The earliest salons were informal gatherings where B-list philosophers gibbered away so that they couldn't hear themselves dying of plague. Get an earful of the modern salon’s soothing hair-dryer purrs and scissor chop-chops instead with today's deal: for $20, you get $40 worth of salon treatments at Labelle Salon and Spa, located on King Street West.

The talents of Labelle Salon and Spa's seven knowledgeable stylists and aestheticians are evident in the sharp and sophisticated hairstyles of their clientele. Ladies' cuts ($48 and up) and colours ($45 and up) are so forward-thinking that customers are banned from most major casinos. The expert coiffeurs at Labelle's are also happy to shape the locks of children ($16 and up) and men ($26 and up). Climb up the restored staircase to experience the spa portion of Labelle's, where aromatherapy oils and soft music suffuse innovative pampering treatments that relax clients from head to heel. From 75-minute facials ($80 and up) to the two-hour ultimate pedicure ($70), Labelle's services take their sweet time, providing a warm and welcome respite from holiday shopping and hordes of rabid yetis. Put stress in a bind with a seaweed wrap (half body $80; full body $120) that expels toxins and nourishes skin, or repair the ravages of scurvy and classical-guitar playing with an hour-long French manicure ($40), including mask, paraffin, massage, and polish of your choice.