Your 2025 Holiday Gift Guide to Must-Find Maine Treasures
Nothing says holiday nostalgia like a brisk sleigh ride through a Maine farm or curling up with family and friends around a fresh pot of hot cocoa and mugs in the shapes of lobsters. This season, The Maine Menu will share the best handcrafted goods, locally sourced treats, and delightful wonders that embody the creative spirit of Maine communities.
From November to December, we’ll report on items found in Portland, Freeport, and up to The County and beyond. These are the holiday gifts that capture the essence of Maine living, from handspun alpaca sweaters to sea-salted chocolates to coastal artwork reminding you of summers spent eating oysters and fresh corn.
Be sure to follow along as we venture out into the community, shining a spotlight on local shops, holiday markets, and artisans who bring Maine’s unique, picturesque culture to life.
Why Shop Local in Maine
Did you know 99% of all Maine businesses are considered small businesses? These are locally owned, hidden gems where independent makers and family-owned companies drive the state’s economy. When you pick up a holiday gift from our Maine Guide, you’re not just passing along a beautiful, personalized item for a loved one, you are supporting a vibrant community full of families and traditions.
It’s easy to hit a big box store and fill a stocking over the fireplace, but it takes an affluent shopper to find the hidden treasures that offer more authentic, handcrafted designs that represent a sense of shared space. Whether you live in Maine or love visiting, our 2025 Gifts for People Who Love Maine is the best option during the holiday season.
What to Expect in Our 2025 Maine Guide
Your best option is to follow along @themainemenu.co on Instagram. We’ll use those posts to update the article you’re reading right now. That should include highlights like:
- Local Maine Gifts designed by beloved artisans, food aficionados, and custom boutiques.
- Coastal-Inspired Finds that are perfect for the family members who cherish driftwood, seashells, lighthouses, and lobster rolls.
- Sustainable & Handmade Items crafted with care and hard work Maine locals prize.
- Maine-Made Experiences featuring cozy inns, winter adventures, and specialty events only found in the Pine Tree State.
All our Maine Menu recommendations include a mix of Maine brands with a few favorites that frequently crop up from our followers beyond the state. Each is chosen for its exemplary quality and engaging story.
Follow Along & Shop Local!
Be sure to bookmark this page and check back often. We’ll update the Maine Holiday Guide throughout the season with new gift ideas and links, including exclusive behind-the-scenes stories from Meagan Mae and the rest of the Maine Menu.
Top Holiday Gifts for People Who Love Maine
Maine Blueberry Sweatshirt – Cool As A Moose
Check out one of the most popular and comfortable tops available in this Maine Blueberry Festival Sweater from @coolasamoose. Blueberries are a big crop in the state, with many festivals along the midcoast and north county celebrating the delicious fruit. The cotton-blend sweatshirt features rich embroidery and keeps you warm and cozy while unwrapping gifts around the tree. You’ll need to visit a location in Bar Harbor, Portland, or Brunswick, Maine, or Provincetown, Mass., as this sweater is an in-store exclusive.
Drinking Sweets & Snacking on Caramels at Wildwood Chocolate
Inspired by the natural world, like the namesake Portland’s Wildwood Trail, this famous chocolatier provides intricate and well-balanced sweets. All the products are carefully crafted by hand, from Chai Drinking Chocolate to caramels from the Ridgeline collection. You’ll find a wonderful, elegant gift from the sweet tooth of Maine chocolate lovers, perfect for cozying up around the fire. Wildwood is based in Portland, ME, but has stores across the nation from Lexington, KY to Los Angeles, CA.
Sweet Filled Advent Calendars from Bixby Chocolate
You cannot go anywhere in Maine without finding Bixby Chocolate. They use ethically sourced ingredients and a rich, creamy process that fuses original flavors with decadent gifts. Bixby has won numerous international chocolate awards and has just as many options for baking as for stuffing stockings over the fireplace or adding to a white elephant gift at your office. The chocolate factory is located in Rockland, ME, but its products can be found in Hannaford, Walmart, Whole Foods, and other grocers throughout New England. As a woman-owned business, they offer non-GMO, organic, vegan, and GF options, including our favorite, the Northern Lights Theme Advent Calendar.
Comfy Clothes from Maine Mariners
Hockey is a beloved tradition in Maine, and if your shopping list includes any fans, you need T-shirts and sweaters from the Maine Mariners. This is the AA-level affiliate of the world-famous Boston Bruins, where games are a massive outpouring of local support at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, ME. Celebrate this season with a jersey, custom T-shirt, and fan-favorite sweaters.
Stir Your Coffee the Maine Way with Fisherman’s Crafts
Everything in Maine is based on the lifestyle, including tiny little outboard motors for stirring your coffee, hot chocolate, or hot toddy. Fisherman’s Crafts offers a wind-up toy motor that is the perfect accessory for the hot drink lover in the family. They also partner with Amazon and Walmart through occasional Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, so be sure to follow them on Instagram at @fishermancrafts.
Handcrafted Art Pieces from Hayden Campbell
A Coastal Hand is the brand that provides painted tote bags, custom pet ornaments, hats, mini-canvas magnets, and pet portrait sweatshirts by artist Hayden Campbell. What started as a hobby during the COVID-19 pandemic quickly evolved into a fantastic product line that showcases the artist’s unique style and features the coloring, texture, and personality of Maine.
A Maine Fixture of Baking Deliciousness
This season, take a trip to any of the Maine locations for Rosemont Market & Bakery. Here you’ll find flower subscriptions, festive dining essentials, and local gifts — including Happy Organics candles, Belleflower Thoughtful Beer, Bixby Chocolate, fresh croissants, Maine-made tote bags and beanies, Coffee By Design, and Drinking Chocolate — all in one stop. You cannot shop here without the small-batch, big-flavor baked goods, perfect for any gift list.
Feel Silky Fresh with Marin Skincare
Located in Portland, ME, is a well-kept secret for smooth skin hydration and lip balm crucial to long skiing seasons. Marin Skincare offers a lip treatment featuring marine glycoproteins and a flavor inspired by Campfire S’mores. This Maine-made company goes out of its way to upcycle one of the state’s most valuable exports, lobster!
Southwest Style in a Northeast Favorite at Mexicali Blues
If you grew up loving the painted desert of the Southwest, but prefer the hearty quality and craftwork known in Maine, you need to visit Mexicali Blues. There are locations all over the state (with the one outside Damariscotta as a favorite), and we highly recommend the Alpaca Lobster Sweater for comfortable warmth and coastal character in your next gift bag.
The Simple Elegance of Beth Ladd
Capturing the unique charm of Maine’s coastal communities is a lot easier when you explore the complete Beth Ladd collection. Start with the handmade jeweled lobster earrings and work your way to monogrammed India bags and specialty necklaces. Even though the founder began in 2014 around NYC, she has quickly grown into a beloved provider that elevates Maine’s culture.
A Complete New England Gift at Box of Maine
Ship the spirit of Maine in every box of local gifts made and packed in Brewer. Box of Maine collects all the staples known around the state, from soft and fluffy whoopie pies to custom stickers and maple syrup tapped from native trees. There are a variety of options to choose from, including the chance to sponsor a Maine Soldier Box for the service members celebrating the holidays overseas.
Make Your Holiday One for the Scrapbook
We hope you’ve enjoyed our Holiday Gifts for People Who Love Maime Guide. Be sure to drop us a note if you can think of more items we should add to our 2025 list, and follow along for all the latest updates on our Instagram. From everyone here at The Maine Menu to all our readers around the globe, have a wonderful holiday season!
