NOVEMBER
      23,
      2006
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Stacey
      Murray
     
     
      Advertising
      Manager
     
    
   
   
    
     
      It’s
      just
      about
      time
      for
      the
      Christmas
     
     
      rush.
      It’s
      a
      mad
      dash
      of
      trying
      to
      please
     
     
      everyone
      on
      your
      list
      while
      coming
      up
     
     
      with
      unique
      and
      personal
      gift
      ideas.
     
    

    
     
      While
      some
      people
      have
      it
     
     
      down
      to
      a
      science,
      many
      have
      yet
      to
     
     
      master
      the
      skill.
      Still,
      after
      some
     
     
      extensive
      investigative
      reporting
      (Le.
     
     
      shopping),
      a
      few
      treasures
      were
      found.
     
     
      All
      it
      took
      was
      some
      searching
      for
     
     
      smaller
      independent
      stores.
     
    

    
     
      These
      stores
      offer
      alternatives
      to
     
     
      their
      big-box
      brothers.
      While
      they’re
     
     
      sometimes
      hidden
      streets
     
     
      downtown,
      Queen
      Street,
      Water
     
     
      Street,
      and
      Victoria
      Row
      are
      a
      good
     
     
      place
      to
      start.
      From
      there,
      the
     
     
      possibilities
      are
      endless.
     
    

    
     
      That
      being
      said,
      here
      are
      some
     
     
      of
      the
      top
      picks
      for
      the
      upcoming
     
     
      holiday
      season:
     
    
   
   
    
     
      in
     
    
   
   
    
     
      1.Ugly
      Dolls
      —
      Truly
      the
      face
      only
      a
     
     
      mother
      could
      love,
      these
      dolls
      range
     
     
      in
      size
      and
      colour
      and
      are
      all
      the
      buzz
     
     
      in
      alternative
      stores.
      Each
      have
      their
     
     
      own
      personality
      —
      Cinko
      is
      afraid
      of
     
     
      water
      for
      example.
      They
      were
      inspired
     
     
      by
      a
      doodle
      but
      now
      have
      a
      life
      of
      their
     
     
      own.
      For
      a
      special
      touch,
      go
      to
     
     
      www.uglydolls.com
      and
      print
      off
      their
     
     
      life
      history.
      They
      have
      them
      in
      stock
     
     
      at
      Luna
      Eclectic
      Crafts
      and
      Gifts.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      2.Second
      hand
      books
      —
      This
      is
     
     
      probably
      one
      of
      the
      hardest
      things
      to
     
     
      shop
      for,
      especially
      if
      you
      don’t
      know
     
     
      what
      you’re
      looking
      for,
      but
      they
      are
      a
     
     
      gift
      that
      will
      be
      appreciated.
      If
      you're
     
     
      not
      sute
      what
      to
      buy,
      booksellers
      can
     
     
      often
      steer
      you
      in
      the
      right
      direction.
     
    

    
     
      John
      Underhay,
      Owner
      of
      The
     
     
      Reading
      Well,
      said
      many
      people
      come
     
     
      in
      looking
      for
      the
      perfect
      book
      for
     
     
      Christmas
      and
      everyone’s
      needs
      are
     
     
      different.
     
    

    
     
      “They’te
      as
      broad
      as
      the
      books
     
     
      that
      are
      in
      here.”
     
    
   
   
    
     
      3.Swords
      and
      Bongs
      —
      These
      are
      two
     
     
      of
      the
      top
      picks
      by
      women
      shopping
     
     
      for
      men
      at
      Wild
      Impulse.
      Operator
     
     
      Tracey
      Dooley
      said
      one
      customer
     
     
      comes
      in
      every
      year
      to
      buy
      her
      husband
     
     
      a
      sword
      because
      it’s
      completely
     
     
      impractical.
      As
      for
      the
      bongs,
      she
      said
     
    
   
   
    
     
      NEWS
     
     
      Alternatives
      for
      Christmas
      not
      hard
      to
      find
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      THE
      CADRE
      @
      4
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Photo
      By:
      Stacey
      Murray
     
    
   
   
    
     
      shampoo
      bar:
      At
      roughly
      $7,
      shampoo
      bars
      are
      sure
      to
      make
      someone
      smile
      and
      wash
      their
      hair.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      most
      guys
      who
      get
      one
      for
      Christmas
     
     
      are
      grateful.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      4.Fork
      and
      spoon
      bracelets
      —
      Not
     
     
      your
      everyday
      utensils,
      this
      gift
      idea
     
     
      gives
      a
      new
      life
      to
      a
      tired
      piece
      of
     
     
      cutlery.
      Shined
      to
      give
      it
      a
      nice
      finish,
     
     
      they
      also
      have
      beads
      coiled
      around
     
    

    
     
      -
      them
      to
      give
      a
      more
      feminine
      touch.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      5.Natural
      spa
      products
      —
      Many
     
     
      people
      are
      looking
      for
      natural
     
     
      alternatives,
      but
      won’t
      buy
      them
     
     
      because
      they
      are
      more
      expensive
      than
     
     
      other
      brands.
     
    

    
     
      Jennifer
      White,
      who
      works
      at
     
     
      Luna,
      said
      many
      people
      are
      looking
     
     
      outside-the-box
      for
      Christmas.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Photo
      By:
      Stacey
      Murray
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Usly
      dolls:
      These
      colourful
      creatures
      come
      with
      personality
      traits.
      They
      range
      from
      $10-
     
    
   
   
    
     
      $60.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      “It’s
      nice
      to
      get
      something
     
     
      different
      because
      after
      a
      while
      you
      get
     
     
      the
      same
      old
      stuff.”
     
    

    
     
      Products
      range
      from
      soap
      and
     
     
      shampoo
      bars,
      as
      well
      as
      chamomile
     
     
      conditioners
      and
      other
      skin
      care
      and
     
     
      scented
      products.
     
    

    
     
      It
      also
      gives
      men
      a
      chance
     
     
      experience
      somethng
      other
      than
     
     
      “whatever’s
      in
      the
      shower”
      while
      not
     
     
      having
      to
      buy
      it
      themselves.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      2
      ~
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      How
      do
      you
      like
      your
      Cadre?
     
     
      Did
      something
      piss
      you
      off?
     
     
      Want
      to
      see
      more
      of
      ...?
     
     
      Bored
      out
      of
      your
      mind?
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Then
      email
      us!
     
    
   
   
    
     
      upeicadre@gmail.com