Coming to Canada for Xmas with presents

[Krikit 1,163]

Yay, that means more champagne!

Thank you.

OMG, I got the best deal EVAH on champagne! Moet & Chandon avec un ice bucket for $29!!!!!! Not to mention the sales they had on all the liquor. I can't believe I only paid $17 for 1.75L of Smirnoff, Bacardi, etc!!!!! Let the games begin!!!

(Gotta love the Americans and their booze sales. LOL)

[MrsCat 6]

Yay, that means more champagne!

Thank you.

OMG, I got the best deal EVAH on champagne! Moet & Chandon avec un ice bucket for $29!!!!!! Not to mention the sales they had on all the liquor. I can't believe I only paid $17 for 1.75L of Smirnoff, Bacardi, etc!!!!! Let the games begin!!!

(Gotta love the Americans and their booze sales. LOL)

OMG, I just totally stocked up too and we don't really drink.

This is the first time that I've bought booze since I moved here and never noticed how cheap things were compared to Canada. The lady at the check out asked if I was having a big New Year's Party and I said no this was just for me and hubby. We look like drunkards.

I got 3 bottles of wine for $15 that normally cost me $16/bottle back home. And I stocked up on some gin, Malibu and vodka. I went a little crazy, not because we wanted it or needed it, just because it felt like such a steal.

[xtinab 0]

The alcohol prices down here also are awesome Personally, the best part of the drive to TO is hitting duty free. Can't wait! 2 more days this time and well be enroute!

[antda 13]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for posting your experience crossing the Peace Bridge with Holiday presents. Lol..this sure brought back a lot of memories of when my husband (then boyfriend) used to come up to Canada with our holiday gifts...(heck, we also even used to bring our small holiday/christmas tree back and forth with us across the border...)

From our experiences, the "secrets" to getting around that $60 rule are to: 1) Have all your gift items unwrapped (wrap them when you're in Canada instead, and buy the wrapping paper after you get across) 2) Claim your gifts as "personal items" when asked, and hide them amongst "personal" laundry, clothes, food, junk, etc. (though tell the truth if you are somehow caught telling a lie, and have retail reciepts handy to back this up) 3) "Don't ask. Don't tell"....lol..I think you can figure this border crossing rule out...

And yes, it is cold and windy up here in New York State, USA, in and around the Buffalo area, as we get a lot of "Lake (Ontario) Effect" snow and weather around here where we live. In fact, last week we had 1 foot/12 inches/ 24 centimetres of snowstorm within a 24 hr period! Can't complain though, as definitely "Canadian-like" and I wouldn't have it any other way, especially during the holidays! Yup, we Canucks gotta love the snowy and cold winter weather!

Hope this helps too! Happy holidays! And good luck, to those of you crossing the border during the busy holiday season (make sure to check for weather and traffic conditions before you cross too).

Ant (Stuck in the American snow, loving Canadian-like snowy weather...)

Yesterday, I crossed the Peace Bridge from Buffalo to Canada coming to visit my wife (OBX). The border guard informed me that you can bring in gifts up to a value of $60 without paying duty. You can bring in as many as you wish, however, if any gift exceeds the $60 threshold you will have to pay duty on the difference between the actual value and $60. I had both wrapped and unwrapped gifts with me but wasn't asked to show anything.

Hope this helps anyone heading north in the next few days.

Ugh. Check out the webcam on that site. It's obviously super windy today. And, OMG, does it look COLD!

Edited December 23, 2008 by AntandD

[Krikit 1,163]

Uhhhh....

Yeah. *cough cough* I'm pretty sure Neiks doesn't read this forum. Nor does the TOS police.

So.... like I was saying. It's always best to be honest. What's a couple of dollars in duty (if they make you pay, that is) compared to a huge pile of misery and a record? But, hey. Who am I to rain on someone's parade if they enjoy a bit of excitement?

[thetreble 19]

Uhhhh....

Yeah. *cough cough* I'm pretty sure Neiks doesn't read this forum. Nor does the TOS police.

So.... like I was saying. It's always best to be honest. What's a couple of dollars in duty (if they make you pay, that is) compared to a huge pile of misery and a record? But, hey. Who am I to rain on someone's parade if they enjoy a bit of excitement?

haha I made a list of all my gifts last night and their prices. I think I should just be honest and pay the tax and duty on a few items. Since I've never paid tax and duty, can someone tell me how it is collected? I don't want to be at the border for 1 hr waiting to pay someone this money.

[Emancipation 2]

Uhhhh....

Yeah. *cough cough* I'm pretty sure Neiks doesn't read this forum. Nor does the TOS police.

So.... like I was saying. It's always best to be honest. What's a couple of dollars in duty (if they make you pay, that is) compared to a huge pile of misery and a record? But, hey. Who am I to rain on someone's parade if they enjoy a bit of excitement?

haha I made a list of all my gifts last night and their prices. I think I should just be honest and pay the tax and duty on a few items. Since I've never paid tax and duty, can someone tell me how it is collected? I don't want to be at the border for 1 hr waiting to pay someone this money.

We once got stopped at the border coming back into Canada from a shopping trip. My BFF declared that she had spent more than the amount that we were allowed to for the time we were out of Canada.. she said it up front.. then the Officer got a little miffed for some reason and hauled the van into secondary. We were told to get out of the car stand up against a brick wall and they searched the whole vehicle. They wanted reciepts for EVERYTHING in the van and thankfully we had everything. Then they just told my BFF to go inside to a cashier section and pay the GST & Duty on her goods over the allowed amount. Other than the search it was a pretty easy procedure. I think it took a little time but there was someone ahead of her in line arguing with the guard inside. I'm pretty sure she paid with a credit card.

Edited December 23, 2008 by Emancipation

[thetreble 19]

Well I stupidly wrapped all my gifts and definetely did not keep receipts. I'm not going to hit the border until 11 or 12 at night so I'm hoping they go easy on me. I have never had any problems getting through the crossing at Queenston-Lewiston. Only ever a few questions. So just cross your fingers for me, yall!

[OBX 51]

Well I stupidly wrapped all my gifts and definetely did not keep receipts. I'm not going to hit the border until 11 or 12 at night so I'm hoping they go easy on me. I have never had any problems getting through the crossing at Queenston-Lewiston. Only ever a few questions. So just cross your fingers for me, yall!

You should be fine. We have found that they are generally understanding when it come to Christmas gifts for family. As previously posted my husband has frequently brought in both wrapped and unwrapped gifts in and never had any issues.

Expecting 5 - 10cm of snow in Niagara through this afternoon and into tonight. Have a safe trip north.

[Sprailenes 47]

Thats really lame. I crossed at Queenston/Lewiston without problems, the guy didn't even look at our passports.

[Emancipation 2]

Well I stupidly wrapped all my gifts and definetely did not keep receipts. I'm not going to hit the border until 11 or 12 at night so I'm hoping they go easy on me. I have never had any problems getting through the crossing at Queenston-Lewiston. Only ever a few questions. So just cross your fingers for me, yall!

well shopping and presents are two totally different things of course.. you'll be fine!! they probably won't even look