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  • Writer's pictureJim Brousseau

Christmas Basket Tradition Supporting Local Businesses

Every year as Christmas approaches, one of the garages at our Pembina Highway location turns down the car care and turns up the turkey, just for a day.

It has become our Christmas tradition to gift each valued member of our Super Lube team with a Turkey Basket over the holidays. It is our way of thanking them for their hard work over the past year and for their dedication to keeping your vehicle running over the holidays.


Aside from the tryptophan, our baskets are filled with all kinds of goodies and delicacies. As we find ourselves in unprecedented times, we have decided to double down on one of our core values - community. Our province and our city mean the world to us, and so whether it has been through our local Pink Caps for Cancer fundraiser each October or the Healthcare Heroes campaign we launched last spring, where we as a Super Lube team were able to donate our time and resources to the tune of 4000 free oil changes for our incredible front line health workers, we knew we needed to look for a way to support local businesses over the holidays.


This year, our 140 baskets are filled exclusively with local products from Manitoban entrepreneurs. After an enjoyable search we finally selected a handful of creative, delicious and innovative local businesses to complete our baskets. Here's a sneak peak of our Super Lube Christmas workshop...


Christmas basket assembly line
Super Lube elves hard at work
Super Lube Christmas basket filled with local products
Delicious, local and filled with joy!
Jim Brousseau, owner of Super Lube delivering Christmas baskets
Jim Brousseau, Owner of Super Lube getting ready to deliver baskets with CFO Marj Laidlaw

Here's the scoop on the businesses and products we included this year:

Cookie jars from Macs by Beth- Beth is a Winnipegger who started her home-based business in January 2020. In that short time, she has become a Winnipeg favorite for her beautiful macarons, cookie mix jars and other delicious treats! If you have not tried one of her egg nog macarons, you haven’t lived.


Check out her social media pages or her website to follow her journey in the bakery business!

Toffee treats from Utoffeea- Utoffeea was created by Cate Dyck; photographer, mom of 4, and life-long Winnipegger. The very first batches of handcrafted toffee were produced in Cate's tiny home kitchen in 2012 and sold at craft markets over the Christmas season. Since then, Utoffeea has expanded into a dedicated commercial kitchen space, and retails in over 60 independent and national level stores within Manitoba. Cate locally sources her ingredients whenever possible, just another way to connect to her homegrown roots. Her goal has always been the same, to make treats that bring joy to people. If layers of roasted cashews, buttery toffee and chocolate sound joyful to you be sure to follow the Utoffea link above.

Baskets from Gales Wholesale Ltd.- Gales Wholesale is a family owned, Canadian business, presently serving over 20,000 customers throughout Canada, the United States and around the World. With a location in Winnipeg and Regina, Gale's Wholesale is one of North America’s largest Hobby & Craft Supplier warehouses, and the home of Gale's Florist.

Wood ornaments from GT Krafty Kreations - Tanya started her company in 2016 with a Mother’s Day gift from her husband and six daughters, her very own circuit press machine. She started off making wooden signs for friends. With so many positive reviews they decided to take their wood signs, canning from their garden and sewing to a local Christmas craft show. A reporter from their local paper came to take pictures of the event. Impressed by the fact that everything from the signs to the stands to the price tags themselves were handmade their story landed on the front page. Over the years their crafting business has grown and now hosts paint parties, craft sales and helps with fundraisers. Next spring, they will be adding in their gardening business as well. If you haven’t seen a wooden home decor sign that suits your fancy, why not let them immortalize your own words with a custom order!

Custom mugs from Raaflaub Creations- Raaflaub Creations is a family business based around what they hold dear, items made with love and outstanding service. In 2019 Raaflaub Creations came to life when Tammy’s son shared some of her products online with the confidence it would be loved by many. It originally began with Tammy crafting for her friends and family. Soon her two kids became part of the creative team. She was inspired by her mother Kimberly’s creativity, compassion and customer commitment that has now set the vision for Raaflaub Creations. They appreciate all the support their small business has received so far. They hope you love their products as much as they love creating them. Tammy just released a new seasonal product called Elf on a Shelf Quarantine Package. They also specialize in wonderfully creative handcrafted Christmas ornaments - from Fortnite to Minnie the Mouse, your kids will love them.

Our turkey and other grocery items from Red River CO-OP Food Store- Red River Co-op is locally owned by Manitoba members and help support local business by carrying over 600 made in Manitoba items from local producers! They are Manitoba’s truly local food store. Red River Co-op is a locally-owned co-operative serving the communities of Winnipeg, Gimli, Kenora, Dryden, Selkirk, and Stonewall.


It is a privilege to support Manitoban entrepreneurs during this time - we do it because we can. It's also a privilege to serve you. Thank you for choosing Super Lube when it comes to caring for your car. While we didn’t make your car, we want to make the car you drive, drive forever!


Come see us at any of our 5 Winnipeg locations over the holidays, and if you are lucky there might even be some Turkey left over for you. Maybe not.


To our health-care and frontline workers, keep your eyes peeled for our 2021 Health-care Heroes campaign in the New Year.


Merry Christmas from our family to yours.


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