Home for the holidays, Part II: Family time

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Gift guide ideas for family members of all ages

The holidays are, most of all, a time for families to savour time together. We’ve pulled together some great gift ideas for family members of all ages, and interests, including the ones who are hard to buy for. There’s something here to please everyone on your list. Bonus: none of these ideas will break the bank.

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Drew Barrymore Personal Blender

For the health-conscious on your list, Drew Barrymore’s 12-piece personal blender is perfect for mixing up fresh smoothies and taking them with you, with the included 16 oz. travel mug and Drew’s exclusive No Drippy Sippy design, featuring a dishwasher-safe straw and twist-off lid. It’s just the right size for packing in a gym bag or toting on the subway to work. The complete set includes several sizes of blending cups and lids and a stainless steel blending blade sturdy enough to grind coffee beans and spices. Walmart, $40, walmart.ca

Bluey Transforming Airplane

Bluey the Australian blue heeler puppy is a huge hit with young kids, and the Bluey 3-in-1 Transforming Playset takes Bluey, her little sister Bingo, and the whole family wherever your pint-sized Bluey fan can take them. The 3-in-1 playset transforms from a plane to a resort to a boat and features sounds and phrases from the show, play pieces and more. Mastermind, $90,mastermindtoys.com.

Warmy by Magic Bag

Magic Bag’s line of Warmy hot and cold compresses shaped like cuddly animals is a wonderful way to soothe a tummy ache, cool a fever or just help a little one get off to sleep. The company has just added three brand-new animals to the selection: Sam the Cat, Theo the Rabbit, and Noa the Bear. Magic Bag, $17-$25, magicbag.com.

Wooden Ukulele Mount

Trust Etsy to have the perfect gift for the truly hard-to-buy-for person on your list. Here’s a cleverly designed wall mount for a ukulele, keeping their precious instrument safely off the floor and at the ready for the next luau. (Ukulele not included!) Etsy, $200, etsy.ca.

IKEA Bathrobe

Ikea’s Mävinn bathrobe is more than just a super-comfy one-size-fits-all cotton bathrobe, to pull on after a shower or for lounging around in on Christmas morning, but it supports a worthy cause at the same time. The bathrobe is produced by the social business Rangsutra in India, which creates long-term livelihoods for women from villages and small towns across the country. IKEA, $30, ikea.ca.

Faux Fur Throw

This high-quality, cozy throw by Luxe Faux Fur has to be felt to be believed – it’s as soft and plush as the real thing. The throw’s generous 50-by-60-inch size is perfect for pulling over your shoulders while lounging by the fire, or draping over a bed for extra warmth. Other designs in the collection include lynx, leopard, and a range of solid colours – and not a trace of cruelty anywhere. Rona, starting at $30, rona.ca.

Play Teepee

This adorable teepee from Costway is the perfect size for a special hideaway for kids three and up, with just enough room for a friend and maybe a pet (live, stuffed or imaginary). Made of soft, non-toxic canvas with sturdy wood poles, and completely free of chemicals and harmful substances, the teepee is stable and easy to set up indoors or out. It even has a window for surveying the landscape. Rona, $129, rona.ca.

Digital Kids’ Camera

The Zostuic Digital Camera may be designed for kids, but it’s powerful enough to provide 16X zoom power, a range of features for better pictures and videos, and a full 32G of memory using the included SD card. Perfect for your budding Steven Spielberg or Annie Leibovitz, the rechargeable camera (no batteries needed!) comes in pink or green. Walmart, $50, Walmart.ca.

Light Therapy Lamp

It’s a well-known fact that the gloomy days of winter can have a marked effect on our moods, and even our mental health. Banish the winter blahs with the Verilux HappyLight Alba Therapy Lamp. This attractive, desk-sized lamp is specially designed to reproduce the bright, pure white light of the sun, triggering the release of natural hormones that lift mood and actually improve health and wellbeing. It’s great for reading, working or simply relaxing. Home Depot, $80, home depot.ca.

“The North” Candle

The Vancouver Candle Company’s Great White North Collection perfectly captures the spirit of the Canadian landscape. One of the company’s newest offerings, The North, blends the essences of earthy cedarwood, smoky birch, and subtle notes of sweet amber, instantly evoking the comfort of relaxing by a roaring fire while the snow falls gently outside. Vancouver Candle Company, $48, vancouvercandleco.com.

Cocktail Set

For the sophisticate on yoru list, this refined cocktail making kit comes in an elegant box and includes an ice thong, a Hawthorne strainer and a jigger, the perfect tools to create the perfect cocktail. All tools are stainless steel and dishwasher safe. Hibou, $95, shophibou.com.