Beautiful artisanal chocolates add some sparkle to the holiday.

Credit: Raven Rising Global Indigenous Chocolates

The Essential Sudbury Holiday Gift Guide 2023

Looking for something unique to give this holiday season? Try these 12 gifts, goodies and experiences from Sudbury shops and venues that will feel as great to give as they will to receive.

christmas themed chocolates and their packaging

Beautiful artisanal chocolates add some sparkle to the holiday.

Credit: Raven Rising Global Indigenous Chocolates

By Celeste Percy-Beauregard Celeste Percy-Beauregard is an Ontario-based writer.

November 7, 2023

It's now officially the holiday shopping season! For locals and visitors to Sudbury, Ontario, we've rounded up the best and most interesting gifts to check out at your favourite shops and venues around town.

To help you get started (or finished, if you’re incredibly well-organized), here are 12 locally-made items to delight everyone on your list — from the host of a holiday party, to your beloved pet.

1. For the Pop-Culture Enthusiast: Alex Trebek Enamel Pin

an enamel pin of the head of white-haired, kindly-smiling Alex Trebek — Alex Trebek enamel pin from Up Here.

From: Up Here (online)

Who wouldn’t want this limited-edition enamel pin celebrating Alex Trebek?! Initially created in 2016 to honour everyone’s favourite Sudburian, it was re-released in 2019 to raise funds for Pancreatic Cancer Canada, and now it’s back once more! At 1-inch, it is slightly larger than previous versions, and just as fabulous.

2. For the Beer Lover: 4L Stainless Growler

Give the gift of great draught with this handsome growler from Forty Six North.

From: Forty Six North Brewing, 1275 Kelly Lake Road Unit 1, Sudbury, Ontario

Fans of this local brewery can take their hosting up a notch with a branded, premium double-wall, stainless steel vessel that holds the equivalent of two large growlers. It pours like a classic glass growler, or can be paired with a dispensing system, like this fancy stainless steel electric pump. Bonus: the recipient receives a lifetime $5 off refills at the brewery when using this growler!

3. For the Hostess With the Mostest: Beer in Support of Local Charities

2 refridgerator shelves filled with cans of Stacks Brewing Blonde Ale — A delicious beer with a heartwarming bonus.

From: Stack Brewing, 947 Falconbridge Rd, Sudbury, Ontario

Not sure what to bring to a holiday party? Grab a six-pack of the 92.7 Rock Blonde Ale from this award-winning brewery – a portion of proceeds goes toward the Sudbury Charities Foundation. Additional specialties include an Altbier, Black IPA, Wheat Ale and Sour Hibiscus Belgian.

4. For the Bestie in Need of Self-Care: Drinking Chocolate With Mushrooms

jar with white lid and label that reads "drinking chocolate with mushrooms" on a white wooden background — Feel-good chocolate brought to you by Good Luck General Store.

From: Good Luck General Store, 170 Elgin St, Sudbury, Ontario

Hot Chocolate that’s good for you? Yes, please! This adaptogenic drinking chocolate infused with herbs, reishi, chaga and pine pollen, claims to energize and transform – the perfect balm for the winter months! This shop also carries an impressive selection of giftable plants, incense, and tarot decks.

5. For the Tiny Human: Janod Sloth Balance Game

Janod sloth balance game; a series of wooden and painted cutouts shaped like a cute sloth, toucan, leaves, pegs and a branch. — The Janod Sloth Balance Game is a fun way to teach young hands and minds.

From: Jump! The Baby Store, Unit 3, 1338 Kingsway Blvd., Sudbury, Ontario

Got little ones to buy for? This is a one-stop shop for babies and kids, carrying everything from strollers and essentials to apparel, toys and games! This particular strategy game is perfect for individual play or groups, with a suggested age of 3-8. It’s perfect for developing dexterity and patience, and is made of wood from sustainably managed forests – plus it looks so cute!

6. For the Movie Buff: A Membership to Sudbury Indie Cinema

Sudbury Indie Cinema offers fun and unique viewing experiences all year long.

From: Sudbury Indie Cinema, 162 MacKenzie St, Greater Sudbury, Ontario

In gifting a membership, you’re actually giving the recipient part-ownership to this member-owned arts and culture hub. This single-screen theatre offers an exciting program of around 800 public screenings a year, including new independent films from Canada and beyond, as well as classics like The Wizard of Oz, and special events like the Saturday Morning All-You-Can-Eat Cereal Cartoon.

7. For the Chocolate Lover: Hand-Crafted Pour-over Set

3 pourover coffee sets in white, cream and dark brown, displayed with small wooden boxes. — The ease of pour-over coffee brought to you in hand-crafted style.

From: Amberhill Gallery & Gift Shop, 601 Kathleen Street Greater Sudbury, Ontario

These sets, beautifully handcrafted in Sudbury by Brch Ceramics Studio, are both functional and display-worthy. The pitchers hold 16 oz of coffee and they are dishwasher and microwave-safe. At this gift shop, you can easily knock several people off your list, because their range of products runs from hand-dyed merino yarn to tangerine-flavoured cotton candy.

8. For the Fur Baby: Homemade Healthy Dog Treats

a wooden display shelf showing a bag of home-made peanut butter dog treats, a turquoise wall plaque with a leash hook on it that says "time to walk the humans" in white, and a small Where's Waldo toy hidden next to that. — Both owner and pup will feel good about the treats from True North Made.

From: True North Made, New Sudbury Centre, 1349 Lasalle Blvd, Greater Sudbury, Ontario

This company – started by a couple from Sudbury in 2018 – produces small-batch pup treats in four different dog-approved flavours: pumpkin, peanut butter, blueberry and beef liver. With two different treat sizes to choose from, they’re appropriate for small and large doggos, and the ingredients are wholesome and simple, for instance, the ingredient list for the beef liver treat is: beef liver. Can't go wrong with that.

9. For the Grandparents Who Have Everything: A Membership to Dynamic Earth

a grandfather and grand daughter smiling and playing with remote train controls at an interactive display at Dynamic Earth — Time together plus educational fun? Done.

From: Dynamic Earth, 122 Big Nickel Road, Sudbury, Ontario

Who doesn’t love a two-in-one gift?! The grandparents' annual membership gives unlimited access to Science North and Dynamic Earth for two grandparents, accompanied by up to two grandkids aged 17 and under. Additional perks include discounts on merchandise, unlimited free parking at both locations, and discounts on other local attractions!

10. For the Aspiring Baker: Speedy Cinnamon Roll Mix

a bag of cinnamon roll mix with a picture of delicious-looking cinnamon rolls on it — Home-baked deliciousness without the trouble, found at Stitch & Stone.

From: Stitch & Stone, 1332 Kingsway, Sudbury, Ontario

While technically a clothing store, this shop also carries face and body products and home goods – including a drool-worthy selection of these easy-peasy baking mixes. With simple ingredients (like red spring wheat from Quebec), these mixes quickly turn into bakery-quality treats, and can even be made vegan.

11. For the Fitness Enthusiast: A Punch Pass for Indoor Rock-Climbing and Yoga

a collage showing happy people climbing on a climbing wall and doing yoga — A punch pass from Arc Climbing & Yoga is a simple gift that offers a ton of variety.

From: Arc Climbing & Yoga, 1981 Old Burwash Road, Sudbury, Ontario

In addition to 35-foot climbing walls and an extensive bouldering section, this spot offers a variety of yoga classes – prenatal, kids, aerial, hot power flow, and more! Each punch on the pass is good for a full day of unlimited yoga and climbing, and with five auto-belayers, folks who want to, can climb independently.

12. For Folks Who You Don't Know That Well: Small-Batch Chocolates

3 gift boxes of elegantly displayed chocolates, 4 choclates in each box. The chocolates are bright colours with elaborate patterns; 1 red and shaped like lips, 1 green, 1 marbled sky blue and one caramel brown. — It's hard not to feel pampered while eating these elegant and indulgent treats from Raven Rising.

From: Raven Rising, 66 Cedar Street, Sudbury, Ontario

These local, Indigenous-made bonbons are works of art that look almost (ALMOST) too good to eat! Chef Tammy Maki’s chocolate creations feature traditional ingredients ranging from elderberry and hickory to alder catkin. While they make for impressive host gifts or stocking stuffers, these delicious delicacies are also the perfect gift for the folks on your list you might not know too well – think teachers, neighbours or the letter carrier.

Need more ideas? Check out our previous gift guides for more local gems!

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About Celeste Percy-Beauregard

Celeste Percy-Beauregard is an Ontario-based writer who discovered just how large our province is when she travelled across it in a cube truck performing children’s theatre and eating all of the poutines along the way.