The holiday season is here, and with it comes the joy of gift-giving. For last-minute shoppers or anyone looking for an extra-special present, Niagara College’s Learning Enterprises offer a variety of unique, student-crafted and student-supporting options. Make your holiday shopping meaningful by supporting student learning and showcasing the incredible talent right here on campus.
Teaching Greenhouse
Get into the holiday spirit with festive florals and greenery from NC’s Teaching Greenhouse. Choose from a range of beautifully cultivated student-grown poinsettias in various colours and sizes:
- 4″ poinsettias for $5.99
- 4″ festive poinsettias for $9.99
- 6″ poinsettias for $9.99
- 6″ festive poinsettias for $14.99
- 10″ poinsettias for $24.99
- 10″ festive poinsettias for $29.99
For every 4″ and 6″ poinsettia purchased, $1.00 will be donated to the NC Cares in a Million Ways Campaign in support of United Way Niagara. A vibrant addition to any home, each plant is grown with care by our students, and your purchase directly contributes to supporting our community.
You can also enhance your holiday décor with Winter Green Porch Pot Inserts, available for $50 each.
Don’t miss out on our Niagara College Golden Honey, a campus-grown sweet treat available in the Teaching Greenhouse for $7.00.
Wine Visitor + Education Centre
Holiday Brews
Indulge in seasonal brews crafted by the talented brewers at NC’s Teaching Brewery. Perfect for the beer enthusiast on your list, these unique creations are sure to bring holiday spirit with every sip. Students, faculty, and staff at the Teaching Brewery have been hard at work bringing to life a variety of holiday beers this season, including:
- Hair of the Grinch – Oatmeal Stout – 4.1%: A light, easy-drinking stout with a big dose of chocolate from a cacao nib addition and a touch of coffee. Crafted by Ian Morrison, Head Brewer.
- Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch – St Nicholas Day Barley Wine – 10.5%: Amber to light brown in color, brewed with a raw palm sugar from India called jaggery. It has a complex fruity ester profile, rich toffee, and light molasses flavors. Big-bodied and smooth to drink. Created by Adam Marshall, Lead Brewer.
- Frosted Tips – White Stout – 6.3%: A white stout made to taste like a dark stout with the addition of cacao nibs, coffee, and vanilla. Notes of coffee and white chocolate. Developed by Kate Buzanko, Student Brew Tech.
- Rudolph’s Red Nose Ale 2024 – Traditional English Winter Ale – 7.2%: A reddish-brown, warming winter ale that is malt-forward with low hop bitterness. Brewed by Jon Downing, Brewmaster.
These festive brews are available for purchase at the Wine Visitor + Education Centre.
Holiday Gift Packages
Raise a Glass to Holiday Cheer! The Wine Visitor + Education Centre offers a selection of holiday gift packages featuring products from the Teaching Brewery, Winery, and Distillery. These beautifully packaged sets come in various price points, perfect for any budget:
- Winter Warmup: Stay cozy with Southern Hospitality Whisky, Vesper Classic Toddy Kit, Niagara College Golden Honey, and Tracy’s Apple Cinnamon Chardonnay Jelly.
- Holiday Brunch Essentials: Prepare for a delightful brunch with Les Marmitons Gastronomy Sparkling, Spirits 101 Hail Caesar Spiced Vodka, Spade & Spoon Caesar Mix, Niagara College Golden Honey, and Tracy’s Strawberry Rosé Jelly.
- Cheers to Beers: Includes two bottles of Imperial Beers, two Niagara College Beer 101 pint glasses, and Copperpot Peanut Beer Nuts.
- Award Season: Enjoy award-winning wines like the 2018 Balance Brut Riesling Sparkling, 2020 Dean’s List Meritage, 2020 Dean’s List Scholar (Riesling) Icewine, and 2019 Balance Sauvignon Blanc.
- Martini Essentials: Everything needed for the perfect martini with School Spirits Gin, Spirits 101 White Vermouth, Double Wall Insulated Martini Glass Set, and Stuffed Queen Olives.
- Starry, Starry Night: Balance Brut Traditional Sparkling, 2018 Tom Thomson Algonquin Red, and a 4-Pack of Silicone Bottle Stoppers.
- Red Cheer: 2021 Balance Pinot Noir, 2020 Balance Cabernet Franc, and Blacksmith & Bean Dark Chocolate Truffles with Coffee.
- White Cheer: 2019 Balance Riesling + Gewürztraminer, 2022 Balance Pinot Grigio, and Canada Coast to Coast Shortbread Bites.
- Snowed In: Balance Brut Sparkling, 2020 Dean’s List Cabernet Sauvignon, Spud’s Finest Ontario Kettle Chips, and Blacksmith & Bean Dark Chocolate Truffles with Coffee.
All holiday gift packs are discounted and tax-free. For more information, visit the Wine VEC website here or download the 2024 Holiday Gift Packages brochure here.
Discounts
The Wine Visitor and Education Centre is offering a 15% discount on the Balance series wines when you buy 12 or more bottles. Additionally, Imperial bottles of beer are now priced at $10 each.
Stay tuned for daily sales announcements on the Wine VEC social channels until December 18.
Wine Visitor + Education Centre Gift Cards
Take advantage of the Gift Card Bonus offer. Purchase a $100 gift card and receive a $20 gift certificate to use on anything at the Wine VEC. These promotions are available until December 24.
Sales from Niagara College Teaching Winery, Brewery, and Distillery support the students in the Winery and Viticulture Technician, Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management, and Artisan Distilling programs. So, indulge in the Wine VEC’s unique offerings with gifts that give back to student learning.
Teaching Spa
Pamper your loved ones with the gift of relaxation with special promotions from NC’s Teaching Spa. Open until December 13, the Teaching Spa offers discounts on regular-priced retail products:
- Buy one item and receive 10% off.
- Buy two items and receive 20% off both.
- Buy three or more items and receive 30% off all.
Holiday items include:
- Hempz Crushed Peppermint Sugar Herbal Hand Cream
- Hempz Crushed Peppermint Sugar Shea Sugar Scrub
- Hempz Crushed Peppermint Sugar Herbal Lip Balm
- VOESH Peppermint Swirl Vegan Hand Cream
- VOESH 4-step Pedi In a Box
Teaching Spa gift certificates can also be purchased with gift cards redeemable for massages, facials, and more.
School of Culinary Arts
A Chef’s Journey
For the foodie on your list, get them a unique culinary experience that’s just hit the scene. Niagara College has launched a new dinner series, “A Chef’s Journey,” showcasing talented chefs and alumni from its trailblazing Culinary, Tourism, and Beverage Studies division.
“A Chef’s Journey” kicked off on November 28 with an exciting lineup of eight dinner events for 2024-2025. Each event will spotlight the College’s academic chefs alongside featured alumni and a team of students. Each dinner event will include a welcome reception with beverages and light snacks, a chef’s presentation of storytelling, photos and videos highlighting their journeys, and more.
The events will be held at Benchmark restaurant, located at NC’s Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Upcoming events in the new year:
- Olaf Mertens on January 23
- Michael Olson, along with his wife, celebrity chef Anna Olson, on February 13
- Frank Dodd on March 20
- Erin Cirelli and Isa Mottiar on April 3
- Riley Bennett on April 24
- Scott Baechler on May 8
- Oscar Turchi on May 22
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Eventbrite page here.
Wishing you a safe and merry holiday season!
