Consumable gifts are great gifts, They don’t take up room in the house and you can splurge on something that’s a real treat for the giftee. If it’s made right here in Quebec keeping local families thriving, and keeping the money at home, even better.

The most comprehensive foodie shop of this type is in the Jean-Talon Market. “Le Marche des Saveurs du Quebec” sells all kinds of gourmet items from wine to salmon to pate and every kind of wild jam imaginable.

This airy bright jewel at the eastern corner near Henri-Julien street. The tastes run from black currant coulis, maple kiwi, maple ground cherry or pumpkin jam, pickled milkweed pods, cattail hearts, green ketchup, boar/port/prunes terrine, dandelion wine vinegar, smoked salmon and mango spread, chocolate covered sea salt, smoked mackerel rillettes, duck leg confit, crinkleroot hot mustard, Peppermaster hot sauces and – if you’re dying for some – smoked bison. You can pick up a picnic of prepared foods, wines, ciders and sorbet or ice cream for dessert.

Location: 280 Place du marche du nord
corner: Henri-Julien
Tel: 514-271-3811
Hours: Mon-Wed 9-6, Thurs & Fri 9-8, Sat & Sun 9-6
www.lemarchedessaveurs.com

If you can’t think of a gift to buy, the MList Card is one that you can give to anyone on your list. The recipient can use it all year long to save money as it has deals and offers from over 600 retail locations in the city like: Rod Roy ski school, movie passes, kitchenware at Ares, shoes at Globo, clothes at Schreters, coffee accessories at Tazza di Mattina and lots of restaurant meals. It costs only $30.

MList card is a product set up by the Montreal web site www.mummieslist.com. The site helps parents find things to do and buy in the city. The cards are sold through them by different organizations to help fundraise. In this instance, the donation will go to a good cause, a school, St Thomas High School. You will receive a wallet-size card and a key ring too. So it is possible for two people to have access to it.

Please use the code STH2016 in order for them to get their funds or use the direct link below.

http://www.mummieslist.com/buy-mummy-card/code=STH2016
www.mymlist.com USE code STH2016

Luggage is one of those areas where it’s so hard to shop as it is like comparing apples and oranges. Each brand has many many names of lines and – soft, hard, lightweight or even dufflebag types. The best way to shop for it, is to shop at a luggage store where the proprietor knows the products well and can steer you to the right one for your needs. Here in Montreal that could be either Jet-setter or J.P. Grimard .

The one thing owners Vince Mercureo at J.P. Grimard and Chuck Breger of Jet-setter let me know was that lightweight luggage means that structure/frame has been lightened. So aiming for the “lightest” is not a good idea. You need to balance light with strong-ish.

Will you be mostly using your luggage for driving or flying trips? If flying, you have to be aware of the baggage weight restrictions as the costs for overweight are getting higher. Even carry-ons will be weighed soon (some airlines are already doing this) and the size for carry-ons is getting smaller. Since airlines started charging fees for luggage, travelers are bringing more (and heavier) carry-ons. Airlines are interested in reducing weight to reduce fuel costs (and keeping those prices competitive for us).

Light feels wonderful when empty but you will still probably be filling it to the max of 44 lbs  (or 50 lbs. for Air Canada) whether your luggage started out as 6 lbs or 9 lbs.

If your luggage is very light it will not survive when it is thrown around in the airport or if it is the bottom one on a pile of 4 or 5 pieces on a cart or conveyor belt. You need a decent frame to save it. A great tip by Vince, “Never pack it half empty” as it’s more crushable. Filling it up protects the case and the frame.

If you are only flying perhaps twice a year, buy a medium grade lightweight; Upgrade to better made models if you’re a frequent flyer.

I couldn’t exactly compare  size/weight as the height for a medium size varies between 24″, 25″ or 26″. Look at the width of the bag to see how much it really holds. In general, nylon is better than polyester and usually a 10″ zipper is stronger than a  8″.

Here are a few lightweight ones I found (at J.P. Grimard and Jetsetter) in order of weight: 5.3 lbs. Antler Aire, 6.8 lbs. (at Jetsetter), Samsonite Base Hits Ultralight 24″, 6.8 lbs. Delsey U-lite Classic,  7 lbs. Antler Cyber Lite, 8.1 (both stores), Delsey Helium Pilot (expandable), 8 lbs. Samsonite Lift Two.

After repairing luggage for 79 years, J.P. Grimard has finally put all their ideas for best luggage into their own line called, D-Light. It comes either in hard sided (2 price ranges) or soft side. They’ve put a QR code  on each so scanners can find out where it is. They have chosen, of course, good zippers, wheels, and fabric. Yes they are slightly heavier than the ones above but will last longer.

Travel Accessories for Stocking Stuffers at Jet-setter

– Travelon dry sheets of shampoo, laundry soap, body wash, hand soap. You are not carrying extra weight in water and there will be no leaking into your suitcase.

– Stretch fabric luggage covers. If you have black luggage, you can slip this over your case for the airport  in order to find your bag easily. Pretty scenes are of Venice, NYC., etc.

– GoToob squeezable travel bottles. Collapse as you use them up to take up less room. You don’t have to carry the full weight of your favorite giant shampoo bottles, etc.

– Girly Go Garter is a moneybelt which you wear around your upper leg. Good for clubbing or traveling.

– VINNI bag is a thick inflatable plastic bag for you to carry wine, sauces, or breakables.

– Packing bags. Since lightweight luggage has removed all the pockets, you need these to sort everything. Buying color-coded ones makes finding things in the suitcase so easy: blue=shirts, green= pants, etc.

J. P. Grimard is located at: 177 Beaubien est at Casgrain.
Tel: 514-277-4171
Hours: Mon-Wed 9-6, Thurs & Fri 9-8, Sat 9-5
www.jpgrimard.com

Jet-setter is located at 66 Laurier ouest at Clark
Tel: 514-271-5058
Hours: Regular plus Sun 12-5
www.jet-setter.ca

It is going to get cold, so be prepared and buy now. A great place to buy fashion outerwear is at this sale, one of the biggest in Canada – and the prices have all been slashed.

The brands are the ones you know: Laundry by Shelli Segal, Betsey Johnson, Hillary Radley, William Rast (founded by Justin Timberlake), Esprit, Buffalo David Bitton and Liz Claiborne, Perry Ellis. This manufacturer’s warehouse sale on the West Island has them all.

You have 3 weeks to score the deals here. Fill in the coupon and get a chance to win one of 3 prizes – $50, $100 or $200 gift certificates. You do not have to buy to enter the contest

Location: Centre Terrarium, 183 boul. Hymus
corner: boul. St-Jean
Hours: Mon-Wed 10-6, Thurs & Fri 10-9, Sat 9-5, Sun 10-5
Dates: Dec 18 – Jan 10

This is one of my favorite clothing sales. A whole warehouse full of really quality pants, tops and fashion outerwear starting at $10 (even William Rast!). Go in and stock on the fab FDJ pants (designed for different female shapes), Hilary Radley, William Rast, Esprit, Dalia, Renaur, Katherine Barclay and edit by Jeanne Beker.

You have 3 weeks to score the deals here. Fill in the coupon and get a chance to win one of 3 prizes – $50, $100 or $200 gift certificates. You do not have to buy to enter the contest.

Location: Centre Terrarium, 183 boul. Hymus
corner: boul. St-Jean
Hours: Mon-Wed 10-6, Thurs & Fri 10-9, Sat 9-5, Sun 10-5
Dates: Dec 18 – Jan 10

Wow. Double Wow. Sim Centre de Liquidation is a clearance center for a huge un-nameable low Cost warehouse store, with a further 30% or more off on the price. Those of you further North, can shop closer to home in St-Jerome.

Returned items (phones, toys, clothing, furniture, auto, bedding, etc.) and stuff in broken boxes from their huge aisles (except fresh food) are sent to this location every week.

All items are checked to make sure they work. The friendly proprietors even keep a reservation book and will call you if an item you are looking for shows up.

Locations: 341 ave. Ranger, Vaudreuil – Dorion J7V 2X3 (450-424-0998) and 850 Boul. des Laurentides St. Jerome QC J7Z 4N1 (450-438-8631)
corner (Vaudreuil-Dorion): rue Chicoine
Times: Mon-Wed 10-6, Thurs & Fri 10-8, Sat 10-5, Sun 12-5

http://simcentredeliquidation.ca/
FB: http://on.fb.me/1WPvOHI

Q: : I enjoy reading your shlog and was wondering if you would know where used furs could be made into fashionable outerwear. I had a mink sheared and then lined into a beautiful walking coat many years ago and am thinking about doing that again.

A: Dubarry Furs, a 34-year-old shop, in a beautiful exposed brick and stone atelier in Old Montreal, maintains low prices by doing all the work themselves. They will glad guide you when turning a older coat into something fashionable and wearable – they even have water resistant reversible ones. They have always been known for the quality of their products and their personalized service.

Ready-to-wear or custom-made jackets, hats, capes with fur trim,  and coats, re–modeling, repairs, cleaning and storage are all available here.

There is a line of cashmere and Alpaca wear with and without fur trim and shearling jackets. Trade-ins are accepted toward the purchase of a new coat.

Location, 206 St-Paul Ouest, Old Montreal
corner: St-Francois-Xavier
Tel: 514-844-7483
Hours: Tues-Fri 10-6, Sat & Sun 11-5 & by appointment
www.dubarryfurs.com

Galerie au Chocolat had been a secret spot for years, since they were a wholesaler and sold retail only to those in the know. Head here to buy sweet holiday gifts for anyone on your list.

The delish high-end items which are made with fine Belgian chocolate come in many interesting varieties: crisped rice bark, almond rochers, chocolate covered pretzels, chocolate covered ginger, chocolate covered orange peel, pecan brittle, espresso wafers, and their famous almond bark. Discover more when you come in to the shop.

Sure, there are chocolate bars, but also fair trade hot chocolate (made with real chocolate shavings which you can mix with either cream or milk), chocolate fondue, seasonal character molds and tiny chocolate dessert cups for port or digestives.

They have a variety of packaging options. You can easily see the yummies inside their cellophane bags tied with pretty ribbon, or you can buy them in a gift (or just for you) tin or in a beautifully wrapped gift box. You can fax, email or call in your orders any time. Delivery on the island of Montreal is $12; for the rest of Quebec or Ontario, it’s $20.

You don’t have to wait for special occasions or holidays, as everyone loves chocolates every day. Try their high quality scrumptious chocolates right now. Send some to someone special – just because.

8985 Henri Bourassa Ouest,  Ville St-Laurent, QC H4S 1P7
corner: Autoroute 13
Tel: 514-331-8460
Please note New Holiday Hours: Mon-Fri 9-5 and Sat Nov 28, Dec 5, 12 & 19, they will be open these Saturdays only from 9-3

Warshaw Maison, facing the Atwater market, concentrates on really well-priced kitchen and household items.  The store is chock full of serving dishes, gadgets, baking dishes, table linens, placemats, shower curtains, bathroom accessories, area rugs and runners, plants, and a big espresso section.