This Season’s Coolest One-of-a-Kind Gift Idea? Stationery Adorned with Your Face

Because we’re all narcissists at heart, people.

A little personalization can go a long way when it comes to gift giving. Think about it: a leather-bound journal, coffee cup or plush throw blanket are all fine and dandy, but slap someone’s initials or full name onto them and, suddenly, they’re flying off the shelves at your neighbourhood Indigo. It’s the reason why those Coca-Cola cans did so damn well and why the Fairmont stocks its rooms with Le Labo toiletries stamped with its guests’ monikers: we’re all narcissists at heart, people.But I’m here to tell you there’s something even more satisfying than a pendant necklace, coin purse or tiny bottle of shampoo with your name on it: eco-friendly, Canadian-made stationery adorned with a clever and decidedly fashion-y illustration of your sweet, sweet mug. Which is exactly what you’ll find at the Eighty Seventh St. pop-up at Vancouver’s Holt Renfrew (737 Dunsmuir St.) this weekend (December 8 and 9). Photo: Holt Renfrew / Eighty Seventh St.Taking its biz on the road, the Toronto-based paper-goods brand is partnering with H Project, the third-floor Holts department dedicated to responsibly made products, and interactive-events team MakeLab to host a custom-card pop-up at the department store, where shoppers will be able to have their heads (and faces) digitally sketched by artist Monica Smiley and printed on a set of notecards—all in the span of about 20 minutes. (Potential queues notwithstanding, of course.)Selfless souls looking to nab some personalized stationery for friends and fam can bring along pics—either on your cell or in hardcopy format—for Smiley to work with. Pricing starts at $75, which isn’t cheap, but considering the talent it probably takes to accurately sketch someone’s visage in no more than five minutes, is understandable. Plus, once all is said and drawn, you can take a digital version of the illustration home with you. A fresh stack of tailored notecards and a whimsical new Instagram profile pic? Score.