Here at U.P. Second Wave, we're big advocates of buying local, whether it's food, everyday household items or where you choose to spend your entertainment dollars.
A lot of you are, too--shopping at local stores, eating at local restaurants and supporting your local businesses first. But when Christmas comes around, it's really easy to go for the big box store deals and pre-made gift baskets and set aside the local shopping for a little while.
But local businesses and people are what make our communities strong, and our holidays so special in the first place. As we look around and are thankful for what we have and where we live, it becomes even more important to put our money where our hearts are--in the U.P.
We aim to make your local holiday shopping just as easy as the big retailers, with this guide to U.P.-made Christmas gifts. Whether you stop at a local store to find these hand-crafted presents or order them online, you'll know the money stays here in our region and you're making a U.P. small business owner's holiday a little brighter, too.
Local Edible Gifts
Special food and drink items are great gifts for the holidays, because you can be sure they'll actually get used. The U.P. has no shortage of seriously excellent choices in this department. Package some or all of these together for a thoughtful local-food gift basket.
1. Vollwerth's
The Hancock-based meat and frozen food company has been making their traditional sausages for decades from hometown recipes, and offers
holiday gift assortments for any meat-eater on your Christmas list.
Baroni's Italian sauces and pastas also are under the Vollwerth's name and are classic U.P. favorites. They'll ship to those far away missing a taste of the U.P., too.
2. Crazy Joe's Salsa
This L'Anse startup just began spreading the word U.P.-wide that its
fresh-made salsas and dips are on store shelves all over our region. If you're looking for a host gift for some of those holiday parties, or just to drop by a friend's house, these homemade salsas taste like you just chopped the tomatoes or cucumbers yourself. They're also preservative-free and gluten-free, and go great with tortilla chips, crackers or cream cheese.
3. Ray's Polish Fire
This hot sauce, hand-made in small batches, offers a depth of flavor not often associated with Polish cuisine, but that's part of the charm and humor evident in
the Copper Country company's approach to things. It's one of the most widespread U.P. products you'll find on shelves, with stores carrying it all over the Midwest. Put this in a gift box with some
U.P.-made honey or
maple syrup to span the whole flavor spectrum of the U.P.
4. Keweenaw Kitchen Jams
It would be impossible to deny the folks in the Keweenaw have some really special kitchen skills--that's obvious from the list above. A sweeter take on homemade foods from the same area is the wide range of
Keweenaw Kitchen's jams and preserves. There's apple butter like Grandma's, native berry jams like thimbleberry, strawberry and blackberry, and offerings of the seedless and sugar-free varieties, too. Match this up with some ice cream or cheese curds from
Debacker's Family Dairy in the western U.P. and you'll have an incredible-tasting, local food gift for family and friends.
Books to Cozy Up With
Maybe it's just us, but what better present is there than a book? Whether it's non-fiction, fiction, a guidebook or a poetry collection, the U.P. is a rich source of inspiration for writers.
1. Guides
For a new resident, summer visitor or even a longtime U.P. native, there are several great book choices to enrich their time in the U.P. The
Upper Peninsula Almanac has tidbits from history, nature and U.P. culture, while
50 Hikes in the Upper Peninsula is great for the many nature and outdoors lovers in the area. A longstanding classic in this category is
Hunt's Guide to the Upper Peninsula, while
Yooper Bars is a more recent entry that points the thirsty traveler to the best taverns around.
2. Stories of the U.P.
We have so many talented authors both living in the U.P. and writing about the U.P. Snowbound Books in Marquette is one of several independent local bookstores that can help you find the perfect book for a family member or friend, with its
U.P. books section. Check out authors like Joseph Heywood, Steve Hamilton, Nancy Barr, Ellen Airgood, Tyler Tichelaar or Matthew Williams. In other areas of the U.P., Munising's
Falling Rock Café & Bookstore,
Island Books and Crafts in Sault Ste. Marie or Iron Mountain's
Greenway Books can help.
3. Great Couples
Pair a classic mystery novel like
Anatomy of a Murder with a bottle of locally-made wine from
Threefold Vine or
Mackinaw Trail Winery. An alternative for coffee drinkers might be beans or fresh-ground coffee from
Superior Coffee Roasting or
Dead River Coffee, matched up with a more modern story like
U.P.: A Novel.
Hand-Crafted With Love
Artisans, crafters and farmers all offer distinctive U.P. products that you can be pretty sure the intended gift recipient doesn't already have. Original craft and art works can be found in every corner of the U.P.
1. Warm Fuzzies
There's not much that's softer than alpaca wool. You don't have to travel to South America to find it these days; there are several alpaca farms in the U.P. that produce small quantities of specialty wool products. Rambling Rose Alpaca Ranch in Carney has
an online store with socks and other warm winter items, as does Skandia's
Avalon Farm Alpacas. For a thoughtful gift to complete the set, add a felted wool hat, or hand-embroidered kitchen towels or an apron from
Rabbit Bay Creations in the Keweenaw.
2. U.P. Furnishings
The number of amazing craftspeople in the U.P. is astounding, including master woodworkers like
Erik Coursey and
Norm Hefke. If you're looking for a one-of-a-kind, impressive yet practical gift, you can't go wrong with their work. On a larger scale, rustic wood furniture like that offered by
Lake State Industries may be just right for new homeowners or someone who always has an eye out for that perfect piece for their camp or cabin.
3. Small Packages
There are always those little gifts you end up looking for, for coworkers, babysitters, acquaintances or distant cousins. Our local artisans still have you covered, with the perfect soap, lotion, candle or trinket.
Rare Earth Goods in Ishpeming is a great place to stop for the little things, like handmade blueberry soap, or cute knitted dishcloths.
U.P. Bathworks in Marquette has natural, chemical-free bath and body products that might make a great gift set along with handmade, recycled cloth hair ornaments from local crafter
Dusty Luck.
Kim Eggleston is a freelance writer and editor based in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. A Northern Michigan University graduate and Marquette native, she also is the managing editor of Marquette Monthly.