You already know that all kinds of great products are made in workshops, factories, studios and kitchens across Alabama. Even better, many of them make perfect gifts for the special ones on your holiday shopping list.
Our 2024 Holiday Gift Guide highlights the creativity of Alabama companies, artisans, entrepreneurs and others producing one-of-a-kind items ideal for sharing this time of year.
“Talented Alabamians create an impressive variety of the very best products that can be found anywhere, and the fruits of their labor make for ideal gifts during the holiday season or any time of the year,” said Ellen McNair, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce.
For this year’s Guide, we leaned on some of the classic homegrown products we’ve highlighted in the annual holiday lists we’ve shared since 2013. This produced a great collection of standout Made in Alabama products for you to consider during gift-giving time.
Downhome linens
Red Land Cotton’s comfortable and durable blankets and bedding are made from cotton grown on a family farm in North Alabama.
Over the past four decades, Red Land Cotton owner/operator Mark Yeager has honed sustainable farming practices and custom gin operations on family land near the Bankhead National Forest. Working with his daughter Anna Yeager Brakefield, these operations drive production of the company’s premium sheets, towel sets and other heirloom-inspired linens.
Finding fish
For the angler in your life, check out Humminbird, a leading manufacturer of marine electronics products, which operates a growing manufacturing facility in Eufaula.
Humminbird makes a wide variety of fish finders that offer the latest sonar and navigation technologies, with high-definition displays designed to help spot fish, as well as underwater terrain and hazards.
Prices vary based on capabilities, and they range from around $550 to $5,300.
Iconic grits
Frank McEwen and his wife Helen started a corn-grinding business as they sought to embrace a healthier diet. The McEwen & Sons stone burr grist mill in Wilsonville grinds organic corn to produce cornmeal, grits and polenta. They also produce rolled oats and golden flax seed.
The stone-ground products are sold online and in the company store in Wilsonville, as well as in several specialty food stores in the Birmingham area. They are also served in many restaurants in the South and beyond.
None other than award-winning Alabama chef Frank Stitt has said the McEwens “reinvented” grits.
Prices for McEwan products range from around $6 to $11, and they’re perfect for foodies who appreciate traditional Southern flavors.
Perfect pecans
For more than 70 years, Priester Pecan Co. has whipped up salty, sweet and crunchy treats with the signature Southern nut.
At the country store off Interstate 65 in Fort Deposit, pecans are sold just about any way you can imagine: plain, roasted, salted, flavored, smothered in chocolate or baked into pies and brittle.
Another homegrown icon is Montgomery-based Tucker Pecan Co., a pecan powerhouse founded in 1952 that sells nutty treats in bags, tins, boxes and gift baskets. In 2015, MSN picked Tucker pecans for its list of “Enticing Edible Souvenirs From Every State.”
Another choice: Whaley Pecan Co. of Troy.
These quintessential Southern treats are ideal stocking stuffers or standalone gifts.
Fort Payne treasures
In Northeastern Alabama, there are two well-known makers of ideal gift ideas.
Zkano’s organic cotton socks are made in Fort Payne at an operation run by Gina Locklear, who is carrying on her family’s business and a community legacy. Fort Payne was once known as “The Sock Capital of the World” before offshoring dismantled the domestic industry.
Locklear’s socks have found a niche, with their bright colors, bold patterns, high-end quality and appeal to customers interesting in green living. In 2016, Locklear was named a winner in the Martha Stewart American Made Awards, and she opened a store inside the DeKalb County sock mill.
These high-quality, colorful socks make practical yet stylish gifts for the eco-conscious fashion lover on your list.
For something truly unique, consider handmade glassware from Orbix Hot Glass in Fort Payne. Each piece, like the Curly pitcher, is a work of art crafted on the edge of Little River Canyon.
Cal and Christy Breed opened Orbix Hot Glass in 2002, and their glassware has made waves ever since.
Prices vary, making it easy to find a dazzling piece of art glass to fit your budget.
Orbix pieces have been given by Alabama Department of Commerce officials as gifts to dignitaries during foreign travels.
Sample packs
With locations in Homewood, Hoover and Huntsville, Alabama Goods is a locally owned company that sells distinctive goods crafted exclusively in Alabama.
Owners Sherry Hartley and Beth Staula have created a place where people could find wonderful products made in Alabama, with each item reflecting the state’s warm character and creative spirit.
From a sampling of handcrafted items from across Alabama to locally made kitchen basics like infused olive oils, chutneys, sauces and rubs, there’s an option for every budget.
Alabama Goods also sells baskets are packed with cookies, candies, nuts and other snacks. Packed with Southern charm, these delicious treats showcase the best of Alabama’s culinary traditions.
It’s also a great way to share the specialties of a particular region. The popular flavors of rural Alabama are plentiful, such as Priester’s pecans from Lowndes County, Golden Eagle caramel corn and Alabama Sunshine pepper jelly, both from Fayette County.
“Shopping Alabama-made gifts not only ensures your loved ones receive something special but also supports local businesses and celebrates the state’s extraordinary craftsmanship,” said Brenda Tuck, Rural Development Manager at the Alabama Department of Commerce.
Other possibilities to consider:
Conecuh Sausage / Monroe Meats
WiregrassMade (stadium reproductions)
