There’s a special sensation that goes along with buying a holiday gift from a small, local business. It’s one that you just don’t get when going to a big, national chain. Not only do you get the nice feeling of getting something fun or useful for a loved one, you also get that warm and fuzzy feeling that you have done something to help your community. And you really have — every purchase made from a local artisan or shopkeeper makes a difference. This year, take shopping local to heart. You’ll walk away with something you’ll be proud to give your spouse, your kid, your parents or your best friends. And the warm and fuzzies will stick with you throughout the season.
Gryffon Ridge Spice Merchants
Turn chicken breasts from “meh” to amazing. Transform pork loin from bland to bursting with flavor with a single jar. The spice blends, powders and herbs sold by this Dresden-based business pack a delicious punch, from garam masala and Jamaican jerk to Herbes de Provence and Tunisian harissa. For the chef in the family, this can’t be beat. Jars start at $4 and are available online.
LiveME apparel and accessories
Proudly display your love of Maine and your personal passions by picking up an item from LiveME, a Portland-based maker of apparel and accessories. You can HikeME, BikeME, BeerME, SailME, FarmME or just LoveME. T-shirts are hand printed on sturdy, made-in-the-U.S. cotton. T-shirts are $24, pint glasses $6, stickers $2 and totes are $15.
2 Note Botanical Perfumery
Fellas: want to really impress your lady? Visit 2 Note Botanical Perfumery either online or at 10 Moulton St. in Portland, or Maine Maven in Orono. Look through the multitude of entrancing, music-inspired scents they produce — from the seductive Nocturne to the dreamy Delicato — and decide which one best suits her personality (ask her friends if you need help). Buy one, wrap it up nice and pretty and tell her that you chose this one because it reminded you of her charm and beauty. She will flip. Just don’t tell her we told you to do that. Perfumes range from $40 to $90; body products start at $20.
Hats from WorthyGoods
Look sharp and shop local with the snappy hats from Worthy Goods, made in Bar Harbor by Dory Smith Graham. Boys and girls of all ages can be fashionably warm with handmade baseball caps, earflap hats and newsboys and flat caps. Worthy Goods are available online on Etsy, and you can buy them already made — or for a little more, get a custom-made one. Prices vary; check online.
Northwoods Gourmet Girl ketchups
Abby Freethy makes all kinds of jams, jellies, pickles and preserved things out of her Greenville kitchen — but we particularly like her homemade ketchups. There’s traditional country ketchup, a jalapeno ketchup and an out-of-this-world charred onion ketchup, which takes burgers and hot dogs to another planet. You can buy her goods online or in stores including Maine Maven in Orono, Pine Tree Market in Northeast Harbor, Atlantic Brewing Company in Bar Harbor and Aurora Provisions and Leroux Kitchen in Portland.
Down East Books cookbooks
It has been a banner year for Down East Books, which has published a number of excellent cookbooks. Impress your favorite foodie with titles like the revised edition of Marjorie Standish’s “Cooking Downeast,” edited by Melissa Kelly of Primo Restaurant; “The Art of Breakfast” by Maine’s own Dana Moos; “Desserted: Recipes and Tales from an Island Chocolatier” by Kate Shaeffer, and “Notes From a Maine Kitchen” by Kathy Gunst. Prices $27-$30, available at your local bookstore.
Madder Root screenprints
The sweet, simple napkins, towels and bags produced by Christina Wentworth and Janice Boynton of Orono’s own Madder Root are darling and brighten up any dining room table or kitchen. Their Maine-inspired impressions of birds, flowers and the ocean are printed with organic ink, and are durable and practical, as well as pretty. Prices $10-$40, available online and at Maine Maven in Orono, Window Panes in Bar Harbor, and Dwellings in Falmouth.
Delilah Pottery
The decorative yet functional mugs, teapots, plates and platters created by Sara Cox of Delilah Pottery are at once whimsical and lovely. Her designs are available at her gallery in Bowdoinham and at Casco Bay Frames and Gallery in Portland. A piece of her pottery can be a special, centerpiece gift for a thoughtful home decorator. Call 737-8868 for prices.
Dorkorama Jewelry
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David Savage is a Lubec native who has been making his signature steampunk-inspired silver jewelry out of his Bangor studio since 2009. Gemstones, crystals, glass, wire, found items and vintage pieces are just some of the baubles that make up his earrings and pendants. His work is sold at Maine Jewelry & Art in downtown Bangor.
Glendarragh Farm lavender
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Mmm. You can smell the sweet yet envigorating scent of lavender already. Glendarragh Farm, based in Appleton but with a store in Camden, makes all kinds of lovely things out of their sweet-smelling No. 1 crop — from body creams and house sprays to pillows, sachets and even culinary lavender. Prices vary. Visit their Main Street Camden store or buy online.
Rambler’s Way henleys
Tom and Kate Chappell made the best natural toothpaste around with Tom’s of Maine, and last year they expanded into the apparel business. Rambler’s Way offers simple, cozy, incredibly comfortable henleys, tees, underwear and hooded sweatshirts for both men and women, made from 100 percent homespun wool. They aren’t cheap — their classic henley costs $150 — but you won’t need a new one for years to come.
Sweetgrass Winery and Distillery apple brandy
Sweetgrass Winery and Distillery, based out of Union, makes lots of tasty wine and spirits, but for a wintertime treat, look no further than their apple brandy. Sweetgrass says each bottle contains the flavor of 40 apples, so it really ups the spicy tang of hot apple cider — or for a cooler, sparkling drink, it’s nice with fresh lime juice and club soda. It retails for $34.95 and is available at most liquor stores around the state.
Sustainable Harvest International Gift of Hope
The Surry-based charity Sustainable Harvest International helps Central American families farm and raise livestock in an environmentally sensitive way. Your gift means a family gets to eat and make a living, and the forests of Central America can thrive for years to come. A gift of $25 means a family can plant trees; for $40, you can help them plant a “chocolate forest” of cacao trees. Other donations help build stoves, maintain beehives and gardens and support irrigation projects.
Baxter Tea
There’s a long winter ahead of us, and a steaming hot cup of tea warms the body and the soul like nothing else. Baxter Tea of Gardiner makes both single-serving and loose-leaf tea in all your favorite flavors, from Earl Grey and green to oolong and Darjeeling. You can buy the tea at Antiques Marketplace and Rebecca’s in Bangor, Rosemont Market in Portland and Yarmouth, and Downtown Gifts & Crafts in Augusta.
Roy Toy log cabins
You cannot get more timeless when it comes to toys than Roy Toy’s wooden log building block sets. The company began in East Machias in the 1930s, and after a 30-year hiatus starting in the 60s it was brought back in 1992 — and it’s more popular now than ever. American wood, shaped by hand into smooth blocks that fit together, makes all kinds of structures. It just might be enough to get your kid to stop bugging you for your iPhone. Sets start at $21.95.
Dahlov Ipcar’s reissues on Islandport Press
The captivating illustrations of Dahlov Ipcar children’s books create a magical world that evokes not only Maine but jungles, the ocean floor, cityscapes and other fantastic places. Ipcar has made her home in Georgetown since the 1940s, and her books have been lovingly reissued by Islandport Press. Pick up one of her more than 30 books online or in bookstores statewide and send your little ones off to dreamland with a colorful story.
