Give Like a Gryphon: U of G Holiday Gift Giving Guide 2025

For the foodie

Creelman Bakeshop is baking up a delightful array of holiday desserts for your festive spread. Order a cookie box with an assortment of shortbread, brown butter shortbread, lemon and thyme, cranberry orange, ginger molasses, chocolate crinkle, jam thumbprint, and confetti cookies. Orders are due by Dec. 12 at 4 p.m. $2 from each dessert box purchase goes to support the United Way. 

For filling a stocking

Find a variety of delightful stocking stuffers at the Bookstore, such as key straps, stress Gryphons, stickers, stationary, ornaments, socks and more!  

For your busy bee

Did you know the Honey Bee Research Centre sells honey harvested right here on campus? Purchase it at the bookstore or find a wide range of honey and beeswax products, including honeycomb, beeswax candles, educational materials, food wrap, crocheted bees, lip balm, and more at the HBRC online store. 100% of proceeds fund HBRC research for honey bee health. 

For the nature lover

From wildlife calendars to t-shirts, biodiversity sheets, biodiversity booklets, greeting cards, the native conifers of Ontario sweatshirt, buttons, lanyards, and more, The Arboretum has fantastic gift options. New this year, you’ll find two styles of Arboretum hats, Nalgene water bottles and the ever-popular tote bags! You can also give the gift of an Arboretum Workshop about birds, trees, stars, gardening, owls, winter painting, and more. All proceeds support The Arboretum.

For the coffee connoisseur

Any coffee lover would appreciate receiving these signature fair-trade certified coffee blends. The Gryphon ‘64 Coffee Blend is a dark roast made in partnership with Baden Coffee Co. and funds the #SupportGryphons campaign for the Guelph Student Foodbank. Gryphon Blend from Planet Bean is grown by indigenous women in Peru and Sumatra and supports Gryphon women’s athletics scholarships. 

Do they need a new mug to drink their favourite beverage from? Pick up a Yeti or Hydroflask U of G coffee mug!   

For the home chef

Bring the best recipes from Canada’s Food University home to your kitchen table! The Cooking in Season cookbook features a collection of recipes created by U of G’s award-winning chefs, and inspires readers to cook with seasonal and locally sourced ingredients while learning the stories behind the dishes. All proceeds from the cookbook sales go toward the Student Food Bank, helping to support students in need. Available in soft cover and hard cover at The Bookstore.  

For the apple of your eye

Spread some Providence Crabapple Jelly on anything from toast to dinner rolls to sandwiches and more for a flavourful burst of sweetness. This jelly was developed by Plant Agriculture prof Dr. John Cline at the Horticulture Research Station. 

For the craft beer enthusiast

Gryphon Athletics and Wellington Brewery partner to bring you the Gryphon Gold, a crisp and refreshing Helles-style lager with an iconic can design that showcases the Gryphon. As part of the partnership, Wellington Brewery will make an annual gift to support the Gryphon Scholarship program which supports student athletes. 

For the campus architecture buff

Get the most iconic U of G buildings emblazoned on a coaster set. The drawings of Johnston Hall, the Bullring, the Portico, War Memorial Hall, and the OVC building were drawn by U of G alum Priyasha Mueller. 

For a festive friend

The perfect hoodie for the holidays, this Guelph Gryphons premium holiday hoodie has a full embroidered design on the front and features Campus Crew’s signature super-soft comfort. 

For the cozy cousin

Warm both your body and your heart with the U of G United Way hood! $5 from each sale of this luxuriously cozy hoodie goes towards the United Way. Check out the red hood, black hood, red crew or black crew. 

For the innovator

U of G alumni have created a wide range of unique and interesting businesses as a result of being part of the John F. Wood Centre’s Hub Incubator. Consider adding a little U of G innovation to a stocking: 

• Code Red, Canada’s first chocolate designed to help with menstrual pain 
• Beck’s Broth, nourishing drinks that have a powerful protein boost from bone broth 
• Customs by Katie, a business that puts an artistic twist on shoes, apparel and accessories 
• Retea Cups, reusable bubble tea cups 
• Well Baked Box, recipe book for snacks that not only taste good but leave you feeling good, offering a variety of gluten-free, dairy-free, and naturally sweetened recipes 
• Boardball, a dynamic and competitive game with an alternative to a traditional volleyball net 
• LJ Turtle Aromatherapy, lifestyle essential oil blends designed to help folks smell amazing and feel great 
• Udderly Ridiculous, goat’s milk ice cream made from all-natural, locally sourced ingredients (wherever possible) 
• Revel Cider, dry wine and ciders made with zero added sugar 

For your closest colleague

What work colleague wouldn’t enjoy being treated to their choice of lunch or coffee on campus, or a treat at the Bookstore? Show your appreciation with a U of G gift card, available in $10, $25, $50 and $100 denominations. University gift cards can be purchased online or in-person at Chef’s Hall in the UC or at the University Bookstore. 

For your community

U of G’s Student Volunteer Connections continues the tradition of the Holiday Giving Guide. Browse the guide for a list of the needs of local charities and non-profits as they support vulnerable members of our community during the holidays. The guide includes suggestions of cash donations to help purchase children’s Christmas presents, toiletry or clothing donations, or volunteer opportunities to help wrap gifts or support a community event.