The Essential Northern Ontario Holiday Gift Guide 2025

17 Ontario-made treasures to make your Northern holiday shopping merry, meaningful, and local.

By Stacy Rosadiuk Stacy is an editor for Northern Ontario Travel.

November 10, 2025

Forget global shipping—this season, the best gifts are made where winter means something: right here in Northern Ontario. This year’s Essential Northern Ontario Holiday Gift Guide celebrates the crafters, makers, brewers, knitters, roasters, and dreamers who give the North its unmistakable heart (and make original gift-giving a whole lot easier).

Whether you’re shopping for the outdoorsy uncle who lives in flannel, the niece who refuses to wear mitts (but should), or that friend who insists they “don’t need anything,” we’ve found the perfect something for them. From wearable works of Sudbury art to cozy knits from Sault Ste. Marie, these 17 Northern finds prove you don’t have to travel far to find something unforgettable.

So, pour a mug of Loon Song, turn on the twinkle lights, and get ready to shop the North—because this season, local is the new luxury.

1. Handmade Woollies From Northern Warmth Co. Knitwear

A cream coloured cable-knit toque with a fur pom pom, made in Sault Ste. Marie.

Maker: Northern Warmth Co.
Made in: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Made for: Cozy-layer lovers

Hand-crafted knitwear and accessories born out of Sault Ste. Marie’s craft tradition. Wrap them in North Shore warmth with a hand-knitted beanie, scarf or mitt (they’ll thank you when their ears stop freezing in February), or grab a pretty market bag, clutch or eyeglass pouch for year-round chic.

2. These Unique Wooden Charcuterie Boards

A striking red, cream and dark brown wooden cutting board made in South Porcupine, Ontario.

Maker: Masco Woodworks
Made in: South Porcupine, Ontario
Made for: Kitchen gurus and wood-grain lovers

Masco Woodworks brings you gorgeous one-of-a-kind charcuterie and cutting boards, wooden platters, sushi boards and more, crafted from eye-catching hardwoods—each one unique, like your uncle’s camp stories. Perfect for the entertainer who believes cheese boards are a personality trait.

3. These Beautiful Leather Handbags

two handmade leather heandbags embroidered with elaborate bird and floral designs made in Elliot Lake Ontario.

Maker: BMcK Designs
Made in: Elliot Lake, Ontario
Made for: Stylish multitaskers

BMcK Designs’ durable and stylish handbags are lovingly crafted from leather and fabrics, each one an original. These bags look equally at home at a farmers' market or a fancy brunch. Give one to someone who claims they “don’t need another bag.” Watch them change their mind in 3 seconds flat.

4. This Hand-Painted Jewelry Inspired by the North

a pair of handpainted wooden earrings showing a windblown tree and delicate rose and orange sunset.

Maker: Art & Anne
Made in: Sudbury, Ontario
Made for: Art lovers & fashion experimenters

Wearable mini-paintings from Art & Anne that capture the glow of a Great Lakes sunset or the shimmer of snow, with a hint of Group of Seven. The perfect present for someone who wants to “wear the North,” but finds woollen plaid too itchy.

5. These Fluffy Little Natural Fibre Alpacas

a very fluffy and cute stuffed alpaca from Egli's Sheep Farm.

Maker: Egli’s Sheep Farm
Made in: Dryden, Ontario
Made for: Kids (and grown-ups who act like them)

Soft, snuggly, and surprisingly affordable, these handmade stuffed alpacas from Egli’s are the perfect Northern cuddle buddies. Ethically sourced and hypoallergenic, they’re crafted from real alpaca fleece so soft it’ll make the family cat jealous. Bonus: for those same kids who can’t be convinced to wear mitts, Egli’s also makes ultra-warm sheepskin ones tough enough for snowball fights, sled rides, and dramatic “I’m not cold!” denials.

6. This Rich Buttery Lotion From Lake of the Woods

A tube of rich body lotion labelled with Lake of the Woods Sunrise Soap Co., Kenora

Maker: Lake of the Woods Sunrise Soap Co.
Made in: Kenora, Ontario
Made for: Eco-conscious giftees and those who need a little TLC

Bring a piece of Kenora’s wilderness into someone’s spa night with the Lake of the Woods Sunrise Soap Co. natural personal-care collection. This all-natural hand, face, and body lotion skips harsh preservatives and features nourishing oils of jojoba, coconut, evening primrose, carrot, and rosehip. It melts into your skin like soft, creamy butter—leaving it smooth, hydrated, and lightly scented.

7. These Pretty Handcarved Snow Geese

handcarved wooden snow geese by Niska Artisans in Timmins, Ontario.

Maker: Niska Artisans
Made in: Timmins, Ontario
Made for: Nature-loving travellers, cottagers or people far from home

Handcrafted by Indigenous artisans from across Northern Ontario, Niska Artisans offers beadwork, moccasins, jewelry, and ornaments that carry stories, not logos. This graceful flock of seven hand-carved snow geese—each shaped with care using traditional techniques—can adorn a wall, door or shelf, giving a quiet nod to the spirit of the seasons and change. Whether they’re coming or going depends on the eye of the explorer who’s looking.

8. Curated Local Gift Baskets Made To Order

A stylish gift basket filled with lotions, soap, chocolates and kitchen utensils.

Maker: Northern Baskets Plus
Made in: Greater Sudbury, Ontario
Made for: The host or hostess, or those who are hard to buy for

Tell Northern Baskets Plus who it’s for, and they’ll curate a basket brimming with Northern treats—chocolates, soaps, jams, teas, ornaments, you name it. One email, one payment, one giant sigh of relief. Northern Baskets Plus does the work, you take the credit.

9. These Northern-Inspired Teas

A tin of Boreal Forest 40 Below Tea on a wooden ledge outdoors, with a sprig of red winter berries next to it.

Maker: Boreal Forest Teas
Made in: Thunder Bay, Ontario
Made for: The tea-drinking couch snuggler

If your idea of self-care is curling up with a mug and making a cozy nest for the winter, this tea is your moment. Boreal Forest Teas crafts small-batch, loose-leaf blends inspired by Northern Ontario’s wild landscapes—flavours like Sleeping Giant (a soothing chamomile-mint wind-down), 40° Below (a spicy chai hug in a cup), and Northern Lights (a citrusy herbal blend that glows as much as it comforts). Every tin is made with organic, sustainably sourced ingredients—and each purchase helps plant a tree in the boreal forest. A cozy, eco-friendly way to sip your way through winter.

10. These Handmade Manitoulin Soaps with a Sense of Humour

a square of soap with blue and white swirls near the bottom and orange and white across the top, resembling swirling water with a sunset above.

Maker: Dewar Farm Soaps
Made in: Manitowaning, Ontario
Made for: Anyone who loves a great scent and a long shower

At Dewar Farm Soaps, they’ve got the right hand-crafted soap for everyone and everywhere, with scents like this lovely-to-look-at Bridal Veil Falls (named after the island’s famous cascade) to Staff Meetings (scent: “could have been an email”) and Quilter (“seam rippers, sweary words, and wine”). This Manitoulin maker makes soap fun, pretty and original with nods to Ontario's landmarks and everyday personalities, plus rich, small-batch blends that leave your skin (and sense of humour) refreshed.

11. This Gateway City Dark Rye Lager

A can of Gateway City Brewery's Dark Rye Lager.

Maker: Gateway City Brewery
Made in: North Bay, Ontario
Made for: The taproom regular

Full-bodied with malt-derived flavours of roasty chocolate & caramel, this brew’s a cold one for those cold winter nights. Gateway City Brewery’s Ontario Brewing Award Silver Medal winner is a treat for the beer lover who’s tried everything. It screams both “I support local,” and also “I’d like another round.”

12. This Sleeping Under the Stars Sustainable Hoodie

A grey hoodie printed with a stylized image of Sleeping Giant with waves of calm water in front of it and stars above, made in Thunder Bay Ontario.

Maker: Ungalli Clothing Co.
Made in: Thunder Bay, Ontario
Made for: Outdoorsy-types who live in a hoodie all winter

Ethically made from recycled materials, this Thunder Bay brand’s soft hoodies are a rare mix of comfy, stylish, and eco-conscious, featuring shout-outs to Northwestern Ontario’s outdoor life. Save the planet and your laundry day—this one’s cozy enough you’ll never want to take it off.

13. These Handmade Leather Wallets

handmade leather wallets artfully adorned with linework animal images made in North Bay Ontario.

Maker: Simply Shawn Leather Works
Made in: North Bay, Ontario
Made for: The practical man
Beautiful handmade leather goods that are rugged, timeless, and smell faintly of “I could build a cabin with this.” The perfect gift for any guy who insists his 15-year-old wallet is “still fine.” Simply Shawn also makes absolutely stunning journals, passport covers, one-of-a-kind pouches, shoulder bags and more.

14. These Luxurious Handmade Wreaths

A robust wreath of evergreen boughs accented with light grey-blue eucalyptus sprigs and pine cones.

Maker: Northern Botanicals
Made in: Timmins, Ontario
Made for: Nature-inspired decorators

Because nothing says “holiday spirit” like a piece of boreal forest hanging on your door. Hand-crafted wreaths, dried floral centrepieces, shower bundles and rustic ornaments made from Northern Botanicals. Featured in Chatelaine's list of The Best Christmas Wreaths of 2023, they’ll add “cabin chic” to any city condo.

15. These Trailblazing Beads Indigenous Craft Kits

An array of strings of seed beads, leather and gems laid out to resemble a medicine wheel.

Maker: Trailblazing Beads
Made in: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Made for: Makers, bead-art fans & crafters

Ignite someone’s creativity with a bead-art kit from Sault Ste. Marie’s Trailblazing Beads, and give them the joy of making something with their own hands. A Northern Ontario shop filled with bead-art supplies and Indigenous-inspired kits for making earrings, lanyards, pins and more—perfect for someone who likes to create rather than just consume.

16. This Golden Shadfly Pin

A golden shadfly lapel pin from The FARM store in North Bay, Ontario.

Maker: The FARM
Made in: North Bay, Ontario
Made for: Anyone who’s battled a shadfly and won

North Bay’s infamous summertime visitor gets a stylish upgrade: the shadfly, now immortalized as a 1-inch metal enamel pin with black detailing and a rubber clutch backing. Designed in North Bay and made to spark conversation (“Hey, what’s that bug?”), it’s fun, local, and definitely not your average stocking filler.

17. Sometimes I Feel Like a Fox – An Illustrated Picture Book

a children's book titled "Sometimes I Feel Like a Fox" by Danielle Daniel, showing a child with a fox mask on the cover.

Maker: Danielle Daniel
Made in: Northern Ontario (born and raised in Sudbury, lives on Manitoulin Island)
Made for: Young readers (and the grown-ups who read to them) who are keen to explore

This beautifully illustrated picture book introduces children to the tradition of identifying with the natural world around them. Each page begins with “Sometimes I feel like…” and invites readers to think about themselves through the spirit of a fox, deer, beaver, moose and more. Written and illustrated by Métis author Danielle Daniel, the book is rooted in Northern Ontario’s landscapes and Indigenous heritage, making it a perfect local gift with cultural depth. More recent titles by Danielle include Sometimes I Feel Like a River and I’m Afraid, Said the Leaf—a 2024 Governor General's Literary Awards Finalist.

Shop Locally in Northern Ontario This Holiday Season

When so much of what we buy comes from far away, there’s something special about giving a gift made by Northern hands. When you shop locally—from Timmins to Thunder Bay, Manitoulin Island to Kenora—you’re not just checking someone off your list. You’re keeping small businesses thriving, artisans creating, and sharing a little Northern magic that lasts long after the snow melts. Happy shopping!

Are you a Northern Ontario maker? Have you got an item you'd like to let us know about? Drop us a line at info@northernontario.travel. We'd love to hear from you.