Citrus delights

Vancouver, meet the Lemon Square. Handmade locally with fresh lemons and B.C. butter and sprinkled with coconut, these citrus squares are wrapped up into tiny brown packages and tied with a festive red ribbon. Ideal as a stocking stuffer, they come in two sizes: original ($3.50 each) and a mini share pack ($11) of 16 bite-sized pieces. You can also buy a dozen original squares for a special price ($33). Treats can be purchased online at the Lemonsquare website or at stores, coffee shops, and holiday markets.

> Tammy Kwan

Chocolate art

Award-winning pastry chef and master confectioner Christophe Bonzon has created a beautiful line of edible sculptures for his holiday collection, inspired by the symbols of Christmas. There’s everything from reindeer to modern Christmas trees, Frosty the Snowman, and Santa Claus himself. These sweet works of art come in small ($17.95) and large ($39.95) sizes. Or entertain guests at festive parties with holiday chocolate bars ($13.95) in flavours like cranberry with toasted sesame or peppermint, or choose from an assortment of handmade truffles ($1.55 each). The chocolates may be gone before the guests even arrive. Chez Christophe products can be found at Chez Christophe Chocolaterie Patisserie (4712 Hastings Street, Burnaby).

> Tammy Kwan

East side spread

Handcrafted from fresh, B.C.–grown fruit—some sourced from Vancouver’s own back yards—East Van Jam’s scrumptious spreads are as eccentric as the neighbourhood they’re named after. From the pleasantly tart St. Clair Plum and sweet Madame Cherry to the soft-at-heart Barley Boss and posh, vodka-infused Ollie Onion, each jar ($11 for 250 mL) features a one-of-a-kind character on a playful label reflecting its tasty contents. And since the jams contain significantly less sugar than their mass-produced counterparts, you can bet that your hosts and foodie friends will feel good about slathering them on toast, scones, crackers, and more. They’re available at various stores and craft markets and online.

> Lucy Lau

Smooth like butter

With outlandish flavours like peppercorn brandy, matcha dark chocolate, and Parmesan bacon, the Local Churn takes indulgence to a whole new level. Each 42-gram round of butter is made from locally sourced ingredients and is hand-churned to create a velvety-smooth consistency—perfect for food pairing and entertaining. Pick from seasonal flavours like cranberry-orange-rosemary and a smoked paprika, garlic, and parsley combo ($8 each), or give a trio of sweet or savoury varieties ($10), which the lucky recipient can taste and experiment with for weeks to come. They can be found at various stores and craft markets and online.

> LL

Smokin’ good

Fresh Ideas Start Here (F.I.S.H) is a sustainable-seafood supplier with a retail location that sells fresh, locally sourced ocean products. It’s going to be difficult to gift-wrap wild halibut or oysters for your dearest for the holidays. But how about packaged smoked-salmon jerky to pair with mulled wine for the festive season? F.I.S.H Smoked Jerky ($6.60/100 grams) is made with wild keta (or chum) salmon caught in Johnstone Strait. The company’s most popular smoked products are the Maple Candy and Pepper Candy ($4.85/100 grams) finger foods. Both are made with wild white spring salmon caught in Bella Coola. These savoury holiday gifts can be found at F.I.S.H’s storefront (180–7515 Market Crossing, Burnaby).

> TK

Salty and sweet

Healthy snacks tend to have a reputation for not being the tastiest. But a local company known for its wholesome products has launched a great-tasting treat that’s both delicious and nutritious. Naked Snacks is collaborating with Zimt Chocolates this holiday season to bring a decadent twist to healthy munching, adding pieces of Zimt’s 70 percent organic dark chocolate to the snack company’s popular 3pm Goji mix. With its goji berries, dried cranberries, Bing cherries, cashews, and pecans, hungry snackers will get an energy boost when they indulge in this special-edition medley. The snack can be purchased online and costs $29.95 for a box of five.

> TK