February 14 is nearly here, as the big day fast approaches, you need a gift and you need it quickly. It can be overwhelming to try and figure out where to even start.

Whether you’ve just started dating or have been together for years,  it’s the perfect time to show you’ve been paying attention to the things they like. Selecting a gift that is based on a hobby or passion is a meaningful way to show that you are attentive to details.

Lucky for you Le Panier has something for everyone, this one stop shopping spot is located in the heart of Pointe Claire Village and has a store full of unique gifts for even the impossible to shop for, as well as the person who has it all.

Chocolates are the ubiquitous go-to gift for Valentine’s Day, and they have all kinds of chocolates. If you want your love to remember you, how about Louis Sherry New York chocolates – in beautiful keepable metallic tin boxes? Or for something even sweeter, they are one of the few places in town making homemade fudge so you could choose a delicious favorite flavour.

For aromatics, Michael Design’s shea butter soaps, handwash and lotions are there or look for the big display of everything lavender.

 Consider a scented candle of their favorite scent, a coffee mug with a cute saying filled with their favorite sweets, there’s ED Ellen DeGeneres tableware collection,  winter getaway clothing and accessories, or how about filling up a gift basket with all their favorite gourmet food items, or a wine purse with a favorite bottle of wine.  One corner of the store is filled with jewelry options like Alex and Ani.

For those of you who are looking for practical ideas, a cool gift might be an “upside-down” umbrella which closes without water dripping on you or your car. You will be remembered everyday if you buy the Mighty Mug. It won’t fall over – EVER – and can be used near a keyboard without worries.

Browse around and enjoy the vast selection of just the perfect gift. Need suggestions, their staff is always eager to help you find exactly what you are looking for.

Le Panier won the title of best gift store in Canada so this store worth a trip from anywhere. The huge shop is chock full of gourmet food, kitchenware,  and gifts at prices mostly under $25. You will not walk out empty-handed when you can choose amongst the jewelry, jams, hot sauces, kitchen gadgets and cool accessories.

Location: 274 Bord du Lac, Pointe Claire
corner: de Lourdes
Tel: 514-695-7038
Hours: Regular plus Sun 10-5
www.thepanier.com

Chocolates are the ubiquitous go-to gift for Valentine’s Day, so you might want to head to Le Panier as they have all kinds of chocolates. If you want your love to remember you, how about Louis Sherry New York chocolates – in beautiful keepable metallic tin boxes? Or for something even sweeter, they are one of the few places in town making homemade fudge so you could choose a favorite flavour.

For aromatics, Michael Design’s shea butter soaps, handwash and lotions are there or look for the big display of everything lavender. You can always buy Montreal’s favorite humbugs (now in different flavors), or someone might enjoy their own 5-year-old cheddar. One corner of the store is filled with jewelry options like Alex and Ani.

For those of you who are looking for practical ideas, a cool gift might be an “upside-down” umbrella which closes without water dripping on you or your car. You will be remembered everyday if you buy the Mighty Mug. It won’t fall over – EVER – and can be used near a keyboard without worries.

Le Panier won the title of best gift store in Canada so this store worth a trip from anywhere. The huge shop is chock full of gourmet food, kitchenware,  and gifts at prices mostly under $25. You will not walk out empty-handed when you can choose amongst the jewelry, jams, hot sauces, and kitchen gadgets.

You can even spice things up with their wall of hot sauces and think of things to do with Mike’s Hot Honey.    

Location: 274 Bord du Lac, Pointe Claire
corner: de Lourdes
Tel: 514-695-7038
Hours: Regular plus Sun 10-5
www.thepanier.com

Le Panier and Clair de Lune are 2 different types of gift shops. Clair de Lune is all about candles and decor accent pieces while Le Panier offers up gourmet goodies, useful gadgets, jewelry, toys, Christmas tableware, and sweets.

Here are some of the cool items I found this year at Le Panier (300 bord du Lac in PointClaireVillage) www.thepanier.com
– Mop Slippers ($9.99) which you wear on your feet, walk around and clean the floor
– Credit Card shield ($5.99) prevents thieves from passing you and grabbing information off of the card in your purse or pants.
– Hot chocolate variety 12-pack ($22.99)
– Bagel guillotine ($22.99) to slice bagels and not fingers
– Trudeau cutting board with drawers (24.99) which separate food you are cutting
– Cake lollipop molds ($17.50) for the latest craze
– BBQ Spatula in the shape of a guitar ($22.99)
– BBQ lighter in the shape of a fishing rod ($22.99)
– Purse perfume atomizer ($12.99) to keep your favorite scent at hand
– Scarf hanger ($19.99) to keep your favorites in view in a closet
– Angry birds toque ($11.99)
–  Solar motor kit: car, boat, animal ($24.99)
–  Diet Dog bowl has posts in it so your doggie slows down his eating ($19.99)

Claire de Lune (6801 Rte Transcanadienne, Pointe-Claire in Fairview Pointe Claire Tel: 514-426-8797 and other locations www.clairdelune.ca)  is Canada’s most extensive candle store. A gift from here  can make your home (or someone else’s) smell just delicious as they have the many fragrances, exclusive decorative candles, aromatic lamps, reed diffusers and scent diffusers.

Choose from Clair de Lune’s exclusive collections of candles: floating ones, aromatic decorative pillar types, tealight, scented votives, mosaic and striped options and even a bird, cactus, rabbit or sparrow candles. To add a wonderful ambiance to a room, you can even buy hanging candelabras which hold real candles. There are many candle holders (of course): ceramic ones, mosaics, 5′ tall giants, elephants and glass blown beauties.

Gift ideas such as Eden & Berger Lamps for diffusing fragrances can be purchased, but also vases and dried flowers, Buddha statues, potpourri, piggy banks, cute notebooks, paper napkins and decorative dancer statuettes, small fountains, cozy throw blankies or scents for a car.

The yummy candle aromas come in: vanilla, Brazilian coffee, eucalyptus, cranberry, mint chocolate, spiced orange, ocean breeze, country fresh, lemon & lavender, mandarin and cranberry, apple, black-eyed Susan, lilac, lily and rose.

Dans Un Jardin sells all those lovely aromatic things for your bath, bedroom and body. At their warehouse sales you can scoop up their products at great savings and you might be surprised that they offer men’s lines, some for baby and even special ones for pregnant women (calming ointment for breasts  milk bath,  firming cream, stretch mark cream and soothing gel for legs) .

Location: 1100 Boul. Marie Victorin, Longueuil
Dates and Times for VIP invites (and get an additional 10% off ): May 24: 8am-9pm
Dates and Times for General Public: May 25: 9-9, May 26 & 27 : 9-5
Tel: 800-363-3663 or 450-449-2121
www.dansunjardin.com

Dans Un Jardin sells all those lovely aromatic things for your bath, bedroom and body. At their warehouse sales you can scoop up their products at great savings and you might be surprised that they offer men’s lines, some for baby and even special ones for pregnant women (calming ointment for breasts grabbed me but you may find comforting milk bath with meadowfoam oil, firming cream, Optimal-care stretch mark cream and soothing gel for legs) .
Men’s Decleor line offers up shaving cream and lotions – men, do you think you could live without Hydra Floral Anti-Pollution Flower Nectar Moisturizing Cream? In the kids Pois de Senteur line, besides the soaps, creams and detergent, there’s facecloths, bibs and blankets.
They are clearing out their older packaging, some of their new lines that are overstocked and even boxed items (think ahead for Mother’s Day). This sale has about 500 Lampes Bergere which are lamps that give off a perfumed fragrance as the bulb heats up. You can be put on a mailing or e-mailing list to get a VIP invitation.

Location: 1100 Boul. Marie Victorin, Longueuil
Dates and Times for VIP invites (and get an additional 10% off. You can get on the e-mail list for this): Apr 21: 8-5, Apr 22: 9-5
Dates and Times for General Public: Apr 22: 5-9, Apr 23: 9-9, Apr 24 & 25: 9-5.
Tel: 800-363-3663 or 450-449-2121
www.dansunjardin.com

Dans Un Jardin sells all those lovely aromatic things for your bath, bedroom and body. At their warehouse sales you can scoop up their products at great savings and you might be surprised that they offer men’s lines, some for baby and even special ones for pregnant women (calming ointment for breasts grabbed me but you may find comforting milk bath with meadowfoam oil, firming cream, Optimal-care stretch mark cream and soothing gel for legs) .
Men’s Decleor line offers up shaving cream and lotions – men, do you think you could live without Hydra Floral Anti-Pollution Flower Nectar Moisturizing Cream? In the kids Pois de Senteur line, besides the soaps, creams and detergent, there’s facecloths, bibs and blankets.
They are clearing out their older packaging, some of their new lines that are overstocked and even boxed items (think ahead for Mother’s Day). This sale has about 500 Lampes Bergere which are lamps that give off a perfumed fragrance as the bulb heats up. You can be put on a mailing or e-mailing list to get an invitation.

Location: 1100 Boul. Marie Victorin, Longueuil
Dates and Times for VIP invites (and get an additional 10% off. You can get on the e-mail list for this): Apr 22: 8 am-9 pm, Apr 23: 9-5
Dates and Times for General Public: Apr 23: 5-9, Apr 24: 9-9, Apr 25 & 26: 9-5.
Tel: 800-363-3663 or 450-449-2121
www.dansunjardin.com 

The Clarins Groupe has designer fragrances under its umbrella so when their warehouse opens to the public, you can look for the one that you prefer: Lanvin, Paul Smith, Dunhill, Burberry, Gucci, Thierry Mugler, Escada, Azzaro, Puma, Max Mara, Le Couvent des Minimes, Anna Sui, Annick Goutal, and of course, Clarins. There are perfumes and cosmetic brands offered. Note that they have moved to Laval.

Location: 815 Desserte, east Service Rd. of Highway 13
Corner: Notre Dame
Hours: Fri Nov 14: 10 – 9, Sat Nov 15: 9 – 5