Looking for locally themed gifts beyond Boston baked beans or Red Sox tickets? Here is a selection of ideas, some of which are made in Massachusetts.
1. Jennifer Hill creates calendars, cards, and prints at her Boston-based studio JHill Design. Most of her colorful graphic designs are inspired by a particular destination, from Tuscany to Portland. One of her latest creations, the “Toast to Massachusetts” print, has a red, white, and blue image of the state, and references the Boston Tea Party. The 5- by 7-inch prints can come framed for $34 each or unframed for $20 each. Hill can add a logo or the name and date of an event for an additional fee.
2. Dean's Beans roasts fair-trade, organic coffee beans in its Orange, Massachusetts, beanery. Sixteen-ounce gift bags of coffee, chocolate-covered coffee beans, or hot cocoa can be branded with a corporate logo and range in price from $5 to $9.50 each. There is a 15-bag minimum for custom orders. Personalized gift boxes are also available, as is local delivery.
3. For a keepsake coffee table book, Boston, the latest addition to the America the Beautiful series, will be released by Firefly Books in late February. The 96-page hardcover book has 70 color photographs of the city's major landmarks, including Boston Common, Fenway Park, and Harvard University.
4. For a local twist on the traditional coffee mug gift, Needham, Massachusetts-based City by the Sea Ceramics offers many handmade options. Ceramicist Karen Mahoney creates stoneware mugs in chunky shapes and earthy brown and orange tones as well as Asian-inspired porcelain and stoneware teacups with interesting textures and patterns. Mugs are $18 each (or $70 for a set of four) and teacups range from $11 to $20 each.
5. Beacon Hill Chocolates offers truffles and other types of chocolates in dozens of flavors. For out-of-towners, the shop offers a "Greetings From Boston" box of truffles that is decorated with decoupaged postcards and other illustrations. Pricing starts at $16 for four pieces. Chocolate assortments in branded boxes are also available and are priced by the size of the box and number of chocolates inside.
