This will be our fifth holiday season in our Old Port shop + each year we're greeted with new, creative customer prompts for gifts they're seeking out. This year we've got the following gift collections on our website: Cheers, Cook with Love, Bake, Friends + Family, World Plates, and Maine Love. Since we understand not every gift need fits into one of those categories, below you'll find some niche categories you may able to relate to! We hope you enjoy these as much as we do, and you're always welcome to visit our shops for a further consultation with one of our team members!
For the foodie that doesn't do much cooking at home:
You know the type! Has reservations to local spots any night of the week, a beautiful home kitchen ready for hosting, but hardly ever takes out a cutting board at home. The New Portland, Maine Chef's Table celebrates Portland's elaborate food scene by featuring stories + recipes from the city's most celebrated restaurants. This Honey Sampler from the Honey Exchange in Portland comes with four flavored honeys- Cinnamon, Lemon, Ginger, and Garam Masala. Perfect for use in teas, cocktails, toasts + charcuterie boards. Finally, we think it's safe to say no one has ever been disappointed to receive an AE Ceramics Oyster Dish- the large options are great for hosting while the smaller are nice for sauces, salts, or even jewelry. Each one is unique to each other with the glazing technique and they are all made here in Maine!
For the friend that's drinking less:
The Low-No Alcohol industry has been increasingly popular this year! No matter the reason, exploring mocktails and other ways of having fun in the evenings is always exciting- like hosting a Dip Party! with our kit of four pre-measured flavor packets. This Mocktail Party book was written by two registered dietitians and is great for daytime sips, expecting mommas, and anyone looking to add some plant based nutrition to their hydration. To tie it all together, Royal Rose is a local Maine company who makes organic simple syrups that are just waiting to be added to your mocktails, teas, baked goods, or seltzers. We are certainly bias to the Maine Blueberry one, but Lavender Lemon is quite popular as well!
For the neighbor who you always say hello to:
I think we all have a neighbor we run into often but know their dog's name better than theirs, or the coworker who always gets coffee at the same time as you. While gifts are certainly not expected in these relationships, it can feel nice to pick up something small to generously express your gratitude for the dynamic. Our Portland, Maine Pint Glass is an easy-win whether it's for beer, water, iced coffee, or their morning smoothie. Speaking of- we recently launched our Smoothie Sampler Kit with LB Kitchen. With it comes two smoothie recipes, and two kits of each flavor- which could be made with milk or a dairy alternative for our vegan friends!
For the first visit with your in-laws:
Sister-in-Law, Mother-in-Law, or a grandparent: someone you want to be welcomed by and have something to chat about upon your arrival. Our Posy Sugar is the answer! Most wonder "what does Posy mean?" which opens the door for you to talk about the Lavender, Hibiscus and Rose inclusions to this Vanilla Sugar that make it perfect for baking, breakfast toasts, or cappuccino making. Additionally, Candles are guaranteed people-pleasers, but these St. George Candle Co Candles are made in Maine with coconut & beeswax, resulting in a clean-smelling, longer and slower burn, allowing them to enjoy their gift over and over again. Something else they can enjoy endlessly would be one of our Olive Wood Spatulas or Spoons, hand-carved with a rich-textured grain- these will feel at home in anyones kitchen!
Ocean Air Candle, Posy Sugar, Olive Wood Rounded Spatula
For the host who's a friend of a friend:
We end up at so many events during the holiday season- some family, some friends, some friends of friends! While an invite is certainly not an obligation to bring a gift, it always feels good to have a little something as a thank you for the host. Our Mulling Party! recipe kit can be made with either wine or cider and are a real customer favorite this time of year. With spiced treats on the mind, any Runamok Maple Syrup makes a great pairing. We love this cardamom infusion, but the Bourbon Barrel-Aged is irresistible!
Or if you know they're a wine lover- our Wine Pairing Sea Salts with Barton Seaver offer something fun to any dinner party!
For the petsitter:
We couldn't have our holiday fun without our beloved pets being cared for back at home. Our Taste of Maine set with Maple Salmon Rub, Maine Blueberry Pork Rub, Lemon Herb Fish Seasoning, and Maine Sea Salt truly has something for everyone AND has a QR code right inside to lead them to our recipes! And for a little extra something, tea towels are always a safe bet. You can even wrap the set right up inside the linen and secure it with a bow! We adore this Garlic tea towel particularly as SKORDO translates to garlic in Greek, but we have many Holiday linens on the site- all great for an additional piece of appreciation!
For the secret Santa:
We love these, we dread these, we look forward to these, but we can certainly be stumped by these! Teighan Gerard's Half Baked Harvest Every Day is full of easy-to-make + easy-to-love meals and will be well-loved wherever it lands. If they're cooking at home, a tea towel always comes in handy. This set of three terry tea towels will display nicely on the stove, dry glassware nicely, and sop up messes quickly.
