Watch CBS News

Wander Minnesota: Giving The Local Gift

Want to support the locally made market this holiday season? There are plenty of options.

You can't go wrong with a gift of locally produced honey and organic maple syrup from Mora's Sapsucker Farms. The filled bottles are a pretty gift all by themselves. (I blogged about making maple syrup at Sapsucker Farms earlier this year.)

Is there a handbag-obsessed person on your gift list? Look no further than Post-, your source for locally designed and constructed handbags that are gorgeous.

Books are always a great gift, and this year there's been a bumper crop of excellent choices from local writers and publishers. For the young, or anyone who appreciates a whimsical picture book and loves Minnesota nature, check out the Minnesota Historical Society Press's Minnesota's Hidden Alphabet, a playful delight of a picture book. The fiction lovers in your life would appreciate receiving local Coffee House Press's National Book Award finalist I Hotel, or Graywolf Press's highly acclaimed The Report. A gorgeous gift book for those interested in the state's Scandinavian heritage — or in beautiful photos involving saunas — should check out the University of Minnesota Press's The Opposite of Cold.
 

MN Hidden Alphabet
(credit: Amy Rea)

If you like to browse merchandise and pick up just the right thing, check out this weekend's No Coast Craft-o-Rama at Midtown Global Market. Artists and eclectic crafters from the Midwest will have plenty of options.

To give a gift that gives all year in the form of local restaurant and retailer info and discounts, consider giving a copy of Twin Cities Food Finds, a comprehensive guide to the restaurant scene. The Chinook Book has over $3,000 worth of local coupons.

How about some lovely Minnesota calendars, with various themes available like the North Shore, Minnesota Barns, and Minnesota recipes, available from Minnesota's Own Calendars?

Don't forget about those well-loved pets. Keep dogs safe from winter's chill with a gift from Duluth-based Dog Booties. If your pet of choice is feline, check out Purrrniture (note: purchases are "Catisfaction Guaranteed").

What else is happening in our state? Be sure to check out the 10 p.m. Sunday night WCCO newscasts, where you can learn more in the weekly segment, Finding Minnesota.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.