SHOPPING

Gifts for Sun and Snow

By Domini Clark

Loved ones escaping the dreariness of winter in the city for sun and sand or snow and slopes? Don’t resent their good fortune. See it as an opportunity for easy holiday shopping. Here are our picks for the best getaway gifts.

Sun

Has that extra layer of winter padding already settled into place? No worries. It’s easy to look and feel glamorous when lounging on a plush Hermès beach towel. The eyes of fellow beachgoers will be drawn to this season’s bold animal prints – like Picasso-esque tigers, floral elephants and mosaic fish – and away from pasty skin.
$625 CAD, hermes.com

The bright sun can replenish more than vitamin D levels; put it to work with the Solio Universal “Hybrid” Charger. One hour of sunlight typically powers a cellphone for 20 minutes or an MP3 player for 50, and it holds a charge for up to a year. The sleek portable gadget also works with wall adapters, but where’s the fun in that?
$105, flight001.com

Most water sports offer little opportunity to accessorize, so fashion-forward vacationers need to make the watch count. The Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean stands out with bold black and orange designs, optional chronograph dials and a slick black rubber strap. A superb diving watch, it’s water-resistant down to 1,970 feet and protected by scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. If it’s good enough for James Bond and Michael Phelps, it’s good enough for anybody.
Starting at $4,250 CAD, omegawatches.com

Yes, disconnecting from life (okay, work) back home is hard. Help an A-type friend ditch the BlackBerry with a Sony PRS-700 Reader Digital Book. Its easy-to-use touch screen features E Ink technology that makes text crisp and clear, even in bright sunlight – just like those paper books some Luddites still carry around. The difference? It holds more than 300 books.
$400, sonystyle.ca

Snow

The slopes can be hard on skin. Give the gift of a wind-burn-free face with Kiehl’s All-Sport “Non-Freeze” Face Protector. The wax-based formula (not tested on animals) creates a physical barrier against wind, sun (with an SPF of 30) and snow. And because it’s water-resistant, it will stand up to sweat or a face full of powder.
$22 CAD for 1.4 oz, kiehls.com

slopeside action pics with your hands cozily ensconced in mitts, thanks to the winter-ready 10-megapixel Olympus Stylus 1050 SW. Equipped with Tap Control, it lets you adjust settings and take pictures with a gentle hit to the top, sides or bottom. The metal body is also shockproof, waterproof and freeze-proof (to 14°F).
$330 CAD, olympuscanada.com

A bit of slush won’t deter hard-core runners, so why not make their winter workouts more comfortable? The Nike Air Pegasus+ 25 GTX has a Gore-Tex membrane that keeps toes warm and dry, plus BRS 1000 heel rubber and a waffle sole for grip and cushioning. Available for men and women, it’s compatible with the Nike+ system for iPods.
$105, nike.com

The Atomic Nuke 120 boots look hot in funky orange, but their substance more than matches their style. Loads of next-gen performance and safety features make these a top choice for serious powder junkies. Designed for big-mountain skiing, they're built with soft ShocKilla boot board padding and a Recco avalanche safety system reflector that helps rescuers locate buried skiers.
$500 CAD, atomicsnow.co

(Domini Clark is a writer and editor based in Toronto.)