For the holidays, we’re shining the spotlight on Maine craftspeople who make custom items by hand. Shop locally and support innovators and entrepreneurs who keep the creative economy alive in this state.

Maine Blueberry Gifts

The back story: Go to Maine Etsy and search “Maine Blueberry Gift” and you’ll find dozens of handcrafted items using Maine’s most iconic fruit for every budget, from stocking stuffers for $5 to gift boxes for $50.

Sample food boxes are always a safe bet and Maine Foodies provides the holy trinity—Blueberry Honey, Blueberry Jam, and Maple Syrup.  Wagamuffin considers dogs “foodies” as well with their handmade plant-based blueberry dog treats. But other creative entrepreneurs have used the blueberry in alternate forms, such as Downeast Doodle Candles' hand-poured soy blueberry candle that gives off a scent that one customer called “spot on.” Brayer Ridge Soap crafts a handcrafted blueberry lip balm made with coconut oil, sweet almond oil, shea butter, Vitamin E, and organic beeswax from right from their farm. 

Maine Lobster Gifts

The back story: Apart from buying lobster directly from reputable pounds who can ship cross-country, Etsy is the place to search for “Maine Lobster Gifts” with nearly 2,000 gift ideas.

Do you know someone who can’t stop talking about how much they look forward to eating lobster when they come to Maine? We see a lot of lobster-themed gifts in this state, so here are a few of the truly unusual ones that stand out made only by Maine craftspeople: PL Detailz crafts a lobster-shaped map of any town you specify and frames it for a unique house gift. Wooden Penneys has kind of a wacky gift, a saved lobster claw shell turned into a Santa Claus (Claws) Christmas ornament. Vacationlander cracks us up with a “Jaws” parody T-shirt featuring a giant lobster “Claws” coming up from the deep instead. And those who know the industry in and out will find this gift to be very cool: Lobstermans Wife offers a gauge bracelet fashioned from the tool lobstermen use to measure the length of “keepers.”

Maine Craft Beer Gifts

The back story: Maine has cemented its rightful place on the craft brew throne in the last decade and with more than 165 breweries (and counting), plenty of people who visit not only love the beer but also the memories of it that they take home. We combed through all of the unique Maine craft beer-themed gifts on Etsy to bring you a few Maine-only crafted items that are the next best thing to a cold, frothy mug.

Benoits Design Company has a Dirigo pint glass with the original 1901 Maine flag with a tree and star, but these are going fast. If you’re a big fan of Allagash Brewing Co. (Maine’s largest award-winning brewer) you’ll like the craft beer magnet set MashedPotatoMosiacs make from their bottlecaps. Geary Brewing is a Portland brewery and New England's First Craft Brewery, which poured its first flagship ale in 1986. Shop their beer soap; the Beer & Christmas Cheer soap smells like “clove, citrus, fir trees, and good memories.” 

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com