the fresh perspective...

There is no denying that the holiday season is largely about giving and receiving gifts. At least in our part of the world. Whether we like it or not, society seems to shove it in our face, everywhere we go, as soon as November 1st hits. As much as we all know that these holidays did not originate this way, this has been the portion of these holidays that we have latched onto and emphasized.

Sure, most of us have very fond memories of opening gifts or wrapping presents for our family and friends. I would have to call bluff on anyone who tried to claim they hate the gift part of the holidays. But can we still enjoy the season sans presents?

There are definitely many other magical parts of the holiday season. Walking through your neighborhood with some hot chocolate to check out all the lights, a big fat feast with all your favorite humans, those classic holiday songs that bring back all the nostalgia, the list goes on. Seeing a tree with gifts underneath does instill a feeling of excitement but at the end of the day, is never the best part of the holidays. If I had to choose between watching Home Alone and giving up gifts, I would choose Kevin McCallister every time.

Memories with humans and nostalgia from those memories are a feeling that can never be replaced by receiving an object. I’m not trying to convince anyone to give it all up but we do tend to get a little carried away. Try choosing an activity to do with your loved one in lieu of purchasing something. Those memories will last way longer than an Apple Watch.

-the fresh perspective

hey boys...

Hey boys...

Gifts for guys, how do you feel about it? Do you have a difficult time finding something original? Guys can be tricky to buy for during the holiday season, so hopefully we can help you out! Feel free to comment with some of your suggestions so we can steal some of your ideas ;)

1. Subscription box -

The gift that keeps on giving. Some of the ones that stand out to us are the dollar shave club and the sock club. Have you ever tried these?

2. A DIY gift box of his favorite things -

This allows you to get creative! Grab some local goodies, snacks, treats, movie coupons, socks, tie, skincare, gift card, shirt, his favourite beverage… I guess realistically it’s like a new take on a stocking. But hey, we’re trying!

3. Beer advent calendar -

A gift the true beer lover will appreciate so much. I did this one year and gave it on December 1st. The reaction was priceless! Such a great way for someone to try out some new beer they wouldn’t necessarily pick out themselves! Wondering where you can find a crate like this? I’ve seen them on Etsy!

4. A Stay-cation -

Take him on a stay-cation! Rather than giving each other a physical item (that you typically don’t need), take each other out on an extra special date & spend the night in a hotel!

Hopefully this helped a little bit! Let us know some of your ideas!

-freshair

Hey Boys...

Commonwealth Manufacturing = The Perfect Shirt.

Have you ever wondered if the perfect shirt exists? Well, we got you. Please do yourself a favor and go check out Commonwealth Mfg. Located in downtown Winnipeg at 290 McDermot Avenue, on the 4th floor. Take a walk through their work space and see exactly where the shirts are made and go ahead and try one on for size.

The detailed craftsmanship and precision put into these shirts are what makes them timeless. Invest in one of these and it’ll be with you for many memories. Not to mention the fact that you’ll look great.

This company is less focused on branding and pushing their product, but rather focused on creating the best possible product, selling itself. Each shirt is designed to be simple, classic and enduring, so you don’t have to worry about it going out of style.

Another cool thing about them is they recently announced a ‘Take-Back Program’. They will now be accepting any unwanted Commonwealth shirts, regardless of their condition in exchange for 15% off your next CMFG shirt. They will also fix these shirts up to offer them in a pre-owned shirt collection at reduced prices.

Have you tried these shirts? What are your thoughts?

-Freshair Boutique

Be Awesome This Season - Shop Local!

LOCAL LOCALE LOCALEEEE.

One of my goals every holiday season in regards to gift giving is to source as many local gifts as I can. The idea of supporting someone who is working so hard to create something unique makes the gift seem infinitely more special. You can find just about anything here in Winnipeg, and these are some of our favourite shops. Check them out this season and give a gift that is unique and contributes to our local economy!

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The Cheesemongers

The new (ish) independent fromagerie in friendly Winnipeg. All the cheeses they carry have a rich history. They are a labour of love, created by the dedicated farmers who believe in producing the highest quality milk; and the cheese makers, who pour their heart and soul into everything they mould. 

Check out their gift packages - An awesome idea for a host gift!

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Poppie Clothing

Poppie is all about helping women feel their best. With helpful, hands on staff, you’re guaranteed to find something you love. This store offers a wide range of options for people so that they can get as much of their shopping done in one stop as possible, get on with their lives and feel great doing whatever it is that they do best.

Go on, get a gift card!

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dconstruct

dconstruct designs and manufactures unique, eco-friendly jewelry. dconstruct’s jewelry is handmade from leading architectural materials and each piece contains a minimum of 40% pre-consumer recycled material. The recycled content would otherwise be waste from producers of sky lights, store fixtures and vending machine covers.

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Tiny Feast

Their shelves are stocked with an incredible selection of greeting cards, notebooks, writing instruments, and modern office supplies. You will also find a curated selection of housewares, accessories, lifestyle publications and children’s books.

Check them out - you won’t regret it!

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Commonwealth Mfg.

Commonwealth Mfg. specializes in handmade collared shirts. Everything is constructed in small batches in Winnipeg's exchange district with fabric sourced from the best mills in Japan, USA and Europe. Transparency, benevolence and due diligence are Commonwealth's guiding values.

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Do you have any favourite local shops? We want to know!

- Freshair Boutique

the fresh perspective...

How much is too much? How do you know when you have let yourself be overcome with 'stuff'?  During this season of giving and getting, it's a wonder we have space in our lives for the things we will be getting...

We go from shop, to boutique, to mall, looking for that perfect something to give the ones we hold the nearest and most dear to us.  We anticipate seeing their faces light up when they open their gift.  Something about that, I guess, is why we give.  But why must we give things?  Why do we fail to see that the gift of time-spent is something much more valuable?

Giving time instead of material things seems easy but let me tell you, it's harder than you think.  Even now as you read this, your mind has already traveled to all the places you need to be by the day's end.   All the things you need to accomplish before you sleep, gently nudge you through your day.  So to think that you would need to spend little or no money, but time, might be challenging.  Let's face it, it's easier to buy someone a gift than to give them four uninterrupted hours of your evening.

I'd like to challenge everyone this year to maybe give time as a gift.  This holiday, begin with one or two people.  Start small because your time is valuable as well and if your family or group of close friends are many, all your time will be gone.  That's the fresh perspective...

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