25 Days of Etsy Christmas Gifts. Day Twenty-One: Montreal, Part One.

i have really enjoyed creating the last twenty lists for you but i'm not going to lie: i've been excited about getting to this last leg for some time, now! i'm so blessed to live in a city with such diverse people and such raw talent. almost all of my friends make beautiful art of one kind or another and i am constantly discovering new artisans and small businesses. i can't believe how many of the people featured in these next lists i didn't know until now!

i'm so proud of all of my fellow montrealers for taking to the streets for months on end and ousting our corrupt, close-minded and useless premier, a man who did not listen to the voice of his own people. i love how passionate we are and that we're not afraid to express ourselves. we know how to party and, even though our town's reputation has improved somewhat since our renowned sin city days of the 20's, 30's and 40's, we still know how to party. 

we're also known for our style. while some of it is questionable thanks in part to our province having it's own solar system, featuring an array of teen idols with, er, interesting looks on their backs (that's a whole other discussion for another day but, believe me, we will address it), we're known for being able to rock a stellar outfit that cost us peanuts. we know how to hunt for amazing discount pieces, upcycle our clothing and throw together fashions that, at first glance, could not be imagined together and we make it work. 

i also really like the fact that, the more i look around, the more i see montrealers who are looking into self-sufficiency, greener ways of doing pretty much anything and adopting a diy mentality. what does annoy me a little bit is that a lot of the people who preach against capitalism and mass-consumerism and sit in a park, freezing their ass off, in order to occupy it for a day or two are the same ones who rush to the mall during the holidays. people need to realize how lucky we are to live in a city that boasts so many artisans and small businesses. there is no need to buy mass-produced gifts that were probably made by an eleven-year, across the planet, who makes 50 cents a day. you want to proactively take a stance? stop feeding into all of that by throwing your money at huge corporations, and support your local businesses. support your people.

aaaaand, you can start with these ten shops. 

1. i love, love, love(!) amelie bryson's shop, run system 63. i am in love with at least five items from the small but gorgeous collections featured on her site and, if you're into simple but beautifully designed garments, i'm sure you'll feel the same!

2. you can't walk one block, downtown, without running into (please try to keep that a figurative statement) a cycler and, if you have one on your list, you should really check out oops mark, not only for this great wine bottle harness but for the other lovely, leather items up fro grabs in the shop. 

3. lost apostle offers close to three-hundred-and-fifty gorgeous, handmade jewelry for people who dig styles just slightly off the beaten path. the shop was recently featured in gothic beauty magazine and they have over fifteen-hundred positive feedback ratings. 

4. for a smaller budget or for stocking stuffers, have a look at talkhand, a shop that offers a small but lovely selection of handcrafted wooden jewelry. 

5. for the person who still loves to pick up paper and a pen and write letters to people (i swear, some people actually do this! i do all the time!), why not get them a beautiful stationery set at la papierre? i'm really digging this shop and will be sure to place some orders of my own in the very near future!

6. for lovely, personalized wallets and/or card holders, check out erica larouche's shop, sakao.

7. for colourful, stylish and affordable knitwear, i recommend jewel knits, where julie offers a small but lively collection of hats, scarves, headbands and arm warmers. and we all know how cold it gets over here so, in addition to being all of the aforementioned things, these gift ideas are also quite useful!

8. speaking of meteorological vortexes, this next shop is called the angry weather. iveth morales offers up a cute-as-heck selection of jewelry that is sure to please at least one person on your list!

9. for witty t-shirts, printed right here in la metropole, take a look at wopbobalubob. even though i'm a little over the zombie thing myself (hang out with psychobillies for a few years and you will be too!), they have a variety of tees for the zombie-lover and/or geek on your list!

10. for a small but wonderful selection of fresh, yummy, body care products, have a look at thera pi! 

Posted in: artisans,etsy,gift guide,holiday,montreal,montreal artisans,montreal businesses,montreal crafts,montreal shopping,motreal etsy,quebec,small business