Sentimental Gifts
For when you want it to mean something.
Personal, lasting and made-to-keep gifts for the people who matter most.
The gifts we remember are rarely the biggest ones. They’re the pieces that preserve a memory, tell a story or make someone feel genuinely known. This collection brings together meaningful Canadian finds made for keeping well beyond the holiday season.
Written by Sarina Rene
Motherhood. The most wonderful, thankless, aggravating, heart-melting job that you might ever have. Whether you have one or multiple, it’s a title that comes with both joy and sorrow. And for some, it can be a battle just to receive that title. But one of the hardest parts is how quickly those early years pass. Do you remember the milky smell of your newborn’s hair, how tiny their hands once were, their first smile, first words, first steps?
I heard a friend once say, “Early motherhood is being nostalgic for the present.” What better way to describe how fleeting those early years are, even when it feels like those long days will drag on forever?
Whether you’re expecting, a new mother or have been a card-carrying member for eons, here are a few gift ideas from Canadian mama-owned businesses that you’ll love for years to come.
The onesie you brought them home from the hospital in, the tiny, rosebud lips in a silhouette for their bedroom, immortalizing your breastfeeding journey… these mementos aren’t just items. They’re memories of how they’re only little once. These beautiful keepsakes are the best way to remember those years, long after they’re grown.
Oh Honey Silhouettes
Oh Honey’s custom silhouette portraits capture those tiny profiles exactly as they are now, so you can remember little faces long after they’ve grown.
Wooden Ornaments & Prints | Restocking October 15, 9 a.m. ET
Shop Oh Honey Silhouettes
The Milky Fern
Created by a Canadian mom, The Milky Fern turns breastmilk into rings, pendants and earrings that honour the emotional journey of breastfeeding or pumping.
Handmade in Canada | Rings, Pendants & Earrings
Shop The Milky Fern
Two Birds Keepsakes
Engraved with a real fingerprint or handwriting, Two Birds’ custom pendants turn the smallest details into jewellery you’ll cherish forever.
From $170 | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Shop Two Birds Keepsakes
NKR Apparel
NKR stitches your little one’s favourite onesie into a custom embroidered sweatshirt, turning a tiny outfit into wearable art you’ll love for years.
From $59.95 | Ontario
Shop NKR Apparel
Pen to Paper Homes
Pen to Paper’s Custom Favourite Place portraits preserve your little one’s first home, a beautiful keepsake for families who have moved since those early days.
Custom Favourite Place Portraits
Shop Pen to Paper HomesA little heads up:
Some links in our guides are affiliate links, meaning we may earn a small commission if you shop through them (at no extra cost to you!).
Just another way to support the North. 🍁
From Our TeamInterested in having your brand featured in future seasonal guides? By The North partners with Canadian businesses to create meaningful visibility through editorial storytelling, curated campaigns, and community-driven discovery.

