Christmas Shopping: Shopping in Toronto

You either are or are not someone who puts the fuzzy members of their family directly on your Christmas list. If your cat receives a bespoke stocking each year, or your fridge has pictures of your dog in a Santa hat, this is the expo for you. Running just two days (November 23 and 24 in 2019), Santa stops by for photos with your furry (and non furry) companions. 250 vendors mean that you can get the perfect gift for all of your favourite non-humans. There is also a celebrity meet-and-greet if your Instagram feed is mostly canines, and of course, gifts for the only being in your life that doesn’t annoy you during the holidays.

If being outside in the middle of winter isn’t exactly your idea of a good time, consider going to an indoor Christmas market. All of the merriment and none of the frostbite? Consider us in. The One of A Kind Christmas Show is always brimming with artists and holiday spirit. You need only go to a few booths to knock your list down. For the person that has everything, they sure don’t have one of these hand-knitted or crafted or welded items. Try your own hand at one of their DIY workshops to quickly realize that yes, it is an art form. Better leave it to the professionals (or lie about the fact that yes, you did it yourself).

Two years ago, Toronto came in third in the world’s most LGBTQIA friendly cities. The Pink Market has welcomed over 10,000 visitors since 2015 as Toronto’s oldest and largest craft queer market. And of course, there had to be a Christmas market (because, in case you haven’t noticed, Toronto is all about its Christmas markets). Some of the stuff you can expect to find this year include raunchy cross stitches, pronoun pins, gay-themed greeting cards and modern indigenous jewelry. There will be so many vendors, from things you could happily wrap up and gift to your grandmother to things you most certainly could not… although, to be fair, we don’t know your grandmother. Expect to be inspired and festive all at the same time.

The Eaton Centre is eastern Canada’s largest shopping mall, and Toronto’s top tourist attraction. Each week, the mall plays host to more than 1 million visitors, who come to shop to their hearts’ content at more than 230 stores spread across 1.7 million square feet of enclosed space. On November 14th there is a tree lighting event featuring Canada’s tallest 108 foot Christmas tree. While the tree is lit up, expect live music from both a DJ and an electric violinist. Santa comes to his classic log cabin from November 16 onwards. To take the stress out of a long wait, you can even book times with him online. (Hello, 2019!) The gift wrap valet will attend to all of your purchases and you can wile away the time gazing at the captivating floor-to-ceiling holiday displays.

In the market for some ghee and some ironic children’s clothing? Surprisingly, you can get both at Drake General Store as well as other quirky items like adult onesies and solid Gold Slinkys. You can also buy those onesies for the kids for one heck of a family photo. Originally the hotel gift shop for the Drake, there are now four locations that are part flea market, part museum shop. “We love things that are sensible and things that are not so sensible,” they claim. Look for the neon purple cross which may confuse you to thinking you have landed in a pharmacy when you are just in gifting heaven. (And before you ask, no, the store does not belong to the recording artist.)

The Trinity Bellwoods Flea Markets are exciting monthly markets that step up their game even more during the holiday season. On November 17 2019, The Christmas Is Coming Market arrives as their largest market yet. Over 100 vendors are spread out in the Main Hall of the historical Great Hall Toronto. Local, handmade one-of-a-kind gifts along with holiday music and food and drinks will make the 10am-5pm time frame fly by. If you still have some shopping to do by December 15, the festivities continue with The Happy Holidays Market. Admission is free to get a taste of artisans, makers, vendors and small businesses of Toronto.

When it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and you are Canadian, you strap on a pair of ice skates and hope for the best. The top place to do this during the holiday season is undeniably Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto. Bring your own skates for free exercise or rent skates for $10 or less. During the holidays, the rink sparkles with lights and displays a large holiday tree for Toronto’s version of New York’s Rockefeller Centre. The Holiday Fair’s dates for 2019 are December 7-23. Expect an elegant Christmas market, a Holly Jolly Midway and Polar Point Bar to shiver away in with your nearest and dearest. Warm up by the fire on some cozy Muskoka chairs (also known as the Adirondack chair or Westport chair to non-Canadians).

The very first Toronto vegan Christmas market is happening December 14, 2019. Vegan wines, dairy free cheeses, baked goods and holiday flavoured gelato are just some of the edible offerings. Some of the shopping possibilities include vegan leather goods, winter coats and cosmetics – all with the promise of cruelty free. “We want to invite the public to do their shopping in a manner that underlines the true essence of the Holidays, which is a celebration of peace, love and compassion for all beings, both humans and animals,” said event creator and organizer An Pham. Expect more than two dozen vendors…and expect this event to become a mainstay in the Toronto holiday circuit.

The founder of Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard, is quoted as saying “He who dies with the least toys wins. Because the more you know, the less you need.” If you view yourself through a minimalist lens, or you prefer to shop local, the Eco Lifestyle Holiday Market will be the thing to put the Christmas spring in your step. 60 vendors offer handcrafted, sustainable, eco-friendly, zero waste and local goods as well as vegan, vegetarian and fair trade treats. If living green is a way of life for you, extend that to your gift-giving, one day only in Sunday November 10. It feels good to be conscious, ethical and local.

If you can’t remember the last time you felt the Christmas spirit, then put on your bells and get thee to the Toronto Christmas Market. From life sized gingerbread houses for children to a variety of beer and mulled wine gardens, you will feel warm and cozy in your heart even if the rest of your extremities are a tad chilly. Stand by roaring fire pits and marvel at the sparkling lights on the tree that stands more than 50-feet above the market. Santa Claus is there too, because he doesn’t want to be left out of the festivities. This year marks the tenth anniversary and has the entertainment to match, with over 500 carollers, choir performers, dancers, musicians and holiday elves.