The Best Michigan-Themed Gift Basket for Your Out-of-State Friends

The other day while catching up with a friend, we discussed holiday gifts and what she might want. "Just send me something that is from Michigan," she said.

We might as well make it an entire gift basket's worth of Michigan "things." I've only been here a couple of years but, so far, I think I've put together a pretty good list of things to include. What do you think?

What to Include in the Perfect Michigan Gift Basket (yes a lot of these will be food products)

1. Cherry Products

Whether it's jams and jellies, cherry hot fudge, cherry anything...it has to go in the Michigan-themed gift basket, right? If you didn't know, Michigan is responsible for about 75% of the country's tart cherry crop, according to cherryfestival.org. See a variety of cherry gifts at cherryrepublic.com.

Get our free mobile app

2. Vernors 

Look...not everyone is crazy about drinking Vernors on a regular basis. But, if you're sick? This is the number one recommended "medicine" that Michiganders tell me to take. It feels like a must for a Michigan gift basket. Know someone who already loves Vernors? There are a ton of Vernors-themed gifts on Etsy like the above-pictured ornament from the Etsy store frescade. See more here.

3. Petosky Stones...in any form. 

The options here are vast. Again, turning to Etsy (or any local store that sells Michigan-themed gifts) you'll probably be able to find something with a Petoskey stone in it. There are Petosky stone coasters, Petosky stone jewelry, Petosky stone ornaments shaped like the lower peninsula of Michigan, and so on. They're beautiful and definitely pure Michigan.

4. Michigan Oven Mitts 

We are known as the "mitten state" so, it seems fitting to include some kind of mitten. Not everyone lives in a place where cold weather is experienced. That's why I went with oven mitts, instead. These even have the state with notable/popular towns printed on them and are sold by the Etsy store MichiganMittens1.

5. Michigan Wine 

If you have a chance to visit the wineries in Michigan to snag a bottle for your gift basket, do it. I was able to do a wine tour in Traverse City and it was delightful. Michigan has a ton of options when it comes to wine made right here within the state. Don't know where to start? Michiganwinecountry.com has tour guides, wine options, and more.

6. A Yooper Bar

A Yooper Bar from Sayklly's. According to their website, Sayklly's has been making chocolate since 1906 and now has an entire online store filled with your favorite sweets. Yooper Bars were specifically recommended to me by a co-worker who hails from the UP. And, oftentimes, I feel the UP gets left out when it comes to Michigan-themed gifts. The Yooper Bar is an upper peninsula-shaped chocolate bar available in dark or milk chocolate. Learn more or order here.

Chocolate, wine, Petosky stones...I feel like that's a pretty good start for a great Michigan gift basket for all of our out-of-state friends.

If you're looking for more options, check out michigan-made.com and madeinmichigan.com.