That's A Wrap: RI's Annual Holiday Gift Guide

Where we live, you don’t have to travel very far to find unique holiday gifts that are sure to please and impress. Whether you’re looking for a memorable “thank you” for a holiday party host, or something local to send to a friend or family member far away, choose from our list of artisanal, handmade goodies and don’t forget to include a card that reads “from the RI region with love.” As always, if you’re looking for more great ideas, check out our guides from previous years.

GOODS

Evergreen & Birch Evergreen & Birch products are hand made with organic ingredients and no artificial dyes, preservatives, chemicals or fillers. The Cornwall, Conn.-based company also uses eco-friendly or recycled packaging for all of its products, which include lip balms, body butters, scrubs, serums, face masks and more ($12-$30). The “Pit Pat” aluminum-free deodorant comes in a handful of scents (from Woods to Citrus) as well as unscented. Aftershave, beard oil and beard balm come in scents that include Gramps (whiskey and pipe tobacco) and Jerk (black pepper, clove and orange).

Goatboy Soaps New Milford’s Goatboy Soaps ($4.99 for a 5-oz. bar) are made in small batches using natural ingredients including goat's milk straight from their own farm, and come in a wide array of subtle fragrances, from Tropical Vacation and Manly Man to Cherry Almond and Herbal French Clay. Stop by the Litchfield County farm and meet the goats who help make the soap at the Goatboy farm every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. from now until Christmas.

Dana Antonia Jewelry Dutchess County jeweler Dana Antonia Shishmanian hand makes her sterling silver jewelry to fit the colorful semiprecious gemstones she collects. From demure single-stone stacking rings, to fun and vibrant earrings that resemble fish bones or wide-open eyes, her jewelry ($30-$300) is simple, yet makes a big impression. Inquire about special orders if you’re looking to create a unique gift for someone you love.

Round Designs If you’ve ever wished you could eat an egg out of an egg-shaped dish or an avocado from a ceramic avocado, you’re in luck. Round Designs, out of Chatham, New York, creates fun ceramic dishware and necklaces that really pop. Potter and illustrator Sarah Haze hand makes gift items (including stickers) that are both useful objects and cute, new friends.

FOODS

Hetta Glögg Glögg, a Nordic word for mulled wine, originated in the early 1600s and remains a traditional Christmas beverage. Hetta Glögg, from Rhinecliff, New York, is an updated Swedish version made with port wine, brandy, cinnamon, cardamom, orange peel, and raisin. Hetta (around $25 for 75 ml) can be added to hot or cold drinks — check the website for recipes for all seasons, from a mint iced tea cocktail to a warm version with orange peel and almonds.

Ski Bum Rum Founded in Colorado in 2015, Ski Bum Rum moved just this year to the newly refurbished Greylock Works mill complex in North Adams, Mass. The company’s master distiller uses a traditional copper still made in Spain to create each batch. Ski Bum’s new Forager Gin and First Snow Silver Rum now joins its classic product, Local Legend Spiced Rum ($29). Stop in to the distillery to purchase a bottle, which comes with your choice of a complimentary cocktail such as a Spicy Blackberry Bramble, a Lavender Mojito or a Smoked Old-Fashioned. Drinks without bottle purchase are $7-$10.

H.R. Zeppelin Chocolates Berkshire County’s own organic and fair trade chocolatier will tempt your palate with inspired taste combinations you didn’t know you craved, such as lavender-blueberry milk chocolate, raspberry white chocolate, and cardamom-lemon or sweet basil-lime dark chocolate. Stop by Zeppelin’s brand-new storefront (the chocolatier’s first!) at the top of Railroad Street in Great Barrington for freshly baked cookies, hot cocoa, truffles, fruit dipped in dark chocolate, and more.

BOOKS

Every year is a banner year for books when you live in a region with so many beloved, award-winning authors. Fiction lovers will want to pick up Brendan Mathews’ This is Not a Love Song, short stories by the Berkshire County author of the acclaimed novel The World of Tomorrow. Litchfield County’s Courtney Maum (I’m Having So Much Fun Here Without You; Touch) released two books this year — the novel Costalegre, loosely based on the life of Peggy Guggenheim and her daughter, and Before and After the Book Deal: A Writer's Guide to Finishing, Publishing, Promoting, and Surviving Your First Book, which includes advice from 150 contributors including Anthony Doerr, Roxane Gay, and Rebecca Makkai.

Along with opening her Falls Village, Conn. boutique, 100 Main, the inimitable Bunny Williams published a new coffee table tome, Love Affairs with Houses, which profiles 15 of the renowned designer’s latest house projects and includes 200 color photographs. Ruth Reichl’s latest best-seller is the memoir Save Me the Plums, which chronicles her time as editor in chief of Gourmet and includes, naturally, plenty of delicious recipes. A Way to Garden, the new and expanded version of Margaret Roach’s classic 1998 how-to includes updated information, fresh images, and even more tips on tending your garden 365 days a year. We round out our picks with Inheritance, Dani Shapiro’s fascinating memoir about family secrets that has been called “beautifully written and deeply moving” and “as compulsively readable as a mystery novel.”