Holiday Gift Guide: Banff's Best Christmas Gift Ideas

Part of the magic of Banff and Lake Louise is the indelible impression these world-renowned destinations make on us. It’s a feeling we can’t help but want to pass on, whether that’s through a gift others can hold or an experience the recipient can have for themselves.

Here’s where the magic lives on: Nestled in Banff National Park, below that iconic view of Cascade Mountain, are artisans and activity providers, creators and culinary masters. It’s not a matter of whether you’ll find a gift, so much as what you’ll choose in a mountain of options!

To narrow down the list, we’ve uncovered some of Banff’s best Christmas gift ideas. These ideas support local businesses and creators and tick the boxes for travellers of all kinds, from the adventurer to the foodie, wellness seeker or art lover. And if you can’t make it to the Rockies, many of these items can be purchased online, so you can still find that perfect gift that evokes the spirit of Banff and Lake Louise.

Creature Comforts

Gifts for relaxing, getting cozy, and soothing the soul.

Flannel Robe

Rocky Mountain Flannel Co.

Made of 100% Portuguese cotton, this Kimono-style flannel robe is the softest thing you’ve ever felt, found uniquely at this women-owned, Canadian-designed, flannel-only shop. Choose from a variety of plaid patterns, all in unisex sizes, and enjoy your early-morning coffee in comfort and style.

Heartprint Threads Blanket

Branches Marketplace

Designed in collaboration with makers in Ecuador, these gorgeous blankets are made from 100% high-grade post-consumer recycled acrylic (making them both animal and vegan-friendly)! For every blanket purchased, a donation is made to a local charity, such as the Calgary Drop-In & Rehab Centre.

Redefining Body Wrap

Fairmont Spa at Banff Springs Hotel

An opportunity to cozy up in a literal cocoon, this hydrating body treatment includes a body scrub and massage followed by a wrap, which reactivates skin elasticity and delivers long-lasting moisture. The body wrap includes access to the 40,000-square-foot spa, so your recipient can also swim and soak or curl up by the fire in one of their lounges.

To-Go Fellow Carter 12oz Move Mug (12oz)

Jolene’s Teahouse

For the tea lovers who want to sip on-the-go, this mug has a ceramic interior, snap-in splash guard, and leak-proof sealing cap, ensuring your drink stays piping hot for hours. Choose from several gorgeous colours and, while you’re at it, pick up some of Jolene’s famous teas or cocktail mixes, hand-blended in Banff.

Elmer Beanie

Herschel Supply Co.

It’s a beanie-style hat with a bit of give. Made from 100% acrylic, these super soft, rib-knit hats come in a spectrum of colours and patterns. Whether it’s for winter warmth, urban style or summer camping in Banff and Lake Louise, this is a versatile hat that looks great on everyone.

Fuel for Foodies

Gifts for tasting, dining, and culinary creations.

Flash Fuel Organic Coffee

Big Bear Trading Co.

Here is some instant micro-ground coffee for the win. Roasted in Canada, Flash Fuel comes in both dark and medium roast, all packaged up with a super smart matchbox design. A portion of proceeds from every box goes towards their endeavour to plant 1 million trees.

Sky Experience

Sky Bistro at Banff Gondola

Enjoy an alpine dining experience just outside the town of Banff, complete with a gondola ride to the summit ridge of Sulphur Mountain and your choice of appetizer and entrée. Epic views and world-class food await you at this culinary experience in the sky; it’s unlike any other restaurant in the Banff and Lake Louise region.

Marvellous Marinades

Evoolution

Packaged in six carry-on friendly bottles, this mix of oils and balsamic vinegars is sure to please the chef in your life. Combine Wild Rosemary Olive Oil with Black Cherry Balsamic for turkey or chicken, Chipotle Olive Oil and Espresso Balsamic for Beef or Pork. Salivating yet?

Tea Gift Box

Banff Tea Co.

Hand-blended in Banff using carefully sourced ingredients, this set of five teas comes in beautiful transparent packaging. Get five teas up to 30 grams in a variety of mixes, including Banff Tea Company’s exclusive or holiday blends. Customizations are also available so you can choose according to your recipient’s tastes.

Eat Up Banff

Banff Hospitality Collective

One gift card, 15 restaurants — all in downtown Banff. You choose the value and the recipient can choose the venue, from Greek food at the Balkan to the award-winning regional cuisine of The Bison. This gift card is also valid for High Rollers bowling and Hello Sunshine karaoke if you’re looking to turn it into a dinner with a twist.

Adventure Unleashed

Gifts for outdoor play, nature time, and adventures of all kinds.

Fjällräven Vidda Pro Ventilated Trouser

Fjällräven & Monod Sports

The perfect pants for year-round trekking, camping and bushcraft adventures, these trousers have reinforced knees and the right kind of stretch for maximum comfort and unobstructed movement. Choose from men’s or women’s and various colours, inspired by nature’s palette.

Ski or Snowboard Journal

Paper Den

For the snow-lover in your life, these journals are created to help them track their best days on the slopes. Designed in Banff by Wildly Supply Co., journals have thirty prompted pages that track everything they might want to remember, including mountain conditions, favourite runs, ski buddies and more.

Banff Medicine Walk

Mahikan Trails Indigenous Experiences

A gift to enrich one’s outdoor experience and health, the Banff Medicine Walk is an eye-opening experience near the town of Banff at Cascade Ponds. Indigenous guide Brenda Holder teaches how to identify medicinal plants, trees and bushes, and how they might get you out of a bind, whether it’s a fire cider for the flu, as a food source, or fire starter.

Intraknit Active Base Layer Long Sleeve

Smartwool Banff

Made from moisture-wicking and super-breathable merino wool, this stretchy active shirt is the perfect addition to anyone’s winter adventure kit. Available in men’s and women’s, this shirt will help you feel drier even while you’re working up a sweat. A supportive fit and minimal seam design make for a comfortable layer that you’ll forget you’re wearing.

E-Bike and Hike Tour

White Mountain Adventures

Biking is a great way to get out in the mountains and it’s even better with a battery to assist you on all those hills. E-bikes are available for rent throughout Banff and Lake Louise — a great gift idea on its own. For a next-level experience, the E-Bike and Hike Tour winds along riverside paths and the Bow Valley Parkway before a hike to beautiful Johnston Canyon.

Artful Inspirations

Gifts for decor, art collecting, and the celebration of creativity.

Wildlife Canvas Prints

Brandon T. Brown Wilderness Gallery

Wildlife lovers will be awed by the work of local photographer, Brandon T. Brown. A passionate conservationist, Brandon’s most captivating and memorable wildlife photographs — think: grizzlies, bison and wolves — are available as ready-to-hang, gallery-wrapped canvas prints in a variety of sizes.

Art Cards - Greeting Card Pack

Carter-Ryan Gallery

A gift for the giver, this 10-pack of 5 x 7 art cards comes blank inside so you can choose your own message. Creator Jason Carter, an Indigenous sculptor, painter and illustrator from the Little Red River Cree Nation, now has a gallery downtown Banff. If you’re flying into the region keep a lookout; Carter’s paintings are on permanent display at both Calgary and Edmonton airports.

Decorative Art Tiles

Whyte Museum Bookshop

For a simple yet beautiful gift, these decorative tiles feature familiar Rockies wildlife, as well as mountains and lakes, including Mount Rundle, Castle Mountain and Lake Louise. Designed and created in Red Deer by artists Brian McArthur and Dawn Deterando, the tiles are the perfect accent for a mantle, countertop, or side table.

Stoney Nakoda Beadwork

Banff Trading Post

Handmade by Cassandra Rollinmud of the Stoney Nakoda in nearby Morley, Alberta, this beaded necklace features traditional beadwork on deer hide with wolf willow seed. The necklaces, available in red, purple, brown and light blue, are just one of the many authentic Indigenous handicrafts available at Banff Trading Post.

Self-Care Supplies

Gifts for wellness, pampering, and the mind-body connection.

Epic Me Time Bath Set

Rocky Mountain Soap Co.

This box comes with permission to lock the door and enjoy a sumptuous bubble bath. The gift set, made by hand with all-natural, non-toxic ingredients, includes a Lavender Sugar Scrub, Serenity Bubble Bath, Goat’s Milk Bar Soap and Oatmeal & Honey Bath Bomb.

Forest Bathing

Forest Fix

An opportunity to find a sense of calm and clarity through the powers of nature. Join guide Ronna for Shinrin Yoko (Forest Bathing), a traditional Japanese practice that is a simple, yet powerful way to hit the “reset” button. Half-day retreats are available in addition to private bookings.

Massage Stick

Lolë

Perfect after a big day at the ski hill or a long hike, this Massage Stick can be rolled over sore and tight muscles for some serious relief. At just over 20 inches long, it’s super portable, so you can tuck it away at home when it’s not in use or bring it with you to the gym, office, or your next trip to the mountains.

SuperFacial

Remedy Advanced Esthetics

This highly customized facial treatment will give your recipient exactly what their skin needs. The therapists use a variety of techniques and tools — from high-quality products to manual massage and skin-restoring machinery — to get the best results possible. Buy a gift voucher and let the recipient choose a 60- or 90-minute treatment.

Yoga Class Punch Pass

Flow State Yoga Studio

Located in the Bison Courtyard with stunning views of Cascade Mountain, Flow State offers classes of all kinds, from a Slow Flow to Vinyasa Fire. Purchase a gift card and your recipient can choose from a membership, 5- or 10-class punch card, or — perfect for travellers — a week’s worth of unlimited yoga.