It’s December, and that means the holidays are right around the corner. With so many amazing choices for the ones in your life, how do you chose just the right gift? We’ve rounded out our list of must have items that are sure to please the foodie, fashionista and music lovers in your life. But did I also mention that one lucky Canadian will WIN every single items in our list, valued at over $2,200 CAD?!
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 Tablet– $499.99
You’ll have seen that I recently included this table in my travel must have items that I never leave the country without. Its sleek design and ability to be my portable link to the world have made this one of my favorite items of the year. “With vivid Super AMOLED screens, the new Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 is ready for work, play, and everything in between.” An android operating system, an incredible camera, and so many other reasons make this a gift for the gadget lover that will for certain make this Christmas the best one yet! And whilst we’re on the topic of travel gifts, I’ve found that t-shirt blankets are becoming much more popular recently! These make for ideal gifts for keen travelers as they can keep cozy and warm wherever they may be. From the airport lounge to the plane and perhaps even in their hotel room, this blanket will be a great addition to their travel essentials but because it’s customizable, it can also remind them of all the things they love too.
- Mistura Holiday Gift Set– $75.95
Beauty products have always been a great gift for those in my life. Having recently been introduced to Mistura Beauty Solutions, I quickly came to realize that this Canadian company had so many incredible products to help you feel your best. You’ll have seen them on Dragon’s Den and since their television appearance, it’s been an exciting time for the brand.
“Our flagship product has revolutionized how women feel about makeup. With results possible in under one minute, our amazing “magic powder” offers a perfect airbrushed finish every time! Our all-in-one formula self-adjusts to ALL SKIN TONES and eliminates the need to use a concealer, foundation, blush and bronzer and can also be used a lip and eye color. Featuring our exclusive Miracle Match Color Blend Technology®”
The holiday gift set is the perfect introduction to Mistura – and I can assure you that once you’ve tried their products for yourself, you won’t know how you ever used anything else!
- Keurig KOLD– $399.00
This is my new home appliance obsession as you may remember from our recent feature. The Keurig KOLD has helped to create delicious carbonated beverages in my home and can do the same for yours over the holidays and all year long.
“Make a Coca-Cola®. Make a Sprite®. Make a Canada Dry®. With a variety of beverages to choose from you can make perfectly chilled craft sodas, carbonated waters, iced teas, sports drinks and more. All at the push of a button.”
- ZWILLING Pro Starter Set– $250.00
There are, nor will there ever be, any better knifes on the market than ZWILLING J.A. HENCKELS Canada in my opinion. This company is something that I actually have a strong affinity to dating back to my grandparents immigrating from Germany and purchasing them as their first set of professional knifes. There is something to be said for longevity, quality and craftsmanship – all of which are embodied in ZWILLING. The Pro Starter Set is the perfect gift for the foodie in your life that enjoys being in the kitchen and deserves only the best. If you’re looking for the best knifes on the market, ZWILLING will always be my #1 recommendation.
“This basic set is ideal for someone just starting out in the kitchen, an excellent entry piece for those beginning their journey into the world of premium quality knives. Each knife is made from a single piece of Special Formula “No Stain” German stainless steel, FRIODUR® ice-hardened with an acute laser-controlled cutting edge.”
- BENCH Canada– $200.00
BENCH is, and has been, a huge part of my wardrobe in my twenties, and now into my early thirties. From a brand that once epitomized the younger generations, now it encompasses a wide range of clothing and accessories to suit many different lifestyles. With an amazing online store and retail locations across the country, there are always new items arriving regularly. And, if you’re like me and can’t decide on just one thing for your friends and family, gift cards make a GREAT gift idea. That’s why I included a $200 Gift Card into this list of Christmas must haves to shop and enjoy one of my favourite brands to your heart’s content!
- Kérastase Canada Men’s Products– $150.00
The men of the world have come to realize over the last few years that it was time to use quality products on their face and hair to look their best. With so many hair products to chose from, Julio & I are always using Kérastase Canada’s Men’s products which are formulated to suit the needs of a man’s hair. Expertly crafted, they also smell amazing! And let’s be honest, who doesn’t judge a hair product almost immediately based on how it smells? From the shower to creating our unique hair styles, there is no other product I would recommend for the men in your life. It’s why we are featuring the entire line of men’s products in this year’s must have items – because boys, you too deserve to feel beautiful.
- Sanuk Shoes– $200.00
Shoes. We all need them, and some of us (aka Julio) love them more than anything else. It’s why we chose Sanuk as our favourite shoe of the year to include in this year’s holiday must haves. This west coast company started off in the surfing culture of California and has quickly grown to be a lifestyle shoe to meet the needs of consumers around the world. Be it the technology of their shoe soles to their fashionable prints for that trip to a warmer climate, I now own several pairs of Sanuk shoes and would encourage you to see why I love them so much. Though we noted $200 as the value of this prize, it’s actually any pair of shoes you find on www.shopsanuk.ca no matter what the price – any pair you want is yours to fall in love with thanks to our friends at Sanuk!
- Simone Denny & Marianas Trench albums – $20
Music is a huge part of my life and has helped to mark special moments in my life. This year, our two favourite albums are Canadian!
“Best known as the lead singer of Platinum-selling Canadian group Love Inc., Denny departs from Dance music to embrace her soulful side for her first full-length release. The album blends elements of R&B, Rock and Roll and 60’s Soul to produce 10 emotional and captivating tracks, including the lead track “Your Love Fades Away.” Soulful and incredibly moving, this is an album that will speak to your heart. If you’re a hopeless romantic like me, it’s soon to be one of your favourite albums!
Simone Denny – Stereo Dynamite Sessions Vol. 1
$9.99 on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/stereo-dynamite-sessions-vol./id1044882944
These boys need no introduction – Marianas Trench embody a fun and energetic sentiment. Their latest addition to their music repertoire helps to get you dancing, singing and laughing all at the same time. Catchy songs and hilarious music videos are just a few of the things you can expect from our favourite pop rock albums of the year!
Marianas Trench – Astoria
$9.99 on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/astoria/id1040618675
- Jabra Eclipse– $169.95
I have to admit that I have purchased most of the family of Jabra products for Julio & I over the years since I was introduced to the brand. The Jabra Eclipse is perfect for the active person in your life and the music lover in you:
- Premium music-grade speaker
- HD Voice* for high definition sound quality
- Their lightest ever headset, weighing only 5.5 g / 0.19 oz
- The portable charging case allows you to store your headset and charge on-the-go
- Up to 10 hours of talk time with the charging case (up to 3 hours on headset alone without charging case) and up to 7 days standby time
- Button-free headset interaction
- NFC** for easy pairing
- Dual microphones for noise cancellation
- Smartphone voice control with Siri / Google Now
Available exclusively at Canadian Tire, the SPRI Ignite Resistance Tube Combo Kit is the perfect gift for those in your life that are just starting on their fitness journey and need a comfortable introduction to resistance training. Convenience is key when starting towards a new or more advanced fitness goal and this is the perfect gift for you and the ones you love this year – those New Year’s Resolutions are coming!
“For the complete gym experience all in one convenient bag, SPRI’s Resistance Tube Combo Kit allows you to Isolate target muscle groups through full range of motion to strengthen and tone arms, chest, shoulders and back. Choose between five versatile resistance levels. Includes 10lb, 30lb and 50lb resistance tubes, two quick select flex motion handles, nylon door attachment, carry bag and a downloadable exercise guide.”
- Alcatel IDOL 3 cellphone– $279.00
For those of you who have yet to be introduced to Alcatel, I can assure you that their technology will blow you away. As a manufacturer of mobile devices (among many other items), they launched the IDOL 3 5.5 in June of 2015 and it is one of favourite mobile devices of the year!
“Offering dual-front facing speakers featuring JBL Audio, a 5.5-inch Full-HD display with technicolor enhance technology and a 2910mAh battery to power through a full day’s use, the IDOL 3 offers consumers the best experience for their money. The IDOL 3 also comes packed with other unique features, such as a fully reversible user interface that makes the screen adaptive to be right side up even if the phone itself is upside down. In terms of camera capabilities, the IDOL 3 has a 13MP main camera and 8MP wide-angle front camera. IDOL 3 is also the first smartphone in North America to include the innovative security feature Eye-D – a biometric technology that uses eye print verification for secure authentication to unlock a user’s device with a simple selfie.”
And let’s be honest, you are about to make not just their holidays, but their entire year by buying them an incredible new mobile device!
- Philips Airfryer– $249.99
You have never seen something quite like this and I can assure you I have bought a few of these for family members in our lives – fried food without the frying? SIGN ME UP.
- Featuring Rapid Air Technology, the Philips Airfryer circulates hot air with speed and precision for perfect results with less oil
- Adjustable temperature control up to 390 degrees allows you to cook a variety of food
- 30-minute timer with ready signal and auto shut-off
- Dishwasher-safe parts for a quick and easy clean up
- 1.8lb cooking basket capacity
- Recipe booklet with more than 25 delicious recipes created exclusively for the Philips Airfryer
This is hands down one of my favourite Philips items. Ever. And it’s ability to revolutionize your cooking habits and health make it a win win situation in the kitchen all year round! You can even find other awesome appliances if you know where to look. For example, you can check out this kitchen appliance holiday gift guide from Instant Mealtime as well as other guides.
So… who wants to WIN the entire #DTDxmas Holiday Gift Guide worth over $2,200 just in time for the holidays?! Being that it is such an amazing prize, I am giving you three ways to enter:
Enter Via Twitter:
Follow @DoTheDaniel, @SamsungCanada, @Mistura, @KeurigCanada, @Zwilling_CA, @BenchCanada,
@KerastaseCanada, @SanukFootwear, @Jabra_US & @alcatelotcanada on Twitter.
Once followed, tweet the following:
The best way to celebrate the Holidays is to #WIN @DoTheDaniel’s entire #DTDxmas Gift Guide #Contest worth $2,200! http://bit.ly/1TzKEgd
AND because we are feeling generous, there is NO tweet restriction for the duration of the contest. Each tweet will count as ONE entry.
Enter Via Instagram:
Follow @DoTheDaniel, @SamsungCanada, @MisturaBeauty, @KeurigCanada, @Zwilling_CA, @BenchCanada, @KerastaseCanada, @SanukFootwear, @Jabra & @alcatelonetouchcanadaon Instagram.
Post a photo of your Christmas Tree or Holiday decorations. In the comment area of the photo, write the following. Remember to tag @DoTheDaniel as well to ensure I see your entry!
Dear @DoTheDaniel, I want to win your entire #DTDxmas Gift Guide #Contest worth over $2,200! More details on DoTheDaniel.com
Remember to tag @DoTheDaniel in the photo as well to ensure I see your entry!
Enter Via Facebook:
Like” The DoTheDaniel.com Facebook Page
On this blog link in the comment section, tell me why you’d love to win this incredible prize for you and the ones you love.
Enter in all three ways to increase your chances!
NO tweet restrictions per twitter account – each tweet will count as ONE entry. Winners must be following all twitter accounts as listed in Step # 1 to be deemed valid entry on Twitter. Contest odds depend on how many valid entries are received. Contest will run until Tuesday, December 15th 2015 at 5:00pm EST. ONE winner will be chosen at random and announced via @DoTheDaniel’s Twitter / Instagram / Facebook Page on Tuesday, December 15th 2015 at 5:00pm EST. Prizes cannot be redeemed for cash value. Contest winner will be contacted via Twitter (or alternate social media) and subsequently emailed instructions on how to have prizes sent to them. Prizes will be separately from all participating brands and winner’s should expect several deliveries to arrive before the holidays. Receipt of prizes is dependent on how quickly winner responds. Contest open to Canadian residents only. **
For more behind the scenes of this and other amazing brands we are working with around the world, make sure to follow along with the #DoTheDaniel Instagram account. We would love to have you join on our adventures!
Photos: All brands listed & Daniel Desforges
Good Luck!
Cheers!