These foodie gift boxes will bring your loved ones the joy of Leelanau County – and a tiny scuffle over THAT cheese or THAT cherry treat - so, brace yourself.
Here’s a handful (mouthful) of yummy options to get your gift list done for the season – and done well. All of these businesses offer a wide variety of prize points, so if one looks good, click in and look around for your budget! And be sure to order ASAP. Santa is on his way!
Leelanau Cheese in Suttons Bay has “The Perfect Gift” for $76. This includes a little bit of everything for building a beautiful and Leelanau-focused charcuterie board: 4 raclette varieties (traditional, rosemary, green peppercorn and black truffle), 1 box of gourmet crackers and one 9-inch x 6-inch locally made cutting board.
This gift is not only beautifully packaged, it’s one of those things that you can’t quite bring yourself to splurge on – so when someone else does it for you – it feels magnificent!
Aurora Cellars in Lake Leelanau offers a Mixed Combo Wine Box for $135 that brings taste buds back to summer evenings over their rolling, gorgeous vineyard. This gift box includes 3 bottles of their top picks – Blaufrankisch, Dry Riesling and Brut Rose. Plus, you can order a personalized and HANDWRITTEN message to be tucked inside the box. Include a cheeky or fun message to let them know you did everything but the actual shipping!
This gift is perfect for wine lovers or as a perfect gift to re-gift as hostess gifts next summer. What a special, one-of-a-kind offering to bring to a meal!
Choose Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate in Empire for the sweet tooth in your family. Look at their Peppermint Bark ($12.65). Need we say more?
This holiday favorite is 70% single-origin Ecuadorian dark chocolate drizzled with peppermint-infused white chocolate and sprinkled with natural peppermint candy. For those who would like a long-running “WOW” factor – sign your loved one up for a 3-, 6- or 12-month GIFT Subscription. Three months starts at $ 175.
Each month, they’ll receive a themed box of favorites from the shop, including holiday flavors and limited-run items. All boxes include a newsletter with information about each item, ingredient sourcing, and interesting chocolate factoids and anecdotes.
This gift is perfect for the mom who isn’t used to spoiling herself or the older relative who loves something unexpected in the mail (who doesn’t?)!
Cherry Republic in Glen Arbor offers all things CHERRY – highlighted perfectly in their most popular gift box, “The Bounty of the County” for $105 (free shipping over $100!). This beauty includes: Original Cherry Jam, Original Cherry Salsa, Montmorency Dried Cherries, Iced Imperial Pretzels, Milk Chocolate Cherry Nut Mix and Dark Chocolate Covered Cherries.
Another fav is “Love from Leelanau” for $75. This goody includes Cherry Republic’s most popular chocolates and candies without having to pick just one. Each gift box includes: Milk Chocolate Covered Cherries, Amaretto Chocolate Covered Cherries, Dark and Milk Chocolate Cherry Turtles, Exceptionally Dark Chocolate Covered Cherries, Dark Chocolate Covered Cherries, Ruby Red Sour Patches and Dark Chocolate Cherry Cocoa Bomb!
If you aren’t sure who likes cherries on your list, we can guarantee that at least one of those chocolate-covered cherries will cause a ruckus at the family gathering.
Great Lakes Tea & Spice in Glen Arbor has all kinds of idea and gift boxes, but check out this one, “The Great Lakes Grill Master Kit” for $47.85. Everything you need to ignite your taste buds! This box contains three of their favorite gourmet rubs and specialty seasonings: one pouch of the amazing Oaxacan Coffee Grill Rub, a pouch of Kansas City BBQ Rub and the mouth-watering Northern Exposure Steak Seasoning.
This feels like the perfect gift for the guy on your list who has everything!
Be sure to order NOW to get by Christmas – but remember, even if it doesn’t make it by Dec. 25, there won’t be much disappointment! Enjoy!
NOTE: To get items to arrive by Christmas (December 25th), ship by mid-December for standard services (around Dec. 17-18 for USPS Ground/First-Class) and later (up to Dec. 23rd) for express options like FedEx/UPS Overnight, but always aim to ship much earlier; for 2025, mid-December is key for ground, while December 20-23 works for faster methods, but shipping by early December is safest to avoid carrier delays and peak surcharges.
