Top Five Shops to Fill Your Holiday Fix

Kingston is a lovely city to celebrate the holidays in. Usually it’s dusted in snow, the bulbs are festive, the stores are decked to the hilt with holiday decor and you can practically smell the eggnog and peppermint lattes oozing out of the various coffee shops.

Mere days before Christmas (or your respective holiday celebration of choice) we’re top-fiving the best shops to fill your holiday fix.

1) Card’s Bakery: Have you ever really seen a sugar plum? I hadn’t until I visited Card’s Bakery. They’ve certainly embraced the holiday season, jam packing their shop with plum pudding, gingerbread men and houses, sugar plums, and other holiday treats. I’ve never seen a selection so grand, not even the entrance to A&P in all it’s cellophane glory can compete. Additionally, if you are invited to a cookie exchange or simply asked to bake something and can’t muster up the strength, head to Card’s. The stuff could easily pass as your own, though it likely tastes much, much better. For a measly $10 you can pick up a mixed platter of Christmas goodies.

2) Indigo Books: Just walk by Indigo and you’ll be in the holiday mood. The carols are permanently pumping from the sound system, the Starbucks upstairs sends wafts of Peppermint Mochas throughout the shop, and is this place ever decorated. To top this off, they have a great selection of reasonably priced holiday gift options. Why not pick up a pack of Papyrus gift cards and get your Christmas cards sent out only moderately late this year.

3) A&P: I’m a sucker for the Aaron Neville Christmas CD they play on repeat at the A&P. The poor check-out ladies must be in auditory hell, but I love it. In fact, I make small frequent trips just so I can catch another round of ‘Louisiana Christmas Day’ on their stereo. Oh yeah, and their fruitcake selection is the best in the city.

4) Cooke’s Fine Foods: Cookes on Brock street is famous for their holiday gift baskets. They are the perfect present to get that person who has everything and to top it off they’ll ship these bad boys anywhere around the globe. Personally, we like the Hot & Spicy basket – but maybe that’s only because it includes Madonna’s Hot & spicy Antipasto. Who wouldn’t want that under the tree?

5) Pan Chancho: If you are going to over indulge at any time of year, what better time to do it than Christmas? There’s definitely a high chocolate to other food ratio, and everything tastes a bit better when you are perpetually drunk on white wine spritzers. At the Chanch for Christmas they bring out the stollen, a bread-like German cake full of almonds, citrus peel, and dried fruit, and topped with icing sugar. We can almost guarantee an added spring in your step, or at least an extra hole in your belt.

Honourable Mentions:

Diva Salon: Fabulously decorated, great music selection, and sassy staff will boost your spirits and zap your stress in no time.

Starbucks at Johnson and Division: Dark, cozy, and Christmas cups up the wazoo. My Christmas consumer turns rapid when caffeine fueled.