The are two keys to a good last minute gift: 1.) it has to be readily available and easy to acquire and 2.) it shouldn't appear as though no thought went into its selection. Toward the latter's end, gifts about Toronto are often work well insofar as they tend to strike a perfect balance between the general and specific, the all-purpose and the unique. While buying someone a book about the city in which they live may not mark him or her as an individual -- there are after all over 2.5 million people who reside here -- it's still a hell of lot more personal than the consumable gifts that people often choose when the time crunch has gotten to be too much.

As such, I've gathered together a short list of Toronto-specific gifts that should be easy enough to locate before the stores close on Christmas Eve.

Books

There are loads of Toronto-based books available at bookstores likeTYPE,SwipeandBen McNally Books, not to mention the big-box chains like Indigo. My favourites: Derek Hayes'Historical Atlas of Toronto, Shawn Micallef'sStrolland Mark Osbaldeston'sUnbuilt Toronto: A History of the City that Might Have Been。在我们的文章可以发现更多的冠军the top 10 books about Toronto。

Posters

Two posters in particular would make for excellent gifts: theOrk Toronto mapand Dave Murray's多伦多word maps。The former is availble atSoHo Framingon Roncesvalles and the latter atKid Icarusin Kensington Market.

Art

If posters aren't quite sophisticated enough, buying the work of a local artist could do the trick. But with very little time left, this could be a daunting task. Soltuion: gift certificates to an online gallery that carries Toronto artists. Although gift certificates may seem like the ultimate cop-out, in this case I think they're kind of ideal. The receiver will want to choose what he or she likes best anyway. Best bets for TO-based galleries?EYE BUY ARTandCircuit Galleryoffer email based certificates that allow you to give affordable artwork without stepping foot outside your home.

Magazines

A subscription toSpacing Magazinewould make a nice last minute gift for someone interested in the way that Toronto works (and ideas for how it could be better). Bonus: buy a copy off the newsstand and then fill out the subscription form and you'll have a material object to put under the tree.

Indie Coffee Passport

A steal at $25, theIndie Coffee Passportallows its recipient to purchase a coffee at each of the 24 participating independent cafes/coffee shops. And as far as availability goes, this one's pretty easy too. Since the participating shops are spread across the city, it's likely that a trip to purchase a passport won't take too long. Do make sure you call ahead, however, as not every single participating shop also sells the cards.

Images by Ork, the author, Dave Murray, Lizzie Vickery, Spacing and blogTO.