Looking for a way to shop for unique holiday gifts while supporting the local economy? This is the year that local merchants really need your support. 

Below is just a sample of some of the gifts you can find locally. Shop in store or online (we’re providing links) and make sure your holiday dollars stay where you live. Lakeshore businesses are stocked with unique and exclusive gifts for everyone on your list. You might even find something for yourself.

Beverages



Beer: Big Lake Brewing is offering a growler set with two tulip glasses for $25. The set also includes a $10 gift card to fill the growler. The gift can only be picked up at the downtown Holland pub, 13 W. Seventh St. Other great gifts — including gift cards, apparel, and glassware — are available online at biglakebrewing.com.

Beer: Waypost Brewing Co. is offering a Winter Warmer Kit for $22. It comes with a 750 ml wax-dipped bottle of Imperial Brown Ale, and Waypost's Winter Party Chicken pint glass. The Fennville brewery is taking orders for take-out or contactless curbside service at shop.waypostbeer.com. 

Wine: Great Legs Winery, 332 E. Lakewood Blvd. in Holland, is having a holiday wine sale on Chambourcin, Chambourcin Oaked, and Traminette. Purchase a Holiday Threesome for $54 or any three Chambourcin for $50. Details at greatlegswinery.com.

Cider: Farmhaus Cider in Hudsonville is offering chai spiced cider, Sweater Weather, along with its mainstay cider varieties. A four-pack sells for about $12, and is available at farmhauscider.com and local retailers.

Coffee: Uncommon Coffee Roasters, 127 Hoffman St. in Saugatuck, has put together a holiday gift box for $49, filled with treats for anyone who loves coffee, local art, and chocolate. More gift options can be found at uncommoncoffeeroasters.com.

Food



Chocolate: Verse Chocolate, at 150 W. Eighth St. in Holland, is offering dark chocolate "bites" presented in a gable-top box with 12 medallions for $8.99. These locally made treats are produced with low sugar and more cacao, so they are good for you and your tummy. Check it out at versechocolate.com.

Candy: Sweet Temptations in Grand Haven, known for homemade caramel corn, is offering a Chocolate Lover’s Tower that’s perfect for the season. This gift box is filled with homemade caramel corn, chocolate drizzle corn, and Grandma's peanut brittle or peppermint bark ($49.95). Find them at the store, 621 Miller Drive, or online at shop.sweet-temptations.com/towers.

Gingerbread houses: Saunders Family Bakery in Holland is offering Gingerbread House kits. Standard and gluten-free are $30, and gluten-free vegan and vegan are $32. Order online Dec. 1-17 at saunders-family-bakery.square.site/s/order.

Honey dips: SNS Dips offers artisan-created, small-batch dip mixes and flavored creamed honey all made from personal recipes. There are 40 varieties of dip mix and more than 15 seasonal flavors of creamed honey made with local Zeeland raw honey. Dips are $4, creamed honey is $7. Shop the online store at snsdips.com.

Pies: Rachel's Pies sells homemade pieces made with owner Rachel Hendershot's 70-year-old crust recipe given to her by her grandma. She can make nearly any pie filling from fresh apples to french silk. Pies can be ordered on the business' Facebook page or by emailing [email protected] or calling 616-298-0717.

Charcuterie: Galleria at Washington Square in Holland is creating quarantine survival gift boxes with charcuterie, artisan bread, and wine. Gift certificates are available at GalleriaARTandStudios.com

Blueberry breakfast:  Blueberry Haven, at 213 Washington Ave. in Grand Haven, is offering a Blueberry Breakfast Box for $59.95. It comes with buttermilk blueberry pancake mix, blueberry maple syrup, blueberry butter, blueberry topping, and blueberry coffee. Find it and other gift ideas at blueberry-haven.com/product/blueberry-breakfast-box.

Vegan treats: The newly launched Spera Foods in Holland is selling products made with Tiger Nut. The online retailer began with the original tiger nut flour that is nut-free, gluten-free, and vegan. The Tiger Nut is not actually a nut, but a small root vegetable that is high in iron, magnesium, and potassium. The product line includes granola, a paleo waffle & pancake mix, and a vegan chocolate cake/cupcake mix. Prices run between $8-$14. Shop at sperafoods.com.

Cuban food: The Havana Grill which is known for its menu of authentic Cuban and Latin American dishes is offering gift cards. Purchase yours at the Holland Township restaurant, at 12059 Felch St Suite 100.

Jewelry and beauty products


Jewelry: Find a one-of-a-kind collection of hand-crafted jewelry and art from more than 30 local artists, plus stone-themed books, mugs, soaps, and ornaments at Studio JSD's Grand Haven store, 219 N. Seventh St., Suite 4, or online at Studiojsd.com. One option from the shop is Petoskey stone earrings by Julie Sanford for $45. Studio JSD also offers jewelry fabrication classes and workshops.

Earrings: The Poppy Peach makes engraved wooden earrings for $20. They are available at the Holland store, 11539 E. Lakewood Blvd., Suite 120, and online at thepoppypeach.com.

Necklaces: Mr. Miller's Art Emporium has stone cairn necklaces made in southwestern Michigan. Priced at $39, the necklaces have an adjustable strap and consist of five stones collected from Lake Michigan beaches. Many other cairn necklaces, earrings, ornaments, and cairns are available at the Douglas gallery, 48 W. Center St.  More details on the gallery's Facebook page. 

Body Butter: Black Diamond Hair Studio offers Body Butter, made with natural oils and butter to moisturize skin and hair. Customizable scents are available. A 2-ounce jar sells for $9.99. This product and more can be bought at the Holland salon, at 401 E. Eighth St. and online at Onlyyouwomensfashion.com.

Soap: Grand Haven-area business Harvest + Harmony offers small-batch, cold-pressed soap sourced with local ingredients. Bars sell for $7 each and are available in Lavender + Rosemary, Fir Needles + Cedar, Rosemary, Sage + Basil, Marjoram + Eucalyptus, and Honeysuckle + Poppyseed. These soaps are available online beginning Dec. 1 at harvest-harmony.com.

Soap: Articles Boutique has many gift options including handmade soap ($7) that blends lavender and French Pink Clay, made by ME, a South Haven business. Check out the downtown Saugatuck shop, at 146 Butler St.

Nail polish: Piggy Polish in Grand Haven is offering nail polish gift sets for $25. The polish contains no harsh chemicals. Gifts can be personalized, with more than 25 colors from which to choose, including new holiday colors. Details at piggypolish.com.
 
Apparel



Socks: Holland-based iNFable socks has more than 30 different sock designs at prices between $8-15. Each sock design represents and supports a cause, from social to medical to environmental. Check out available designs at infablesocks.com/collections/all. 

Outdoor clothing: Landsharks in Saugatuck, 306 Butler St., caters to the outdoor enthusiast, featuring Yeti products and clothing such as a super-soft Michigan hoodie, designed and printed by Grand Rapids-based The Mitten State ($56). Find out more at shoptheshark.com.

Apparel: The Lakeshore Life, at 520 Butternut Drive in Holland, offers locally designed and printed apparel celebrating those who walk, paddle, surf, fish, or simply enjoy “Lakeshore Life.” The full collection is available at thelakeshorelife.net.
 
Things for the home



Signs: The Just Goods gift shop, at 1 N. Harbor Drive in Grand Haven, is selling yard signs with the message “Hate Has No Home Here.” These 18-by-12-inch “statement of inclusiveness” signs cost $12 and are printed locally. For details, visit justgoodsgh.company.site/.

Cutting board: Holland wood-crafter Cento Anni, 136 E. Sixth St., is offering a handcrafted charcuterie board for $50-$65 that is perfectly suited for an array of fruits, fine meats, and cheeses. These one-of-a-kind creations are made in Holland with Michigan-sourced hardwood lumber. Check them out at cento-anni.square.site.

Ceramic mug: Create a "Joy Drop" gift by selecting a handmade ceramic mug and adding other favorite locally-made products. Then, let C2C gallery do the wrapping and delivery. Each purchase supports artists and merchants in the Grand Haven area community. Choose from an online selection of handmade and local gift options at C2Cgallery.com.

Candles: The Blackbird, 186 S. River Ave. in downtown Holland, has scented candles, such as Buttered Maple Syrup, in half-pints up to 96 ounces. Each candle comes in a diffuser; pricing starts at $10.95. Find more at blackbird-holland.com.

Handmade ornaments: The Blue Nose Shop in Plainwell, 610 W. Allegan St., carries everything your furry four-legged friend needs. Check out their handmade holiday ornaments for $4.95. Choose from Santa Paws, Happy Howlidays, Meowy Christmas, paw prints, or order a personalized ornament with your pet's name. Shop online at thebluenoseshop.com.   

Holiday gift box: Made by artist Deb Dismukes, a teacher at Sandy Hill Elementary School in Jenison, this gift box features her acrylic artwork. There are three ornaments, a small manger painting, and a card in the gift box that sells for $15.99. Order the gift box and check out work by other artists at Eye Candy, either online at eyecandybodyandhome.com or at the Hudsonville store,  6450 28th Ave, Unit F.

Vase: "Vase with Blue Flowers," by Michigan artists Judy Hallisy and Eli Zilke, is blown glass with millefiori and fused elements. The artwork is $450 at Good Goods. The downtown Saugatuck shop has been a destination for hand-made, American-made fine art, design, jewelry, clothing, furniture, and more for more than 32 years. Purchases can be made at the store, 106 Mason St., or online at goodgoods.com.

Vintage decorations: Lulu Cadieux, a Lifestyle Boutique & Cooking School, at 3480 Blue Star Highway in Saugatuck, has Michigan-made vintage Czechoslovakian Christmas trees. They range in price from $120-$270, depending on the size and the crystals. For more gift ideas, visit lulucadieux.com.

Unexpected ideas


Plants: Passiflora has Lemon Cypress and Mini Conifers planted in plaid vintage tobacco tins for $35; shop online at mypassiflora.com or at the boutique in Plainwell, 115 N. Main St. Passiflora carries unique gifts from furniture and decor to women’s clothing and accessories. 

Headboards: Hamilton Custom Wood Products offers custom made-to-order upholstered and wood headboards crafted by local craftsmen with more than 40 years of experience. The Petoskey is a queen-size recast leather tufted headboard, with a rolled border trimmed by upholstery nails, for less than $500. Other styles and fabric samples are available upon request. Browse the many options at Wallmountedheadboard.com. 
 
Financial organizer: West Olive resident Marcia VanderWoude has written the educational book, $avvy Women, $mart Choices. The $avvy Woman’s $tarter Kit sells for $50 and includes a financial organizer binder, book bag, and $avvy Women $mart Choices book. For more information, contact Marcia at [email protected]. 

Vehicle lights: Spirit Fire Aftermarket Products in Holland has developed solar-powered marker lights for vehicles in the pick-up truck market.  A set of five retails for $225. The light turns on and off automatically and only comes on at night when the vehicle is in motion. No holes, no wires, and no battery changing required. Details at getspiritfire.com.

Water filter: Aqua Clara International has a new universal cartridge filter. This Michigan-made product reduces chlorine odor, heavy metals (including lead), and other cancer-causing contaminants. Net proceeds from the sale of this filter assist the Holland Township nonprofit in its mission to provide clean water to those populations in other countries who live on less than $2 per day. The filters — $18, minus 10% for the first purchase using the discount coupon code TEN — can be ordered online at aquaclara.co/our-filter. 

Activities


Card kits: Create your own holiday cards with a family-at-home card kit from Wayland craft store Stamp On It. Use discount code LAKE15 at checkout for 15% savings on your order at stamponit.net/card-kits.  

Pickleball gear: Revolin Sports in Holland designs and sells USA Pickleball Association-approved high-performance pickleball gear. The company’s pickleball paddle, Equinox, sells for $139. The patent-pending Equinox is designed, manufactured, and assembled in West Michigan. Details at revolinsports.com.

Electric longboard: SoulArc Boards of Hudsonville, 5784 Cory Drive, sells high-quality performance and electric longboards for $300. Check them out at soularcboards.com.

Services/Experiences



Facials: PrivaMD | Aesthetics and PrivaMD | Wellness, at 16986 Robbins Road, Suite 180, in Grand Haven, is offering facials along with other health, wellness, and aesthetic services. More details at privaMD.org/shop.

Hairstyles: Salon Cheveux, at 226 S. River Ave. in downtown Holland, is offering Davines Holiday gift sets for all hair types starting at $67. Details at saloncheveuxhsb.com or call 616-546-2824.

Trampoline park: Rebounderz, at 7500 Cottonwood Drive in Jenison, is offering a $100 gift card and gift package (value $150) that includes a $15 arcade card, 3 activity cards — good for a game of laser tag, mini escape room puzzle or 10-minute session of virtual reality — with Rebounderz T-shirt, 16-ounce stadium cup, and two bookmarks, attractively packaged in a gift box. Check out the gift packages at bit.ly/RebounderzGift. 

Bowling, Laser Tag, Arcade: BAM! Entertainment Center, at 478 E. 16th St. in Holland, is offering gift cards starting at $20 that come with bonus arcade play. Find out more at gobamgo.com/gift-cards.

Fitness: Holland Snap Fitness is offering a $20-a-month membership, plus a one-time card purchase of $20 with no contract or enrollment fee. Offer valid only at Snap Fitness on Felch Street or Washington Avenue in Holland. Details at snapfitness.com/us/gyms/holland-felch-mi/ and snapfitness.com/us/gyms/holland-washington-mi.

Virus deep cleaning: Grand Haven business Virus Gone provides a deep-cleaning service using electrostatic sprayers that completely sanitize and disinfect all surfaces. The sprayers use an EPA-approved solution that removes any pathogens — including coronavirus — ensuring the environment is safe for family, workers, and customers alike. Cost for the service begins at the introductory rate of 25 cents per square foot. For more information, contact Horace Curry at 616-634-1026 or [email protected]