Our gift guide for your fellow docs, staff, family and friends

Goofy gifts Want to both enjoy some inspiration from the father of Canadian universal healthcare and dry your dishes? Check out this Tommy Douglas tea towel! Doctors often need to have strong stomachs, but some also giggle at the gross-out factor. Sound like a colleague of yours? This candy that looks like a urine sample might just be the right level of ridiculous for them. For a tamer option, check out this prescription coffee mug. Is a doctor ever really off duty? We certainly hope you get the time to rest over the holidays, and these silly socks will let everyone know you’re not to be disturbed. Gifts with meaning The rest of the world’s problems didn’t screech to a halt to make room for COVID and the massive resources addressing it demanded. This year, think about giving your colleagues something with a connection to a cause that may be getting somewhat lost in the shuffle. Have a colleague who’s passionate about food security? Find a local organization fighting for it and donate on their behalf, like Food Stash Foundation based in Vancouver. The Red Purse Collection is designed to honour and raise awareness of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, with a portion of proceeds going to “support services for Indigenous women fleeing domestic violence or programming intended to empower Indigenous women and girls.” Gifts of comfort What’s cozier than escaping into a good book? Escaping into a good book from a local independent bookstore. Penguin Random House Canada has list of such booksellers providing local delivery and curbside pickup. Know someone who needs a little #shelfcare? Perhaps those books would be better enjoyed on a new sofa? Having spent *cough* rather a lot of time at home in the last couple of years, a little spruce up of the old living room might be nice. Wanna keep it local? Furniture from Kavuus and casalife are made in Canada. Keeping with the local theme, Savvy Company features subscriptions of wines, ciders, coffee and even cheese. Want to share a glass and a bite with colleagues, but not comfortable heading back into your local wine bar yet? Savvy has virtual tastings, with bevvies delivered to your door and sommeliers over Zoom. Gifts of renewal We’ve all seen the headlines about how some docs and even pharmacists are prescribing time in nature to benefit patients’ mental health. But when was the last time you went for a really good hike? Parks Canada features a Discovery Pass that gives you access to parks, historic sites and even some marine conservation areas. And with the new year barreling towards us, conversations about resolutions are all but inevitable. People may be thinking about ways to get moving, learn new skills and revive old ones. But if you’re not sure whether the people on your list will want 2022 to be filled with martial arts or barre class, look to ClassPass, where users can try loads of different workouts and other healthful activities without necessarily having to commit to something they know nothing about. Send those cards I’m not going to make the inevitable joke about doctors’ handwriting (although I think I just did), but seriously, crack open that box of holiday cards you bought on sale in January three years ago and tell folks you’re thinking of them. It’s been an unrelenting year, and for many, the idea of dealing with a list of gifts to buy will likely be too much. But writing a few words of warmth, love or even a simple thanks can mean so much. Plus, mail makes staying close to home a lot more fun. So, use up some stamps and spread a little joy. We hope you get it back tenfold in return.

Our gift guide for your fellow docs, staff, family and friends

Register for free access or login.

Related Topics