Q1: For Mother’s Day, (or grads, or weddings coming up), how can you pick a special gift that they know was chosen just for them?

Well usually that is the intention of a gift, however with the availability of gift shoppers, impulse internet buying and even re-gifting, nothing says special more than having the item personalized or monogrammed. You no longer have to just use  initials or names as you can now choose any words (I love you Mom) and even images (a bird, flower).

Personalizing indicates too that you had to do your homework just to find a place that monograms and choose something that you were fairly certain was just for them. Also, These days everyone seems to be of wearing just about every designer name on their clothes, why not their own?

Q2: People might think of bathrobes or towels, but what else is out there that can be personalized?

You’d be surprised at all the hard & soft things you can get monogrammed or engraved: teddy bears,  wine glasses, shopping bags, candle snuffers, blankets, frames and more. The shops I’m mentioning today are gift shops so you can get many ideas, even if you don’t want to write on them.

Q3:  Okay these sound like possible options, so where can we go?

Monogrammes Plus has a showroom is full of lots of things you can personalize by embroidered monogramming:  bathrobes, cosmetic bags, aprons, teddy bears, T-shirts, windbreakers, caps, towels, cushions, or something you bring that you’ve bought elsewhere.

Phone: 514-695-8647

At Plaque Impact, their engravings show a great sense of humor on all sorts of cool things:, desk fans (You’re fantastic or I’m your fan ), vases, crumb sweepers (Thanks being there to help pick up the pieces), salt and pepper shakers (You’re a mover and a shaker), clocks, banks, guest books, etc. Lettering can be done in Russian, Hungarian, Vietnamese, Hebrew and Yiddish, and ask about the hatch style of inscriptions which is very elegant. There are also plaques, awards, trophies, pens, name plates, lamination, framing, and family trees. Bring in objects bought elsewhere, as they can personalize different materials like a golf club, bat or hockey stick or sculpture.

Location: 5795 Victoria Ave. at Bourret St.
Phone: 514-344-9959.Hours: Mon -Wed 10:15 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Thursday 10:15 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Friday 10:15 a.m. to 2 p.m.
www.plaqueimpact.com

Creations Personelles is a national chain with more than 120 locations which specialize in engraving, glass etching, embroidery and key cutting. However, in Montreal they have shrunk to only two locations, both in the Fairview Pointe Claire mall. The personalized gifts ($.70 per letter) include frames, hip flasks, mugs, ID bracelets, wine glasses, pewter ware, golf towels, blankets, albums and knives.

Location: 6801 Transcanadienne at St-Jean Blvd., in Fairview Pointe Claire.
Phone:  514-695-3636.
Hours: Monday to Friday (holiday season hours) 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
www.thingsengraved.ca

Q4: Are there any negative implications of giving monogrammed gifts?
You’d have to be somewhat confident that the person wants the gift as there’s no returning this sort of item. If it is to be worn or used outside the house, the recipient would have to be comfortable having initials or their name exposed.

It not a good idea for children as it is unsafe to announce a child’s name to the strangers they might come across. A stranger might use the child’s name making him think that person knows him.

Q 1:  With only 2 days to go before Christmas, can you make any suggestions for people who have not gone shopping yet?

Shopping for the holidays becomes a win win situation if you plan to shop in a hospital gift shop. It might seem quite crazy to some of you to even consider such an odd suggestion, but if you think that, then you haven’t been inside one lately.

Q 2: We think of these hospital shops as places to buy things for the patients, how have they changed?

No longer do these shops cater to the bedridden. Over the years, they have evolved to service the needs of the people who work in and visit the hospital. They have also become destinations to visit when you are taking a patient for a little walk about.

The doctors, nurses and support staff constantly came into these shops looking for birthday gifts, something to bring for a dinner invitation, bridal shower gifts, or a little something for a child. Eventually, the volunteers informed the buyers, and the stock shifted significantly. The buyers now attend the gift shows and pick all sorts of cool items to sell.

Q 3: Why should we go out of our way to shop at these stores?

The winning situation is this: The overhead of running these shops is low, because they are staffed by cheery unpaid helpers and there is no rent to pay. Also, there is usually no tax either, as they are non-profit (tax is charged in the Montreal General), so your cost is reduced significantly. Some of these shops even offers free gift wrapping or gift bags.

But the best part of it all is that the profits go right back into the hospital. You can feel quite virtuous by spending money for your holiday gifts in these shops, knowing that not only will you be making someone happy with your gift, but you are actually making a donation to a great cause – our hospitals.

Q 4:  So what can we expect to find there?

Montreal General Hospital Hospitality Corner, 1650 Cedar Ave at Pine, Phone: 514-934-1934 x 43026. Hours:   Mon-Fri: 10-4:30 Sat & Sun 1:30-4:30. This busy shop evolved from a typical patient-oriented one with cards, candies, robes and slippers to include capes, hand-smocked little girls’ dresses,  toys, angels, headwraps, pashminas (great pricing), books, frames, costume and sterling jewelry, Pimpernel placemats and more. Just think of all your cash going to this great cause.
Holiday hours: up to Dec 23rd.

Gift Shop of the St. Mary’s Hospital Auxiliary, 3830 Lacombe Ave. at Cote des Neiges Rd. Phone: (514) 345-3511, ext. 3972. Hours: Mon-Fri  9-7:30, Sat & Sun 11:30- 5. With 70 cheerful volunteers rotating, shopping here is a pleasant experience. The knitted baby sets, booties, blankets and dolls are done by yet another group of volunteers. There’s candy and magazines for the staff and clothing for the patients (purses, robes, slippers, toiletries and undies), but please look around to find the puppets, silk flower arrangements (more volunteers), reading glasses, teddy bears, glass knickknacks, jewelry,  stuffed animals and picture frames.

Don’t forget to peek around the corner at the second-hand book shop, with prices starting at $.25, and with many books at three for $1 or $2.
Shopping Holiday Hours closed Dec 24th: at 4pm, closed Dec 25th

also at Nursing Homes:
Mount Sinai Hospital Auxiliary Gift Shop, 5690 Cavendish Blvd at Heywood St. Phone: (514) 369-2222 ext.1220. Hours: Mon- Thurs 10-4, Fri 11-3 and by appointment. Don’t let the small space deceive you into thinking there’s not much here. Every corner is filled with just the right gift  for kids (bibs, growth charts), for women (travel jewelry cases, pashminas, lots of jewelry) and for for your home (Arte Vargas blown glass, banks, mugs, Pimpernel placemats, recycled glass and Port Marion serving pieces.

Service is their business, so they will take orders over the phone, organize gifts for wedding parties, bar mitzvahs or corporate. There is no tax, free gift wrap and delivery too. For parking, go into the lot and get your ticket stamped at the shop.    wwww.sinaimontreal.ca
Holiday Hours:  closed Dec 25th

There are more items like these at the Maimonides Hospital Gift Shop and the Jewish Eldercare Center.