The holiday season is starting now, and we’re definitely going to have to start thinking about gifts. The wind is getting colder and colder; we’ve pulled out our gloves, and it’s going to snow on Friday. Since we’re very organized, we’re making a list of all the people we love and for whom we’re going to knit striped scarves for the holidays.
And since we love so many people, we’ve made a list of gifts to buy at our favorite shops in Montreal. Under $50, under $100, under $200, and some truly extravagant luxury items.
We also recommend checking out Montreal’s prettiest holiday markets—our calendar is here.
All prices are before taxes (we’re journalists, not mathematicians). And anyway, when you love someone, you don’t count the cost, right?
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2026 MONTREAL GIFT GUIDE
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GIFTS FOR $50 OR LESS
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VICTORIA’S SECRET’S CHRISTMAS LIP GLOSS CAROUSEL, $49.95
Whether to hang on the tree, place under the tree, or wear one after another leading up to Christmas, you can’t beat a holiday-themed lip gloss. And for a touch of the 2010s and lots of glitter, we’re heading to Victoria’s Secret. The lip glosses have a festive flair and are very nostalgic: Twinkling Cranberry, Gingerbread Glitz, Sparkling Candy Cane, Rosé Bubbly, and Sugared Shortbread. You can buy them online or in-store at Victoria’s Secret (1171 Sainte-Catherine Street West).
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A KNITTING CLASS FOR BEGINNERS, $40
Because knitting is very sexy and good for your cognitive abilities. And for those who trust us and really want to receive a knitted scarf or sweater next Christmas, there’s an option for 6 two-hour classes for $156. Les Laines Biscotte, at 4158 Saint-Laurent Boulevard
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THE BOOK “EARTHRISE: FROM EARTH TO THE MOON” BY JEREMY HANSEN, $36.95
“We were ready for the flyby of the Moon. The next day, we were going to get as close as possible to the lunar surface, circle the Moon via its far side, reestablish communications with Earth, observe a solar eclipse, and head back toward our home planet—all in a single day. It was as if my seventeen years of training to become an astronaut had been condensed into twenty-four hours. I was extremely focused on the mission, but I felt a sense of happiness welling up inside me, a kind of luminous surge. It took me a second to recognize that feeling. It was the one I’d been talking about for so long. It was the one that should be our reason for living: joy. ” — Jeremy Hansen, *Earthrise* The spectacular account of Artemis II, the first human expedition into deep space in fifty years, told from the unique perspective of Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen (via Renaud Bray)
You can buy it online, at Renaud Bray, and in bookstores across Montreal,
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GIFTS FOR $100 OR LESS
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THE LIMITED-EDITION “SAPIN” FRAGRANCE SPRAY FROM DIPTYQUE, $74
To make it feel like Christmas all year round for our friends who love camping almost as much as we do, we’re giving them the best version of a pine-scented fragrance. It’s pretty, it smells great, and it’s a little bit luxurious. It’s available at Rennai, online, or at Royalmount.
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THE GIANT “WABAR” SCARF FROM KOTN, $88
To keep our loved ones warm, we’re obviously heading to the Egyptian brand Kotn. You can order the scarf online or visit the store in Mile End (29 Saint-Viateur Street) or in Little Burgundy (2451 Notre-Dame Street West).
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BRI FOSTER’S “DEVIL” DOLL, $100
This doll, which comes in several colors, is somewhat iconic in Montreal because its creator, Bri Foster, is one of the city’s most beloved artists. It’s for our stylish friends who live here or elsewhere, to replace those ugly Labubus dolls with an artist’s creation, for our friends who only wear black, and for our cool little sisters. You can order them online or buy them at Annex Vintage and other Montreal boutiques.
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A “HEMLOCK SHADE” CREAM PERFUME FROM LVNEA, $66
For a touch of luxury and for our sexiest friends, we recommend giving a cream perfume from the ultra-luxurious Montreal perfumery LVNEA. Our favorite is HEMLOCK SHADE: hemlock, black spruce, and sandalwood. You can also give a “SAMPLE SET” of all the available cream perfumes for $108. You can order online or go check out the entire selection in person at LVNEA (160 Saint-Viateur Street East #108).
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GIFTS FOR $200 OR LESS
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THE “LAMB” NECKLACE BY VEGEVEDGE, $150
We love Vegevedge for its Montreal-made jewelry and for pieces that are a bit like talismans to keep our loved ones, friends, and family close to our hearts. We love their silver “charms,” their colorful necklaces, and—for Christmas—this pretty necklace featuring a lamb (not a sacrificial one) to keep nice and warm around your neck all year long. You can order it online, and we recommend stopping by to see the artist at Marianne Fest this year (December 5 & 6).
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CHRISTMAS PAJAMAS FROM SIMON’S, $110
For a Christmas pajama set to wear all winter long, we want it to be warm and soft—and just a tiny bit too big. A sure bet is the flannel set from Simon’s Homme de brand, the 31. This year, it comes in blue, red, or navy and white. You can buy it online or in-store.
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THE GIANT THREE-HOLE CUSHION FROM COUSSIN COOL, $200
For comfort that makes the apartment a little fancier—and because we all know someone who loves to sleep wrapped around a pillow like a snake—we’re going to pick up a giant pillow from Coussin Cool online or at Bref (261 Bernard Street West)
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ULTRA-LUXURY FOR THOSE WHO’VE BEEN REALLY, REALLY GOOD
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THE “ESLA” BALLERINA FLATS FROM MAGUIRE, $260
The new ballet flats from Maguire are kind of like tabi socks but way cooler, and the sand-colored snakeskin version really catches our eye. We might just treat ourselves to this gift. We’ve been good—really good—this year. You can buy them at the Mile End store (5365 Saint-Laurent Boulevard) or online.
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6 “INTRO TO FOLK FIGURES” CLASSES AT STUDIO LES COMMUNS, $325 ($300 for early birds)
The classes, which begin on January 6, 2027, are held in the evenings for six weeks and are an introductory course for those who want to create a folk-art ceramic figure from start to finish. It’s for creative types and dreamers, and anyone who wants to get their hands dirty with clay. You can book classes online here. Les Studios Communs is located at 5333 Casgrain Street.
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