We are so fortunate to live here on the South Shore of Nova Scotia! Our beautiful beaches and trails, our friendly and supportive communities and an abundance of talented artisans and committed entrepreneurs are just a few of the reasons this area is so unique. During the upcoming Holiday season, we can do our part to support our local economy by spending our money right here in our communities. Here is our local Holiday Gift Guide.

The goal of the Simple Local Life Holiday Gift Guide is to make it easy for you to locate unique local gift ideas for everyone on your shopping list. The Guide contains three sections. The first one is…Love Lunenburg, Cozy Coastal which will be published on November 29th and South Shore Spirit which will be out on December 1st. Each business or artisan featured has donated a fantastic item to be included in a giveaway for each section. So be sure to enter and share this post to get the word out. Let’s all show our love for local this holiday season!

Laughing Whale Coffee Roasters

Laughing Whale Coffee is inspired by quality, playfulness, and fairness. Their passion is for providing small-batch, carefully roasted and artfully blended coffees (all certified Fair Trade and organic) to customers near and far. The combination of the finest of traditional practices with the latest in roasting technology provides the platform to create truly exceptional coffee. Most of their beans are purchased through a group of community based roasters in North America who support equitable and sustainable trade relationships. Laughing Whale also specifically support women coffee farmers through their Café Femenino offerings.

You can purchase Laughing Whale at many farm markets and independent shops around the province. In Lunenburg you can make an appt to see them at the Laughing Whale Coffee Roastery at 261 Lincoln Street, or at The Shop on the Corner. Check out their website and Facebook page for more info.

Laughing Whale has generously donated three sample bags of their coffee…Wind in Your Sails, Ooh La La, and Rock Your Boat…to the Simple Local Life Holiday Gift Guide Giveaway.

Shop on the Corner

Shop on the Corner is a cafe that sells and serves Laughing Whale coffee as well as baked goodies from Cakes by Sharon, Boulangerie la Vendeenne and their Famous Oatcakes! The Shop also sells Lug, Gourmet Village, Stonewall Kitchen, Rothchild Farm Products, MacKay of England…and so much more…they have candles, table napkins…fun kitchen stuff! While at Shop on the Corner you can also visit their Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar Tasting Bar featuring Liquid Gold. This Friday November 25th is their annual Foodie event. From 10.30 am – 3 pm, Costas Halavrezos, The Spice Man will be here demonstrating his wonderful array of fresh spices and Bill and Myrna, from Liquid Gold will be there to help you pair all the very best Extra Virgin Olive oils and Balsamic Vinegars. They will also have food sampling from their Gourmet food lines.

You can also read Simple Local Life’s post from last year when we visited Shop on the Corner for something festive. 🙂

Shop on the Corner is located at 263 Lincoln Street, Lunenburg. You can check out their Facebook page for more info.

Shop on the Corner had generously donated a Vanilla Cake in a Mug set to the Simple Local Life Holiday Gift Guide Giveaway.

Sweet Treasures Confectionary

You may know Sweet Treasures from stopping in during the summer and grabbing some of their amazing homemade ice cream. Did you know they also sell fudge gift boxes just in time for the holidays? Choose 1-4 flavors per 1lb box, $12/box 5+ boxes $11/box! They also have fudge filled trees, which make a great stocking stuffer and are available in vanilla or chocolate, $3/ tree.

They have many flavors including, Rocky Road, Peanut Butter Chocolate, Skor, Oreo, Vanilla Chocolate Swirl, Mint Chocolate Swirl, Maple, Amaretto Chocolate, Chocolate. Lunenburg pick up is at Sweet Treasures, 125 Montague Street, December 17th, 2:00-3:00 pm. Fudge must be preordered by December 14th. They also have pick up available in Halifax and Dartmouth.

Sweet Treasures Confectionary is located at 125 Montague Street in Lunenburg. You can check them out their Facebook page for more details.

Sweet Treasures Confectionary has generously donated one 1 lb box of fudge as part of the Simple Local Life Holiday Gift Guide Giveaway.

Kate’s Sweet Indulgence- Catering and Cafe

At Kate’s they make everything from scratch, using as many locally sourced, organic ingredients as they can. They roast all of the chicken, ham, pork, turkey and beef that are used to make our sandwiches. All of their soups are made from scratch, as well as our sauces, relishes, spreads and salad dressings. They have a fabulous selection of delicious cheesecakes, pies, cookies, squares, cup cakes, fruit tarts, coffee cakes, sweet breads, muffins, scones, cinnamon buns, biscotti and oatcakes, all served fresh daily from our in-house bakery. Our desserts are made with real butter, real cream and real eggs.

In addition to their Cafe, they are also a popular, off-site catering service and have helped their clients entertain in their home, cottage, on a boat, in a field, on a deck, in a clubhouse, church hall, fire hall, barn, on the beach and in a pool! You name it and they have probably done it. If you live on the South Shore of Nova Scotia, or in the immediate Halifax area, they can deliver to you!

Kate’s Sweet Indulgence is located at 242 Lincoln Street in Lunenburg. For more information be sure to check out their website, or Facebook page.

Kate’s has generously donated a $25.00 Gift Certificate to the Simple Local Life Holiday Gift Guide Giveaway.

Dots and Loops

Dots and Loops is a fun shop in a beautiful seaside town – they love providing gifts and goods that make you smile. Their focus is on designed wares with an emphasis on handmade and independent wares.

Dots and Loops is located at 183 Lincoln Street, Lunenburg. Be sure to check out their website or Facebook page for more info.

Dots and Loops have generously donated a $50.00 gift certificate to the Simple Local Life Holiday Gift Guide Giveaway.

Ironworks Distillery

Ironworks is a micro-distillery located in the old port of Lunenburg. They take their name from the 1893 heritage building they call home: a marine blacksmith’s shop that once produced ironworks for the shipbuilding trade that thrived in the town. Today, they craft their spirits with the same love of traditional methods and attention to detail.

Ironworks Distillery has developed an extensive network of farmers exclusively within Nova Scotia from which they buy products. Their cranberries travel a mere 8 kilometers from bog to the distillery and no fruit travels more than 150 kilometers to their facility. Apples, pears, grapes, raspberries, blueberries are bountiful in Nova Scotia and they use them all. Even the Saskatoon Berries are sourced locally. Since sugar cane does not grow in Nova Scotia, at least not yet, they use Crosby’s molasses, imported from Guatemala and processed in New Brunswick, for their award-winning Rum. Their signature products include Bluenose Rum, Apple Brandy, Pear Eau de Vie.

Ironworks Distillery is located at 2 Kempt Street, Lunenburg. Be sure to check out their website or Facebook page for more info.

Ironworks Distillery has generously donated a $30.00 Gift Certificate for the Simple Local Life Holiday Gift Guide Giveaway.

Lexicon Books

Who doesn’t have a book lover on their Christmas list? Lexicon Books was started by three women who joined together in May 2015 to open an independent bookstore in lovely downtown Lunenburg. They have hand-picked books to reflect their passion for quality & variety. Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, small press, graphic novels, young adult & children’s books are their focus. They host many different author readings, host a book club, including one for teens, and this Saturday, November 26th, is their annual Holiday Open House.

Check out Lexicon Book’s website or Facebook page for more info.

Lexicon Books has generously donated a set of 8 novels for the Simple Local Life Holiday Gift Guide Giveaway. The value of this set is $275.00!

Everyone mentioned in the “Love Lunenburg ” section of the guide has generously donated items to be included in a Simple Local Life Holiday Gift Guide Giveaway. The value of this package is $420.00! Wow! Be sure to enter below…and share this post to make it easier for everyone to shop and support local this Holiday season. 🙂

Must be over 18 and a resident of Canada. Delivery will be provided within a reasonable distance of the South Shore.

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