mice and mischievous Filbert Bear – and mini nutcrackers and plush toy bears make great gifts to go with tickets for someone special. For the music lovers on your list, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra gets into the holiday spirit LIVE RIGHT MASSAGE & FACIAL SPA SIGNATURE PACKAGE 2.25 Hours of Spa Time for $125.00 + Tax Visit us at liverightmassage.com for details INCLUDES: 15 Minute Aromatherapy Steam 60 Minute Customized Massage 60 Minute Signature Facial 1 Travel Size Dermalogica Product the theatre presents the stories of Robert Munsch. Hand-poured soy and vegetable candles from Winnipeg's Coal and Canary Candle Company and made-in-Manitoba birch syrup are among the finds at outside-the box destinations like the Manitoba Museum and Canadian Museum for Human Rights gift shops. And arts groups get into the spirit of giving when it comes to family experiences. The Royal Winnipeg Ballet's Nutcracker, featuring mischievous Filbert Bear, is a perennial favourite, as is the annual homage to Robert Munsch at Prairie Theatre Exchange. Filbert in RWB's Nutcracker. PHOTO BY PAUL MARTENS PHOTO BY MONIQUE PANTEL

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