The Banner’s 2025 holiday gift guide
We’ve curated the best Maryland gifts and experiences to give for the holidays, with recommendations from Banner staff.
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24 items
Weird sodas
Hot dog water, kettle corn and toothpaste are just a few of the offbeat soda flavors you can find stocked at E.C. Pops. These bizarre beverages make a great gift for the kids and teens who never say no to a double-dog dare.
— Lillian Reed, Howard County reporter
Rocklands Farm Winery
Located in Poolesville, Rocklands Farm Winery is a family-owned farm that produces handcrafted wines on a rotating menu. Options include reds, whites, rosé, sparkling and orange.
— Danielle Allentuck, sports reporter
Turn your house into art
There’s no place like home for the holidays. Commission a custom illustration of your Baltimore rowhome from Pop Baltimore. This local artist will turn your residence into cheerful greeting cards, postcards or sticker packs.
— Lillian Reed, Howard County reporter
Cheese utensils
Girl dinner, you say? Gundalow has the cutlery set perfect for the busy working woman who wants a dinner of cheese, crackers, cut fruit and some candied nuts.
— Rona Kobell, Baltimore County reporter
Magnesium lotion
The Calm Your Ass Down Magnesium Body Lotion by SoBotanical helps soothe tired nerves and promotes relaxation.
— Sarah Walton, chief philanthropy officer
Whipped body butter
This cream hydrates your skin and smells great. My favorite scent: Million Bucks.
— Emma Patti, former managing editor
Hot sauces from Caulfield Provision Co.
Caulfield Provision Co. sells a gift pack of hot sauces with Smokey Red Pepper Chipotle, Fiery Habanero Mustard, Minty Jalapeño Tomatillo and Szechuan Style Red Pepper for $35.
— Zuri Berry, executive editor
Locally smoked seafood
Located in historic Annapolis, Chesapeake Smokehouse hand-selects “the finest lumber” to carry out the ancient European tradition of smoking seafood. Among their popular products are different styles of smoked salmon and trout.
— Alex Mann, Anne Arundel County reporter
Wine tasting
The Charm City Wine School is offering Wine 101 classes that span the vino globe. These fun and informative single-session classes feature three to four wines, including both New and Old World wines.
— James Meadows, newsletter editor
Beer bath
The Spa at BierBath offers a truly distinctive spa experience. Soak in — you guessed it — beer, enjoy a sauna, cool off in a rain shower and enjoy unlimited drinks while you’re at it.
— Tim Prudente, enterprise reporter
Baltimore wallpaper
This high-quality, self-adhesive wallpaper features Baltimore designs by artist Elizabeth Graeber and is made of 100% paper with a woven linen texture. Plus, it’s movable and renter-friendly.
— Stokely Baksh, audience engagement editor
Shady Grove Candles
A quarantine hobby between mom and daughter during the pandemic turned into a business. Shady Grove Candles are locally sourced, hand-poured and eco-friendly. My faves are the Peppermint + Eucalyptus, Sandalwood, and Apricot + Jasmine scents.
— Ginny Bixby, government and politics reporter
Really Raw Honey
Ready to eat straight from the jar, Really Raw Honey is scooped right from the hive and not filtered, heated or strained. It’s a Baltimore-based, family-run business and has supported small beekeepers for over 40 years.
— Michael Hughes, copy editor
Afternoon tea
As a chronically cold person who always needs a warm beverage, I’ve yet to have a cup of tea from Baltimore-based, sibling-owned Wight Tea Co. that I didn’t love. Baltimore Breakfast and Fireside Fig are two of my favorites.
— Seth Lueck, director of customer acquistion
Final Fantasy apron
Saphrina Splendors offers a homemade apron, emblazoned with a baby Chocobo from Final Fantasy, suitable for artisans of any kind — whether your craft is cooking, painting or sculpting!
— Rondez Green, creator and social editor
Customized cookies or cupcakes
Sunflower Bakery in Rockville teaches developmentally disabled adults to bake and helps them get certified to work in a commercial kitchen. And you can order seasonally decorated cookies or cupcakes.
— Lauren Markoe, news editor
Locally grown herbal teas
Give your loved one a piping-hot cuppa from Heron’s Meadow Farm, one of Maryland’s few tea farms, located in Howard County. These blends are a warm gesture heading into the long winter months.
— Jess Nocera, Howard County reporter
Cane Collective
Guava Tiki Punch transports you straight to a tropical paradise and reminds me of the fruits I grew up with in sub-Saharan Africa. While it makes a fantastic mixer with mezcal or gin, I love it best with soda water.
— Shalini Malaki, senior manager, institutional giving
Open Book Chocolates
The literary-inspired chocolate company started in Montgomery County in 2017 with flavors inspired by novels. The “A Christmas Carol” bar has hazelnuts, pear and nutmeg in dark chocolate.
— Hau Chu, food, arts and culture reporter
Custom book-themed gift basket
Choose between new or used books, select favorite genres and more based on your gift recipient’s taste, and the folks at Wyrd Bookstore in Edgewater will assemble a one-of-a-kind gift basket that could include books, candles, journals, coffee and teas.
— Cody Boteler, Anne Arundel County reporter
Maryland crab cakes
They’re shipped fresh on ice and arrive in perfect condition. My crab-loving stepmother swoons.
— Chris Dinsmore, regional editor
Second Story Books gift card
What’s better than a gift card to one of the best independent bookstores in the county?
— Talia Richman, education reporter
Freeze-dried pet treats
Snarfies makes freeze-dried pet treats my dogs love. Their favorite flavor: salmon.
— Emma Patti, former managing editor
Maryland Park Service passport
Instead of toys my kids will get bored with, one item on our wish list every year is a Maryland Park Service passport. Some of my family’s favorites include the tire park at the Hilton area of Patapsco Valley State Park and searching for shark teeth at Calvert Cliffs State Park.
— Carrie Mihalcik, express desk editor