Christmas Hound
There is a “New Christmas Tradition” e-mail message making the rounds urging Canadians to buy local services rather spending a fortune on junky gifts made in sweatshops on the other side of the world. The poor writer of that e-mail was so hard-up to think of any product still made in this country he/she instead suggested that we should treat each other to Christmas coupon books for car washes, hair cuts or snow shovelling for the winter. Too bad he/she didn’t think of giving Canadian books for a holiday present. I sent the following message back to the person who sent me the original message. Hopefully it will trace back to the original writer and Canadian books will find their way under the Christmas tree next to the snow shoveling and hair cuts vouchers.
When you give a Canadian book as a holiday gift, you give a gift to all of Canada.
Have you noticed lately that most of the holiday gifts filling up Canadian store shelves are no longer made in Canada? Even gifts bearing the most recognizable Canadian symbols seem to come from some distant land. When Canadians buy foreign made gifts most of their money leaves the country taking jobs away from other Canadians.
One exception is Canadian books. Canadian books are written by Canadians for Canadians. Behind every Canadian writer is a Made in Canada team of editors, graphic designers, lay-out artists, publicists, printers, warehouse staff, delivery drivers and book sellers. Every year the Canadian book industry pumps hundreds of millions of dollars into the Canadian economy which creates jobs and pays taxes.
Canadian books also offer unbelievable choice. From Romance to Home Renos, Humour to Who-dunnits, Canadian books are second to none anywhere in the world. No matter what the age, gender or personal interests are of all the people on your gift list, there is a perfect Canadian book for each of them.
Finally, Canadian books are about Canadians like you. They are written about places you know, people you have heard of and things that matter to you.
When you are shopping for holiday gifts this year please consider giving a gift that is unique and truly Canadian. It is a gift that creates and keeps jobs in Canada.
Give a Canadian book.
You Don't Know Spitt 
Kerry Clare
November 17, 2011 at 1:55 pm
Dear Steve Pitt,
I’m editor of the website http://canadianbookshelf.com/ and I’m interested in learning a bit more about your “Give a Canadian Book” idea, which I’ve noticed here and there. We’d like to feature it on our blog next week. Please email me at editor@canadianbookshelf if you’re interested. You explain the genesis of your idea in your post (coupon books???) but I’d like to know how you went about getting the word out there.
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Kerry
R. J. Harlick
November 17, 2011 at 8:57 pm
A terrific idea, Steve. Let’s see what we can do to get the word out there.
Joyce
November 18, 2011 at 6:07 pm
I just sent out your post to all of the members of my book club and recommended that one Canadian book they should give out is your “My Life and Other Lies”.
Steve
November 21, 2011 at 8:30 pm
Thanks Joyce. Hopefully I’ll be getting around to a sequel soon. I need a snappy title. “The Varnished Truth”, maybe?
Best wishes
Steve
Jo Ann Yhard
November 18, 2011 at 9:24 pm
Great post and a great idea!!! I’ve bought several as gifts in the past and have many more on my list to buy as Christmas gifts. There are lots of book signings around the area here in Halifax, so I’m lucky to get many of them signed by the author.
Margaret Buffie
November 18, 2011 at 9:31 pm
As a Canadian author, I love this idea. Of course!
georgiebinks
November 21, 2011 at 8:51 pm
Steve…I bought five of your books and gave them out two years ago…maybe it’s time to do it again…cheers Georgie
Elaine Clow
November 23, 2011 at 2:31 am
Brilliant idea Steve, and very welcome.
Elaine C
Phillipa Rispin
November 23, 2011 at 5:10 pm
Terrific idea, Steve. And a recommendation: I gave your book “My Life and Other Lies” to my dad last year. He said it was the best present he’s received in a long time.
Lisa MacColl
November 24, 2011 at 9:51 pm
Consider this my official request for my signed copy of the sequel, which I think you should call Spitt and Polish…
Steve
November 25, 2011 at 7:15 pm
Given my culinary training I was also thinking of writing a cookbook someday titled “Cooking with Spitt”.
Jen
November 28, 2011 at 4:48 am
What a great idea. I started a Canadian reading challenge this year and have been amazed at all the great Canadian books there are, for kids and adults. For me it’s not about buying local (because Canada is too far away) but about bringing Canada to my kids who experience that part of their heritage very little.
Steve
November 28, 2011 at 4:19 pm
Good point, Jen. Sadly many Canadians living in Canada take their heritage for granted. And we’re a work in progress. My mom married an immigrant from Europe. I married an immigrant from South Asia. My son is engaged to an immigrant from Russia/Israel. I notice that your e-mail address mentions two of my favourite food groups – perogies and gyoza. Nothing more Canadian than that.
Stu
December 3, 2011 at 6:18 pm
Steve, my friend…..
I just bought and finished ” Fifteen Days” by Christie Blatchford. Regardless of how you feel about the war, if you have a son in their 20’s it will bring a tears to your eye. Especially with your 48th Highlander history.
Looking forward to seeing you and the family in January….
Steve
December 3, 2011 at 7:44 pm
Stu,
That’s the glory of Canadian books. There is something out there for everybody. I just bought “The Fog of War”, a book by Mark Bourrie about the Canadian government’s censorship of the media during World War II. Sadly there won’t likely be a sequel because the Canadian mainstream media doesn’t say anything worth censoring these days.