Hostess Gifts that are Not Wine, Raissa Marks explains Life Coach and MORE Gift Ideas

Let's Do This

Dec 16, 2024

Hostess Gifts that are Not Wine

Wine is definitely the typical fall back hostess gift, but what if you want to give something different or your hosts do not drink (or you are not sure). Here are some alternate ideas.

Fancy Soap - There are quite a few local soap sellers on Etsy. Stock up on a few to give as hostess gifts, stocking stuffers and teacher gifts.
Olsen Olsen Design - they have lots of other great gift ideas too
Boutique Florebella - they also have candles - another great gift
Woods and Mosses - Christmas themed soap as well as different shapes
50 Foamy Shades - beautiful soaps - especially the ocean design
Aesop has beautiful seasonal gift kits and you can pick them up at their Westmount store (call ahead)
Olive Oil
Olives en folie - a great local shop
Cheese - Our local markets especially carry great cheese and can help you put together a selection.
Flowers WITH a vase so the host is not scrambling
Chocolates - there are a ton of chocolatiers in this city - pick your fave
Cloth Napkins
Merry Everything Cocktail Napkins from Simons - $18 for 4
Tomato Cocktail Napkins from Marché L’Ilot - $60 for 4
Madeleine Cocktail Napkins from Anthropologie - $26 set of 4
Jam - Head to a specialty grocery or even many local grocers offer beautiful jams. The Westmount Metro has a ton of different jams to choose from, for example.
If it’s summer and you have a garden, items from your garden!
Chocolate dipped strawberries - I found this local provider - you probably have to order in advance.
Spices
Les Filles Fattoush
Kanel Spices
Salad Dressing
Mandy’s has the sweetest collection of salad dressing. They also have other beautiful kitchen items.

I just wanted to mention that local supermarkets have really upped their game since I was shopping at Superstore in Lloydminster in 1997 (my home town) and many of these nicer more ‘gifts’ options can be found there too. I always try to support smaller local instead of big chains but this works in a pinch.

Hot tip: If you know you are out a lot, why not buy a few of these in advance and have them on hand?

Raissa Marks finally explains to us all what a Life Coach Is (and it may surprise you)

I don’t know about you but to me the term Life Coach has always seemed super vague. I love that Raissa has let us in on what a Life Coach truly is and how she can help. Plus a few of her favourite things!

Tell us a little bit about yourself personally and professionally.

I’m Raissa and I’m the mom of two daughters, ages 11 and 13. (Yes, there is a lot of eye-rolling in our house.) We live on the West Island. I’m also an entrepreneur – which is something I never thought I would have the courage to do! I’m a certified life, leadership & executive coach and I started my own consulting and coaching business for non-profits a couple of years ago.

Can you remember when you first learned about coaching? How did you discover what it was and how you knew it was what you wanted to do?

If you would have asked me this 2 years ago, I would have said I’ve always known about coaching. But, I’ve learned that different people use “coaching” to refer to lots of different things – for example, a sports coach, a cheerleader, a mentor, an advisor. For me, coaching is not any of those things.

My understanding of coaching changed when I took a coaching course last fall. As a coach, I work together with clients by asking thought-provoking questions to help them achieve personal and professional growth. It's kind of like that proverb – give someone a fish and they’ll eat for a day, but teach them to fish and they’ll eat for a lifetime. If I give someone advice, they’ll know what I think they should do in that particular situation. But if I coach them through the situation, they’ll figure out the way forward that’s right for them, and also gain insights and perspective that they can apply to other aspects of their life. This video really breaks it down.

Can you name the biggest lesson you’ve learned in running a business?

Put yourself out there! I was so afraid when I launched my business. I planned to give it six months and then decide whether to continue or not. I didn’t know if anyone would hire me in those six months, or what they would hire me for! It was like jumping into the unknown – probably the scariest thing I’ve done in my life. Thanks to my clients, I’m still doing it two years later!

What’s the first app, website or thing you open/do in the morning?

I have a pretty regimented routine when I first wake up and pick up my phone. First, I read through personal emails then work emails. Then the news – I use the CBC app and check the headlines for national, Montreal, and New Brunswick (where I’m originally from). Then I check my sleep tracker to see if how I think I slept is reflected in how the app thinks I slept. Then I do the suite of NY Times games and (I’m embarrassed to admit it) some Candy Crush. Finally, a quick skim through social media and I’m ready to start my day.

Best Restaurant in Montreal

For this one I’d have to go with Santropol on St Urbain. It’s an institution that has been there decades. When I lived in that area in the late 1990’s, it had already been there for 30 years. And the menu is still the same! Except for the prices, haha. It’s my go-to when friends come to visit.

Advice on holiday shopping for kids

I don’t know about you, but I’m dismayed at how stuff-oriented the holidays are! My mom gave me some advice that I use when thinking about gifts for my kids: “Something they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read – and that’s IT.” Apparently, my mom used this approach when my sisters and I were kids, but she never actually vocalized it until I was an adult.

Things I Swear By – The Curly Girl Handbook

As a curly-haired girl, this book changed my life – or, at least, how I felt about my curls and my haircare routine. For all you curly-haired gals out there, I strongly recommend it.

Raissa owns a one-woman coaching and consulting business Lily Mark. She offers coaching, facilitation, and organizational development support. As a coach, she helps women leaders set boundaries for themselves so they can be fully present at work and outside of work. She can be reached at raissa@raissamarks.ca.

More Gift Ideas

For the traveler

Off-Beat Guides for the Curious Traveler

Journal from Boucle et Papier

Cutest Personalized Luggage Tags

These Cincha travel belts are fun AND practical.

Beautiful travel bottles from Ries

For The Foodie

Loose Tea and Spices from Toteme Tea and Spice
Cheese Boxes from Nibbl.

Chocolate Boxes from Lecavalier Petrone

Local Honey from Urban Dvash

A Montreal coffee subscription from Doppio

Coffee or Cocktail Syrups from 34oz Tonic Maison

The famous Dubai Chocolate Bar from Bombappetit

For the Person who has Everything - Experiences, etc.

What about a subscription to a magazine? There’s nothing like curling up and indulging. Elle Quebec, National Geographic or National Geographic Kids, The Economist, Montreal Gazette, Les Débrouillards, etc.

For the person who has TOO much, is a little lost with their style or just needs a helping hand, Amanda Eaman is a local stylist who has worked with literally hundreds of my clients. She can do closet cleanses, help with wardrobe and source pieces. You can email her at amandaeaman@gmail.com for gift certificates.

An annual membership to a local museum can be surprisingly affordable. One year when the kids were young we got one for the Biodome and went about 5 times. Because we had a membership, if the kids were fed up we didn’t feel bad going. Other options include MAC, MBAM, etc.

What about a class or workshop? You can learn everything from baking to pottery making.

There are always concerts (from the OSM to rock n’ roll), experiences like Aura or Horizon of Khofu. Fever has a list of all these experiences you can browse. The concerts can be found in the usual places.

Have someone curious about running? Life? Learning to get in shape? There are a ton of coaches out there to get you started including life coaches (see above!), running coaches, personal trainers. What about learning to climb? We live in a big city and there are tons of options.

I love basically everything from Papier but their Gratitude Journals look like a great start to the new year.

Three Good Things to Know

Discussion about this post