This Holiday Gift Guide was originally published in 2020 and has been updated as of December 2021 and includes a variety of products and experiences that are locally made and sold in North Carolina.
All of the items shared in this holiday gift guide include products and experiences that I have sampled, purchased or have been gifted this past year. While there are many more fantastic NC products and experiences that are not on this list, I highly encourage you to shop and gift local. Keep on reading for a list of my Top 11 North Carolina gifts.
11 North Carolina Gifts for 2021
HAAND
Each HAAND porcelain pottery piece is made by hand in their 13,000 square foot factory in downtown Burlington. HAAND specializes in unique porcelain pottery that includes dinnerware like bowls, cups, plates and other serving accessories. The pottery’s sleek, modern and matte designs make it my favorite stoneware to use at home and to photograph my blog recipes. The NC made tableware is an ideal heirloom gift for pottery lovers, newlyweds and food bloggers.
The Chocolate Boutique
Coupled with other small gifts, I love stuffing Christmas stockings with chocolate. One of my favorite locally owned chocolate shops is The Chocolate Boutique. The Lafayette Village business is locally owned by Raleigh-based couple Kesha and Maurice Dozier. The couple is passionate about providing the community with a chocolate experience from handmade chocolates, chocolate-making parties and more. The Chocolate Boutique has a large assortment of packaged holiday items available for purchase as well as individual chocolates and confections. These fabulous confections are exquisite gifts for family, friends and co-workers.
Topo Organic Spirits
2020 pushed my cocktail creativity. Since then, I continue to dabble in creating new cocktail recipes using homemade syrups and North Carolina liquors. Topo Organic Spirits is one of the liquors that I have used to build some of my most recent recipes. The Paloma Viajera is a Topo Moonshine based Paloma cocktail that I created for October 2020’s Paloma Battle hosted at Raleigh’s Tonbo Ramen.
Along with moonshine, the NC Distillery sells vodka, whiskey, gin and spiced rum. Every TOPO spirit is USDA-certified organic. It is also 100% fermented and distilled in Chapel Hill using North Carolina-grown wheat and US-grown sugar cane. Topo products can be purchased both online and at local ABC stores. Any Topo Organic Spirit is a great gift for the cocktail aficionado in your life.
Southern Season
If you have been living in the Triangle for a while, you will likely remember Chapel Hill’s Southern Season. While the storefront has closed, Southern Season continues to be the premier online destination for specialty food and gifts. Southern Season has a roster of about 100 vendors including popular brands and products in their lineup such as Chapel Hill Toffee, Mama Dip’s, Cloister Honey, Cackalacky, and Bull City Bar-B-Que Co. While I miss their storefront, the online store is a great way to purchase some of my favorites or specialty gift baskets for friends and family in North Carolina and beyond. If you do not make it in time to order a specialty gift basket for Christmas, these gifts also make wonderful New Year’s gifts!
Ripe Revival Market
Ripe Revival Market is a subscription grocery and fresh produce delivery service that covers the Eastern North Carolina and Raleigh area. The subscription service can also be purchased as a one time gift. The Grocery Box is packaged with a frozen ice pack and liner which stays cold for up to 48 hours. Additionally, Ripe Revival Market recently launched Carolina Made boxes that feature food products from artisans and makers all over North Carolina. This box can also be offered as a one-time gift as well as a subscription and can be delivered anywhere in the US. If you are interested in gifting or purchasing anyone of these three boxes, use discount code “citygirlcece” for 10% off your first box purchase. Ripe Revival Market Produce and Grocery Boxes make first-rate family gifts. The Carolina Made Box is a superb gift for the avid North Carolina Foodie.
Southern Supreme Fruitcake
I have never understood why fruitcake has a bad reputation, especially after eating Southern Supreme’s fruitcake. It is important to note that Southern Supreme Fruitcake & More is not to be confused with Chapel Hill’s Southern Seasons. The Bear Creek family-owned small business has been operating since 1984. Besides fruitcake, the store sells an assortment of cookies, pralines, chocolates, jellies and other delicious confections. The moist and chewy fruitcake is filled with English walnuts, fresh pecans, pineapple, candied cherries, golden raisins and dates. Each cake is hand decorated and beautifully packaged. Sizes range from eight ounces to four and one-half pounds. If you have a chance to visit the Bear Creek store, I guarantee that your will find the Christmas motif charming. If you cannot make the drive, the fruitcake can be purchased online and shipped. The decadent and shippable cakes are perfect to gift family and friends that live in and outside of North Carolina.
Seagrove
In case you did not know, The Heart of North Carolina’s Seagrove is the Handmade Pottery Capital of the United States. Seagrove’s Pottery Highway offers more than 70 working potters that create a combination of tableware and high end works of pottery. Their studios can be found off the highway or tucked among barns, cattle fields and gas stations. The largest community of working potters is not only a pottery lover’s paradise but it is place that garners both national and international acclaim. Every potter has their own hours of operation, so call ahead to ensure that they’re open.
Smith’s Pottery Dragonfly Collection is among my favorite Seagrove purchases. A pie dish, two soup bowls with handles and a covered soup bowl are some of my most treasured pieces. Smith’s Pottery tableware are terrific heirloom gifts for the Top Chef in your life.
Seagrove Orchids
Not too far away from Smith Pottery is Seagrove Orchids. Owner Linda Thorne has a working orchid nursery that now houses more than 200 different orchid species. Whether it’s your first time buying an orchid or you are an experienced orchid lover, Ms. Thorne is prepared to guide customers in the right direction. With a vast variety of species to choose from, orchids are a thoughtful gift for the avid gardener or plant aficionado.
Hummingbird Candle Co.
This Fayetteville born candle company creates my favorite candle fragrance, OOO Cuffed. More than candles, Hummingbird Candle Co. sells reed diffusers, wax melts, room sprays and other gifts. The shop also offers a candle-making experience which includes a step-by-step instruction on how to select a signature fragrance and hand pour one luxurious coconut oil based 9 oz. candle. If you live in or are visiting the Asheville area, Hummingbird Candle Co. has a second storefront in that city. If you do not live in or near either city, their online store offers a thorough assortment of products. Hummingbird candles are wonderful gifts for the ladies in your life. I have to admit, I stock up on my favorite candles every black Friday!
Fayetteville Wellness Center
The Fayetteville Wellness Center provides services that include Floatation Therapy, Massage Therapy, Cupping Therapy and Private Yoga Instruction. Floatation therapy is a practice that started in the 1950’s as a way to test the effects of sensory deprivation. The therapy was created to offer a sanctuary to unplug and escape the chaos of busy lives. The treatment takes place in a sound-proof tank that holds shallow warm water enriched with 1200 pounds of Epsom salts at a pleasant temperature of 93.5 degrees. The salt to water ratio is set to achieve buoyancy, so that you will float.
I highly recommend coupling a float session with massage therapy. The process takes an average of three hours from from check in to check out. The cost of float therapy ranges from $55 for a 60 minute first time float to $90 for a 90 minute float. For a menu of Fayetteville Wellness Center’s services, including memberships, click here. As a self-care advocate, float and massage therapy make an excellent holiday gift for a significant other.
The Ivy – English Bed and Breakfast
The Ivy is not only equipped to provide a place to rest and sleep, but it aims to provide the full English Bed and Breakfast experience. Guests also have the option of including a traditional English Afternoon Tea to their experience. The Ivy’s Afternoon Tea menu will vary depending on the availability of ingredients. A sample Afternoon Tea experience may include a cheese and onion pie, salad, biscuits, chocolates and a Victoria sponge cake. All foods are served in beautiful English bone china accompanied by beautiful linens and embroidered napkins. Guests can choose to have their Afternoon Tea in the Ivy’s parlour or the beautiful porch. The Afternoon Tea experience ranges from $20 to $65, depending on the amount of people attending Afternoon Tea. If you are interested in a stay at The Ivy, the B&B offers Instant e-Gift Cards for the value of your choice on their website. The English Bed and Breakfast experience is a unique and endearing gift for a parents, couples or a significat other.
The 2021 Gift Giving Experience
2021 has seen many repercussions of 2020, including fulfillment issues. Small businesses, however, are always fully stocked and ready to deliver. A big plus is being able to support the small business community by purchasing NC made products and services.
As cliché as it may sound, Christmas is always a time of reflection and gratitude. We continue to experience a lot of loss and hardship as a result of 2020. On top of supporting local by buying North Carolina gifts, I encourage gifting to a person or NC organization that may be struggling this year. This is one additional way to both contribute to the NC community and humanity.
If you enjoyed reading my Holiday Gift Guide, you may also enjoy my Round Up of NC Bed and Breakfasts. Click here for my lists of favorite NC Bed and Breakfasts.
Candlemaking at Hummingbird is on my bucket list!
I can’t wait for you to try the experience! I think you will really have fun.