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Cold play
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Look north for arctic offerings from the heart
by GENEVIEVE PAIEMENT
As we stand at the very cusp of another long and frightfully frosty Montreal winter, what better way to usher in the holidays than by focussing our attention on arctic adventure? To quiet that friend who whines incessantly about the cold from November through April, show her things could be even icier with This Cold Heaven: Seven Seasons in Greenland, by Gretel Ehrlich (Pantheon, $39.95). The book is a fresh take on the old arctic expedition log, written in a crisp and poetic style. Ehrlich traces the voyages of various early-20th century explorers while portraying Inuit culture and daily life on this almost entirely ice-encased island with mesmerizing clarity--makes Montreal look like Fort Lauderdale in comparison.
For a more visual illustration of what it's really like to live in the genuine Great White North, a restored version of the classic 1921 documentary Nanook of the North by explorer turned filmmaker Robert Flaherty might be in order (video $27.95, DVD $46.95). Often cited as the first-ever feature-length documentary, the film follows Nanook's daily life-and-death struggle with the elements in a place where nothing grows. Watch as Nanook wrestles with a seal, witness his friendly wives prepare the catch, gasp at Nanook's ingenious craftiness as he single-handedly carves an igloo out of ice using nothing but an ivory blade.
If these polar tales are not enough to convince everyone that our winters really aren't as horrible as they're built up to be, why not buy that cranky aunt or best friend of yours a trip to Nunavut? If for some reason you don't have the funds for such a perfect prezzie, a travel guidebook might do the trick. Like The Nunavut Handbook, for instance ($29.95), available from the comprehensive Nunavut travel site www.arctictravel.com. The book features lots of colour photos and mostly Inuit writers' tips on everything from dogsledding and walrus watching to luxury cruises and the dangers of ice floes.
For your friends and family who are quite content to stay put in our relatively southern city for now, keeping warm is of course a priority. Nothing says "I care" like a gift that wards off chills and frost bite, especially a stylish one like a Harricana par Mariouche recycled fur hat ($160), available at Lola & Emily's (3475 St-Laurent). Not only is it ethically kosher (they're made from old discarded coats, not fresh animals), but they proffer a hint of mystery and dead-of-winter charm reminiscent of that other icy glamour capital, Siberia. The same store offers some pretty cozy, less pricey, fireside wear: wool arm warmers, hand-knit by one of the owners' mommies ($35). Match them with some '70s thrift leg warmers (visit your local Salvation Army/Value Village) and you've got a complete limb-heating set for your loved one.
Get wet
Of course, some will say it's great to be cozy, but they want more than their limbs heated on those long, cold winter nights when the wind chill factor makes it feel like the temperature's in the minus triple-digits. For those nights, may we suggest the Toys in Babeland Winter Escape gift set? This "romantic bath-time pack" ($40 U.S., batteries included) acts as a triple duty erotic escape with a waterproof book of erotica (Aqua Erotica, Three Rivers, Melcher Media DuraBook), a G-spot-stimulating Tsunami Vibe waterproof vibrator and some yummy-smelling, celebratory Confetti Bubble Bath. Order on-line from the female-friendly, fun-loving, sex-positive babes themselves at www.toysinbabeland.com.
For aural stimulation while your friend is holed up in her winter tub of self-love, she may want a suitable soundtrack to drown out the buzz-buzzing of her new sparkling turquoise Tsunami friend. This is where the classic Northern Nights: Music From the Top of the World CD (Climate/Six Degrees Records, $15.99) comes into play. Billed as "the soundtrack to an imaginary Scandinavia," the album features Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish music, both electronic and folk, as well as the Finnish kantele--"a harp with a crystalline sound that inevitably reminds listeners of snowflakes and icicles."
On a more wholesome note, there's always the classic winter pastime of iceskating. And the classic place to procure them: Canadian Tire. Women's CCM figureskating skates start at $39.99 and men's hockey skates from $54.99. And in a no less wholesome or heartwarming vein, there is the annual wintertime Rusty Plum Holiday Bazaar to attend. This is a perfect spot to begin your winter-themed gift shopping: the Crafty Chick Collective have everything from reusable, flannel menstrual pads to hand-knit hats and mitts to invigorating handmade soaps and charming gift boxes. At Elle Corazon (176 Bernard W.), Dec. 15-16, 22-23, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Info: 273-3933 or www.ellecorazon.org.
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