Welcome to Canada care package

[MontrealMum]

My cousin has just moved to Canada with her family and I'd like to send her a small care package of Canadiana to say welcome to my country. Nothing big, I'm hoping to fit it in a shoe box or similar. So far I'm going to send:
-a milk pitcher for bag milk
-a can of real maple syrup
-maybe a Stuart McLean book or CD

Any other suggestions? I was thinking of maybe a book that explains Candian culture, or a music CD or something. I've been here for so long that I don't notice differences anymore.

DH was no help as he suggested a snow brush (too big!) and a Tragically Hip CD (which just about every American must already know about).

[mom2binsd]

That handy little clippy thing to clip the milk bag corner (usually comes with a magnet on back to keep on fridge).

A conversion card for metric grams vs pounds, temps etc.

Translation of common items....cutlery for silverwear, serviette for napkin, soft drink for soda, and that almost a Canadians call the 6pm meal supper.

Depending on where she is, tell her it's ok to buy fries and gravy from chip wagon (and get the large!)

The words in English and French to Oh Canada so she can sing along!

A brief summary of how the Canadian gov't works, the party system, political parties, elections etc...so different from the US...am sure your background will make this an easy one!

[bubbaray]

Where are they moving to? We don't have bag milk in BC, LOL.

[MontrealMum]

Ah, and here I thought that sort of weirdness was all over! It was seriously one of the strangest and most puzzling things I saw in my 1st year here. They're in the suburbs of TO and also have bag milk. I know they still don't have a pitcher as they mentioned it when we were staying there this past weekend.

Beth, can you buy the milk clippy thing at the grocery store? I think I need to get two - one for us, and one for them

Any recs on a good "this is Canada" or intro to Canadian culture type of book?

[bubbaray]

Any recs on a good "this is Canada" or intro to Canadian culture type of book?

ha ha ha -- I've been here decades and STILL don't really understand Canadian culture....

This is the best slang site I found: http://www.canadaka.net/content/page...-english-words

[MontrealMum]

ha ha ha -- I've been here decades and STILL don't really understand Canadian culture....

This is the best slang site I found: http://www.canadaka.net/content/page...-english-words

Yeah, I was hoping that someone else did I totally botched my explanation of differences and similarities to her in our emails prior to the move and when we visited she seemed a bit jumpy and worried about saying the wrong thing in front of DH. She's also terrified of the winters though I hadn't mentioned them at all. (she's from the same place as I am, winters should be no big surprise)

Thanks for the link...it looks great!

[bubbaray]

Tell her not to worry. Toronto *thinks* it is the center of the universe. That is all she needs to know....

Seriously, Toronto is so multicultural and lots of tourists, all that will happen is some strange looks. Like if she says "I'd like a sac with that" or if she says "uh huh" instead of "you're welcome" in reply to "thank you".

[MontrealMum]

This is what I was trying to impart with my emails, but I think I scared her instead. I was just trying to explain that Toronto, and S. ON are very "American" while still being Canadian, but that she shouldn't actually SAY that to anyone. And that since she's moved there via the US South, it's more similar to her place of origin than she might think. However, she has decided that she wants to take up curling! Which is something that I've never done in all my 16 years here. So, she's certainly open and interested in experiencing new things. Apparently I'm expected to take part in it as well, though I'm not quite sure how that's supposed to happen when I'm 6 hrs away...

Love your new siggy, such a beautiful message

[Neatfreak]

The Vinyl Cafe tour is rolling through Ontario in October - tickets to actually see Stuart McLean could be fun, if they're in the budget! I also thought that a gift card to Tim Hortons would work, since it's become so ubiquitous with Canada. A CD of Great Big Sea or BNL?

I think that back in the 1970's, my parents were able to buy milk in a bag in Alberta. Don't think I've seen it since I was four!

[MontrealMum]

Very cool - I'll have to check that out!

They've got one of those Keurig coffee makers that I first heard about here. Do they do Timmy's? I don't know as we've got a French press and I'm really not much of a coffee connesseur.