This post is sponsored by Ohio. Find It Here. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
It’s time to make your lists and check them twice – I’ve teamed up with Ohio. Find it Here. to make shopping local, easy for you this December. It’s more important than ever to support Ohio’s local makers and shop small this holiday season. These are a few of my favorite things that deserve to be included on any nice (and naughty) list. I’ve divided the gift guides into six categories; spirits and mixers, beer, food, experiences and just a few of my favorite makers, because there are so many good ones out there, it’s almost impossible to narrow down all of the amazing Ohio options to include under the tree.
Nothing says HO HO HO like a boozy bundle of local libations to quench the Holiday thirst.
Everything included below is local to Ohio and most are right here in Columbus. Everything is linked. Some places have more retail options in-person than what is available online, so be sure (if you can) to shop in-person this season. This is a small roundup of just a few of my favorite Ohio makers. For a more complete list, find hundreds more locally made products at Made in Ohio. This in no way reflects all of your choices, because I cannot reiterate enough how many excellent options you have when shopping Ohio. Here are a few of my favorite things (or gifts I’d love to receive).
Happy shopping and Happiest of Holidays!
* Spirits + Mixers *
Nothing says HO HO HO like a boozy bundle of local libations to quench the Holiday thirst. You can’t go wrong gifting booze. So many local distilleries, add in a fresh, handcrafted mixer that will convince everyone your mixology skills should be entered into contests.
Two of my personal favorites to combine into a cocktail, Middle West Spirits mixed with Simple Times Mixers. Two ingredients (that’s it): the booze and a Simple Times flavor of your choice. Absolutely foolproof, you cannot go wrong here, no need to be a mixologist because this combo packs all the punches. Pineapple Mule (any mule really) and any lemonade from Simple Times are my favorite but really gotta hand it to that pineapple, it is good with vodka or bourbon! Like I said, literally foolproof for any gift.
You can’t go wrong gifting booze.
Other local, honorable mentions that are good together or alone is Magnolia Bourbon and Root 23 Simple Syrups. Their cucumber habanero simple syrup… *chef’s kiss* If you’re looking for a memorable takeaway for a wedding, corporate event or even a shower you can even contact Root 23 directly and they will help you put together the perfect custom package. Magnolia Bourbon is an incredible family business right here in Columbus. Let me tell you how fast our bottle of Magnolia went… A few of my family members are going to be pretty happy about what their stockings are stuffed with this Christmas!
Pineapple Mule is my go-to from Simple Times Mixers.
Root 23
ROOT 23 specializes in the farm to cocktail movement. We craft all-natural, small batch simple syrups that can be used to easily make a delicious cocktail or non-alcoholic drink with just a few ingredients!
Shop Root 23 Simple Syrups
Purchase the Columbus mug pictured above at Katie McK Designs long with other mugs, personalized pet portraits, hand-pressed ink prints and other fabulous gift ideas. Her pet portraits are truly incredible!
Shop Katie McK Designs
The goal in recreating the Magnolia Spirits brand is to act in the Samuel Pike tradition by seeking out and blending special quality bourbon and whiskey.
The first two products will be a Bottled-In-Bond 4+ year old 95% Rye Whiskey and a Straight 45% Wheated Bourbon. A barrel proof unfiltered Bourbon coming in the fall and other quality barrel finds and blends to follow!
We have licensed our bourbon and whiskey to APG beverages dba Noble Cut Distillery which provides finishing, bottling, distribution and sales services to the State of Ohio. 
Shop Magnolia Bourbon
* Beer *
You could also include beer under the “experience gift guide,” because let’s be honest, Ohio’s vast choice of breweries, spanning the entire state are each an adventure in and of themselves. If you’ve been around for a while you know I love a brewery moment, definitely in my top three ways to spend a weekend, browsing beer selections for my flights, rating patios and perusing in which hops combo is my favorite. I always recommend the Cbus Ale Trail as the perfect place to start your brewery adventures.
A six-pack of local soldiers, a sweatshirt displaying the brewery, or a logo branded beanie are all incredible gift choices your beer lover is guaranteed to love.
A six-pack of local soldiers, a sweatshirt displaying the brewery, or a logo branded beanie are all incredible gift choices your beer lover is guaranteed to love. Again the choice of brewery is plentiful and I could honestly say I’ve never met a brewery I didn’t like, I love wearing my favorite beer gear just as much. These are just a few of my favorites around the Central Ohio area.
Nocterra Brewing
Nocterra Brewing is located in historic downtown Powell, Ohio and offers a full lineup of ales & lagers. The tap list is broad and offers bold IPAs, crisp lagers, American sours & refreshing hard seltzers.
Shop Nocterra Brewing + Shop Ray Ray’s Hog Pit
Honorable mention when visiting Nocterra: Ray Rays Hog Pit.
With several locations around Central Ohio, if we are somewhere that offers Ray Rays, you can bet we are getting the meat sweats. It. Is. So. Good. Beer + Meat Sweats smothered in sauce, sounds like my favorite kind of Christmas.
MEAT SWEATS
What we do best, in a box. Smoked brisket, pulled pork, jerk chicken, dry rubbed ribs, and our own Ray Ray’s hot link, with pickles and sauce.
Henmick Farm Brewery
The main building includes a spacious reception area and a full-service taproom featuring our own Henmick beer as well as wine, spirits and more. Our brewery provides an engaging backdrop for guests, especially in the historic 1860s barn that serves as the main gathering area. While the buildings and structures have character, the real draw is the surrounding beauty of our farm.
Guests can relax inside or outside, or choose to walk around exploring the family land where our brewery and event spaces reside. We’re a short drive from Columbus, Delaware and other neighboring cities, and we’re alongside Alum Creek.
Shop Henmick Farm Brewery
Outerbelt Brewing
Outerbelt Brewing opened it’s taproom doors in June of 2019 for the first time. Located in an industrial area right off of Rt. 33, the brewery and taproom occupy a good portion of the 25,000 sq foot former Lowes. Utilizing the space we have built a 30 bbl production brewery founded on the passion and drive that got us all into beer in the first place. A passion project between local brothers Robert and Davey Landis and Lancaster-native and Head Brewer Dom Kirchgessner, Outerbelt is bringing innovative new craft beer to the Lancaster area.
With a spacious taproom, private room and covered patio Outerbelt can accommodate anyone for anything. Come check us out 7 days a week (when quarantine hours end)! Or find our products on local shelves and draft lines throughout Fairfield, Franklin, & Licking County.
Shop Outerbelt Brewing
* Eats *
If you can’t drink your presents the next best thing is eating them, right! Gifting from these local companies usually means you don’t even have to wrap it, a huge bonus. You know the way to any man’s heart is through his stomach and that makes Ohio eats the easy selection, because nothing tastes better than local. Meats and cheese, chips and salsa, coffee to keep you caffeinated or sweet treats to savor through the season, I included all the gift basket must haves. Don’t feel like curating the perfect gift basket yourself, North Country Charcuterie makes it easy for you with their assortment of epic holiday gift boxes sure to please any Scrooge or Grinch with a heart three sizes too small.
North Country Charcuterie
A Chef, his brother and their mother. North Country Charcuterie is a family-owned company, hand making cured meats and fresh sausages in Columbus, Ohio. We source humanely raised pork from nearby farms, use ingredients from Ohio makers including craft beer, cheese, wine, herbs and spices, and cure everything at our own USDA inspected facility.
Give the gift of charcuterie this holiday season! Our Charcuterie Kits & Collections feature an assortment of North Country Charcuterie’s most popular cured meats paired with outstanding local cheeses, preserves, and lots of chef-selected accoutrements. We have a wide variety of options available to accommodate all budgets and we offer FREE nationwide shipping, FREE local delivery, and FREE pick up! From all of us on the Salami Squad to all of you, here’s to good friends and good food!
Shop North Country Charcuterie
Local options to complete the perfect charcuterie board:
Bellisari’s Spread & Sauces
Urban Stead Cheese
Foraged & Sown Farm
Kokoborrego Cheese Company
Shop Ridiculously Good Salsa
Ridiculously Good Salsa is a family recipe with a name that says it all. Crisp, local vegetables, colorful herbs, and subtle spices, deliver a down-home, straight-from-the-garden experience that our friends and family have gathered around for years.
Winans Chocolates + Coffees
Handcraft chocolates and coffee to inspire moments of joy.
In the Winans Chocolate Factory in Piqua, Ohio, we mix fresh, whole ingredients like heavy cream, butter, and sugar. Then we add peanut butter, nuts or purees like maple, orange, raspberry, and coconut to create the center of our chocolate confections. The centers are coated with Winans’ finest chocolate. Then each chocolate is marked and packed by hand into a variety of gift boxes. Winans Chocolates + Coffees and has 20 retail locations, with plans for more in the Western and Central Ohio area.
Shop Winans Chocolates + Coffees
Kilwins Dublin
We are excited to be part of the NEW Bridge Park Waterfront Development in Dublin, and are located a few doors down from Local Cantina. Watch through the large picturesque window as we hand-craft our Fudge, Caramel Corns & Brittles, Caramel Apples and hand-dipped confections. Choose from 32 flavors of our “Original Recipe Ice Cream”, Milkshakes, Koolers and freshly-made fruit drinks. For a real treat, enjoy your favorite flavor in a made-in-store Waffle Cone or Waffle Bowl. Offering the very best Chocolates, Fudge & Ice Cream you’ll ever enjoy, we look forward to serving you soon!
Another great options for crowd pleasing gift baskets.
Shop Kilwins
* Experiences *
In my opinion, experiences are the most important gifts and the ones that you should put the most effort into and keep at the top of your list (all year long). Ohio is a blank canvas of exciting activities to experience, covered bridges to explore, beers to salivate over and goodies to savor. Whether it is creating or enjoying art, finding the rhythm of musical performances or basking in the glow of the dazzling lights of the Ohio Theatre. You can’t put a price tag on all of the Broadway shows I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy with my Mom and now my daughter. I can’t adequately put into words the impact Broadway musicals and music in general has had on me and how important it is to share with others. The best gift you can give anyone is experiencing living life, making memories to cherish, the options to explore and experience are endless in Ohio. I’ve also included an experience for all the Moms, looking for the perfect place to take their kids, to get rid of all of that cooped-up, winter time energy. It also has a bar inside, so I’ve done all the hard groundwork and can assure you parents, you’ll want to spend a day at Play: CBUS during winter break.
…living and experiencing Ohio first hand, is the best way to gift it!
Experiences are memories and there is nothing more sacred than making memories with my favorite people. Memories that last a lifetime, frozen in time in some of my favorite photos, living and experiencing Ohio first hand is the best way to gift it!
Studio 614
Perfect for smaller events such as birthdays, bachelorette parties, bridal showers, corporate meetings, team building, engagement parties, and rehearsal dinners, Studio 614 is a 1300sqft open-concept venue space seating about 40 guests at maximum. With one exposed brick wall and one retro-painted mural wall, the space is a mid-century modern, energetic and creative atmosphere! There’s additional standing space, a lounge, and a buffet table area for your food and beverages of choice. Our venue is completely BYOB meaning you may bring in your choice of catering, drinks (alcoholic or non), make it a potluck style party, or just provide finger foods for your guests. We take pride in the details we work through for every private event from playing your personal, customized playlists on our high-quality sound system to providing you with large buckets for ice and fresh beverages.
Not only do we host private events, but we also have open-to-the-public BYOB canvas painting classes, candle-pouring workshops, soap-making, DIY door hanging wreaths, and many more projects! Sign up for one of our open to the public events by yourself, or join with some friends for a night out, date night, or small celebration. We can’t wait to get creative with you!
Hocking Hills Tiny Houses
Modern upscale tiny house cabin rentals. Clean and minimal loaded with amenities. Close to Lake Logan, restaurants, winery, brewery, hiking and all of the beauty Ohio’s Hocking Hills has to offer. Enjoy all the comforts of home while sitting at the bar or on the deck, or enjoying s’mores by the fire. Firewood, kayaks, and a canoe are available.
Incredible tiny house rentals for your next big adventure!
Rockmill Brewery
Built on a 23-acre 19th-century horse farm that once served as a stagecoach stop, tavern and gathering place. In that tradition of hospitality, our Tasting Room welcomes guests for an impressive selection of fresh, flavor-forward beers, wood-fired pizzas and gourmet snacks and sandwiches.
We came here with a deep understanding of fine food and wine. When we learned that our pristine water source echoes the makeup of Wallonia, Belgium, we knew that making farmhouse ales would be our mission.
Situated at the headwaters of the Hocking River, our water is filtered through Black Hand Sandstone, imparting a minerality that plays on the palate. Strong backbone and complexity that unfolds give our beers a breadth of expressions, from delicate floral notes to subtle spices.
Be sure to check out their live music schedule.
The Columbus Association for the Performing Arts
CAPA enriches lives by cultivating and nurturing the arts, spreading an appreciation that can be felt in hearts, minds and the economy of our communities. CAPA was formed in 1969 to save the historic Ohio Theatre (Columbus) from the wrecking ball. After the theatre was saved, CAPA renovated the magnificent 1928 movie palace to its original glory. It was then, that CAPA became the leaders in theatre rehabilitation and downtown redevelopment.
Shop CAPA
Play: CBUS
Play: CBUS is a 53,000 square foot indoor active entertainment facility for all groups and ages, located in Worthington, Ohio! Home of the WORLD’S LARGEST INDOOR ROPES COURSE with over 100 elements. From our two-story ropes course to a kids’ area, a Via Ferrata, ninja courses, climbing walls, and a full bar + restaurant – there is truly something for everyone! Enjoy a Buckeyes game from our carabiner-shaped bar while the kids play or have a fun-filled day with your significant other or family at Play: CBUS.
Shop Play: CBUS
* Self Care *
The gift of relaxation, ahhhhh…….. Clear skin, good hair, relaxed muscles, you can find confidence in gifting self care to the one you love or maybe even just yourself. If you’ve been around for a while you know Skin and Sugar is my go-to for all my skin care and sugaring services. If you’re not sugaring yet, get in my DMs, we need to talk. Gentleman, any of these gifts will make your lady friend love you, at least for her 60 minute service. Throw in a blowout from BlowDry Cafe and we’re inching towards best day ever status! If you really want to blow her mind book a hot stone massage with Pashion at the Woodhouse Polaris location. That might be my best pro tip ever, thank me later. A gift card paired with some of her favorite products will never ever disappoint, and it doesn’t have to be Christmas, a casual Wednesday will always do.
Shop Skin & Sugar
A SWEET TREATMENT FOR YOUR FACE AND BODY
Shop BlowDry Cafe
The WoodHouse Day Spa
Give a gift card from Woodhouse this holiday season for the ultimate feel-good gift. Every treatment, detail, space and feature has been carefully crafted by our masters of mood care. Be it a plush robe, loose-leaf teas, reflexology sandals, exfoliation and hydration — you name it. All experiences here are customized to meet your unique needs, while the service and luxurious touches remain as exceptional as ever, guiding you to true renewal.
Shop Woodhouse Day Spa
Pro Tip: Book a hot stone massage with Pashion at the Polaris location. Thank me later.
* (a few of) My Favorite Makers *
I honestly almost hate to even make this list, because there are so many incredibly gifted makers, it would take me months and months to even scratch the surface of all the undeniable talents found here in the heart of it all. The meme that says, every time you shop small, a real person does an actual happy dance. I’ve seen makers post excitedly about an order that would pay for their daughters’ ballet lessons. It is so important to support these crafty neighbors of ours over the giants of convenience.
Here are a few of my favorite people that make awesome things.
Santa’s Favorite Mug, $18
Tru Man Brand
Tru Man Brand was started with an idea to provide shirts that reflected confidence. Our main goal is for you to feel good, even prideful, about the message on the garment. Our apparel is chosen by softness, durability and functionality. The shirts are simply designed, yet make big statements.
Tru Man Brand is family owned and operated business. Founder Katie Testerman created her brand in order to express creativity. Formally an educator, Katie left the classroom and decided to pursue her dream of entrepreneurship.
Santa’s Favorite Unisex Long Sleeve Onsie and Tee, $15
Natterdoodle
NatterDoodle is on a mission to empower women through heartfelt hand lettering! We’re trying to create the antidote to the stresses of everyday life & harsh reality of the news, by providing a daily dose of authenticity and inspiration! Through our lovingly crafted stationery, home goods, gifts and creative workshop experiences, NatterDoodle sprinkles positivity confetti in your world and helps women feel more colorful, connected and creative!
Ohio Knit Hat, $24 – Red Plaid Women’s Flannel, $42 – OH! OH! OH! Santa Wear
Shelly Lou’s Lids
Shelly Lou’s Lids was founded by Michelle Kirby in 2013. Michelle is a social worker, wife and mom of 2 boys and 2 crazy dogs. Shelly Lou’s Lids began as a creative outlet for Michelle and quickly became a profitable business venture and is now a full time job!
Spend a weekend with Shelly and attend her Galentine’s Day Weekend in Nashville!
Shelly Lou’s Lids & ShOHp LOHcal present:
3rd Annual Galentine’s Day Weekend
SHOPPING – MUSIC – FOOD – FASHION – BEAUTY – HEALTH – DIY
Shop Shelly Lou’s Lids
Knit Hat * Santa Gear * Ohio Football Hat
Ohio Retro Vintage Circle Super Soft T-Shirt, $25
D & W Elements
Whether it’s where you’re from, where you’re going, or just where you belong. Let’s bring it home! D&W Elements is a Columbus, Ohio based company dedicated to the fusion of modern design with vintage inspiration. We know the passion and local love you have for your city and are honored to offer you plenty of excuses to show off that hometown pride.
Shop D&W Elements
Columbus, Ohio Red Skyline Shield Retro Vintage T-Shirt, $25
For a more complete list, find hundreds locally made products at Made in Ohio.
