Dashing Dad’s Holiday Gift Guide

Nov 18, 2018

7 min read

I can’t believe it’s almost Christmas. I recently wrote about long days, short years and man it just keeps blowing my mind. None-the-less, Christmas is almost here and I’ve been working hard this past month to put together the first Dashing Dad Holiday Gift Guide! I’ve teamed up with some awesome local retailers to showcase great gifts in Calgary for everyone in your family.

ALSO, everyone on my e-mail list will be getting sent discount codes from some of the vendors featured here including ManDay Grooming, Milk Jar Candle Co, Golf Is Mental, Stacked Fabric Company and Simply Love and one lucky winner will WIN a gift certificate from Pie Junkie and Bakery!

Want access to these sweet discounts and a chance to win? Sign up for the Dashing Dad Inner Circle today!

Simply Love

Simply Love is a local Calgary children’s clothing company run by a woman named Ann. Dashing Mom and I love her stuff so much that Clara is often seen modelling Simply Love clothes. In fact, Ann’s leggings were the first thing Clara wore home from the hospital after being born.

Simply Love is, in Ann’s own words:

I love creating pieces that are high quality and made from sustainable materials. I want to create pieces that are going to last and perfect for handing down from child to child. I also strive to keep pieces fairly gender neutral, even though I do have a few ruffles here and there, I have almost seen every print on both genders. I want you to love every piece you have and it to last for multiple children.

So this Christmas, why not order some clothes for the kids in your life? Subscribers to my e-mail list will get a discount code for Simply Love’s shop, so sign up now!

Leggings from Simply Love – $25

One of Simply Love’s Rompers – $45

ManDay Grooming

Ask any man with a beard that lives in Calgary and they’ll tell you how our dry weather makes their beard super dry and itchy. I may not have the most full and luxurious beard around, but I certainly know the feeling. That’s why last year I started using beard oil from local guys ManDay Grooming and I have been super impressed with the results.

As I was preparing this gift guide I was surprised to find that they also have pomade, cologne, and soap that they tell me are selling almost as fast as they can stock them. So if you’re looking for a gift or stocking stuffer for the guy in your life check out the grooming products from ManDay Grooming. Additionally, subscribers to my Inner Circle will get access to a discount code from ManDay Grooming so sign up now!

Soap from ManDay Grooming – $10

Golf Is Mental

Josh sporting “The Persimmon”

My brother-in-law Josh has been writing a golf blog for a number of years now and has just recently jumped into the hat game. As he puts it, Golf Is Mental is not just a golf blog, it’s a lifestyle. So whether you – or the golfer in your life – wants to look stylish on the course or off, a hat from Golf Is Mental is the perfect fit (pun intended). I personally own the “G” Flat Brim and have been seen rocking it everywhere from the course to the Peace Bridge to mountain hikes.

Just in time for the holiday season, Josh has released the “Peak Performer” line of hats, and they may just be the best yet. If you sign up for my Inner Circle you’ll be able to pick one of these bad boys up with a discount code from the Golf Is Mental Hat shop, so sign up now!

The Peak Performer Lo Pro Trucker $30

Milk Jar Candle Co

Milk Jar Candle Co, is the kind of local company I’m proud to feature. Not only are their soy candles free of paraffin wax, palm wax and dyes, but the driving force behind the company is to give back to the community. That’s why $1 of every candle sold is donated to special needs programs for youth in Calgary.

If you’re looking for a candle for the man in your life, check out Dandy, Suede and/or Night Cap. The ladies in your life might like Hygge, Moonlight or nude.

They also have some great collaborative candles with Local Laundry, Ten Foot Henry and Four20.

Subscribers to my Inner Circle will get a discount code for Milk Jar Candle Co so you can load up on candles for you and your whole family! Sign up now!

Nude Scented Candle from Milk Jar Co – $29

Night Cap candle from Milk Jar Candle Co – $28

Stacked Fabric Company

A beautiful quilt made by Nikki, the owner of Stacked Fabric Company, adorns Clara’s room

Do you have a quilter in your life? I’m lucky enough to have a number of quilters in my family, which makes getting through the cold days of winter so much easier when there’s quilts all over our house.

Stacked Fabric Company is a Canadian online fabric store specializing in modern quilters cottons, exclusive quilt patterns and kits. They carry the largest selection of custom curated Fat Quarter Bundles in Canada. I don’t know what that means, but the quilters in my family tell me it’s awesome. If you’re looking for modern, fun, fresh fabric then Stacked Fabric Company has everything you need.

I love the idea of being able to make custom quilts from one of Stacked Fabrics Quilting Kits and we appreciate that so many of the quilts in our home are handmade. We literally wrap ourselves in love everyday.

Subscribers to my Inner Circle will get a discount code for Stacked Fabric Company so sign up now!

Here are a few of the many examples of products they sell.

Wholecloth Quilt Kit – Mountains and Flannel $40

The Peter Pan Collection

Liz & Lottie

Liz & Lottie is a Calgary store based in the East Village that sells a variety of amazing products. I was introduced to Nikki and Heidi via their entertaining Instagram account that showcases the fun they have and how much they truly enjoy what they do.

Taking up residency in Calgary’s newest, oldest community known as the East Village, Liz & Lottie emulates the character of the women who inspired its inception: warm, fun, welcoming and always on trend. We pride ourselves on supporting our community and providing Calgarians with chic, one-of-a-kind quality products to accessorize their lives.

Dashing Dad readers are invited to join Nikki and Heidi at their annual Christmas Open House on November 21st. They will be having a huge sale, with giveaways and prizes!

If you can’t make it to the open house, here are some hand-picked Christmas gift ideas.

Corkcicle Canteen in Metallic Rose – $50

I Like My Coffee Black Like My Soul Mug – $25

Lemon Collection Boot Slippers – Rose Smoke – $54

Local Laundry

Local Laundry are one of my favourite local companies and I was even fortunate enough to be featured on their blog. One of my favourite things about Local Laundry is their commitment to their community. For example, for everyone of their Giving Toques sold – featured below – they will donate one to a homeless organization across Canada. How awesome is that?

Additionally, they have made the switch to having all of their clothes made in Canada. Because as they say “When you buy a piece of Made in Canada clothing you are voting with your heart and wallet to support Canadian manufacturing, Canadian jobs and a diversified Canadian Economy.”

It’s always nice when you can buy something from a company that not only makes you look great, but helps support your local community.

The Giving Toque – $40.00

Introducing our first piece of The Local Collection, a 100% Crafted in Canada purpose-driven line of premium pieces.

The Giving Toque aims to keep people warm this winter, for every Made In Canada toque that we sell, we will donate one to a homeless organization across Canada.

The Local Crew – $80.00

This Made in Canada crewneck lets you represent Local on the smoothest and softest sweater you’ll ever wear.

Full cut crew with a cover seam neck composed of our finest ring spun yarn and fitted with comfort in mind. Everything on this crewneck sweatshirt was produced right here in Canada, even right down to the labels!

YYC Hoodie – $90.00

This Made in Canada crewneck lets you represent Calgary on the smoothest and softest sweater you’ll ever wear.

Full cut crew with a cover seam neck composed of our finest ring-spun50/50 Polyester Cotton blend with matching drawstring, pouch pocket and fitted with comfort in mind. Everything on this crewneck hoodie was produced right here in Canada, even right down to the labels!

Pie Junkie and Bakery

Who doesn’t love pie? There’s absolutely never a bad time for pie, but the holiday season makes it easier to eat and feel guilt free about. My Dad always used to say that he had never met a pie he didn’t like and that tradition has been passed down to us. In fact, Dashing Mom and I even had a wedding pie instead of a wedding cake.

Pie Junkie and Bakery is located in the SW part of the city and offers some amazing pies for every taste. Check out the Mini Pie Box and Savoury/Sweet Pie Box below, and don’t forget to sign up for my Inner Circle as Inner Circle members will have a chance to WIN a gift card to Pie Junkie and Bakery!

The Mini Pie Box and the Savoury/sweet Pie Boxes are both $60.00 each

The mini pie box from Pie Junkie and Bakery – $60

The savoury and sweet box from Pie Junkie and Bakery – $60

The 20 cm pies are $26.00 each and mini pies are $6.25 each with 6 fitting in the box below.

The 20 cm pies from Pie Junkie are just $26

Grizzled Bear

Grizzled Bear is a local Calgary company that I stumbled across at The Dude Show Expo and was quickly drawn to.

As a taller man finding clothes that fit me properly has always been a struggle. See me in real life and you’ll notice my sleeves are almost always rolled up and that’s because nine times out of ten they aren’t long enough to fit my gorilla arms. Grizzled Bear has gone though a tremendous amount of effort to solve this problem as well as the problem of clothes warping after being washed.

Combine their Adventure Hoodie, Active Lounger and Expedition Pants for the ultimate comfort package for lounging around the house binging Netflix or building a snow fort with the kids.

Adventure Hoodie – $116

Active Lounger – $68

Expedition Pants – $135

Don’t forget to sign up for my Inner Circle to get access to discounts from Milk Jar and Co, Golf Is Mental, ManDay Grooming and Simply Love and to be entered into a contest for a gift certificate from Pie Junkie!