Traffic, food courts, expectations, unwritten rules, unbreakable traditions, cookies, chocolate, ribbons, tape, wrapping paper.
Tears, and screaming. Fear, and loathing.
Christmas.
Many are called by the challenge of the holiday shopping season, and many end up in the fetal position, surrounded by stockings and scissors. But fear not: The Gazette’s Christmas Shopping Guide is here to help you help those who are hard to shop for.
Here are a few suggestions based on the winners of our 2024 Reader’s Choice awards, surely the cream of the St. Albert shopping crop. Do any of these characters remind you of anyone?
- For Cousin Itt: A shave and a haircut at Dynamite Barbershop or Barbershop Boyz
- For Carl, Ty and Al: A round at Sturgeon County or Sandpiper golf and country clubs
- For the Wet Bandits: A consultation with Chambers Plumbing & heating or A-1 Heating and 1-Hour Plumbing
- For KEVIN!!!: A space at Tot Spot Academy or An Enchanted Forest
- For the Globetrotter: An appointment with Terry the Travel Guy or Expedia Cruise Ship Centres
- For Cheech: A pack of matches from Rocky Mountain Roots or Dynamite Vape and Smoke
- For Chandler, Rachel, Ross, Joey, Phoebe and Monica: A coffee from Italian Centre’s Mercato or Good Earth Coffeehouse
- For the Big Lebowski: A carpet cleaning from Lathered Cleaning Company Inc. or Optimax Steam Cleaning
- For Bob Cratchet: A dry cleaning gift certificate from Page the Cleaner, or City Dry Cleaners
- For Thurman Merman: Some sandwiches from Tealicious Blend or Jack’s Burger Shack
- For the Grinch: A wash and brush for Max from Barkers Pet Motel or Clippin’ Along
- For Rudolph: A facial mask from Barbie Beauty or Heaven Essence Day Spa
- For Hermey: A guest shift at Intemperance Hair & Body Studio or Tangled Hair Design
- For Ricky, Julian and Bubbles: Donairs from Simply Donairs or Amore Pizza and Donair
- For John McClane: Some boots, or at least socks, from Mark’s Work Wearhouse or Hudson’s Bay
- For Charlie Brown: A synthetic Christmas tree from Canadian Tire or Walmart
- For Your Little Drummer Boy: A performance from So Noted Singers, Amanda Penner or Grace Forestier
- For Frosty the Snowman: A new a/c unit from Garry’s heating Services or True North Heating and Cooling
- For Andy, Buzz and Woody: Two days’ hauling from Maki & Sons Moving or Eager Beaver Moving
- For Santa Himself: Cookies from Grandin Bakery or Breadlove.
