This has been a rough year, which makes self care more important than ever. If you or someone on your gift list needs a Cape May fix, here are a few suggestions to help them feel a little closer to the shore.
Cape May Street Signs
These wood signs from WittyPiggyCrafts are replicas of actual street signs here in Cape May. They measure 3.5″ high by 24″ long and come with a metal hanger. Custom signs available. While they are sealed, these are best for indoor use.
Hand-painted clam shells
These hand-painted shells from TheKeepersQuarters will cheer up a home office or can be hung on the tree! They ship from Cape May Point. A dollar from every shell sold goes to Friends of the Cape May Lighthouse.
Christmas ornaments
Keep it minimalist with this simple Cape May themed ornament from GirlHoldingAPen.
Wave art cutting board
Bring the beach to your kitchen with one of Emily Arenberg’s wave art cutting boards. They’re food safe and made in Cape May County.
Cape May Diamonds from Sunset Beach
Cape May diamonds aren’t diamonds at all–they’re pieces of polished quartz abundant on Sunset Beach. You can find them yourself if you have time to pick through stones, but if you want to skip the search, Sunset Beach Gift Shops sells the stones loose or set into jewelry. Order online
Locally poured candles
Shore Soaps has a line of beach street candles! Choose from Perry, Congress, Jackson, Queen, The Cove, Higbee, Broadway, and Sunset. Each 8oz soy candle has a 40-hour burn time.
Or set a holiday mood with a seasonally scented candle sampler from Coastal Embers.
A 3-D carved map
These are the priciest gifts on our list, but we couldn’t leave off this intricate wood map from WoodShoreWater made from Baltic birch wood (left), or the topographic depth chart from BeneathTheSail. (They make a clock, too.)
A pound of fudge from the Original Fudge Kitchen
Send a box of the Fudge Kitchen’s hand-whipped fudge to yourself or a friend. The Fudge Kitchen ships all orders within two days of receipt. And if your recipient lives overseas, they can hook you up. Just give them a call.
Order at fudgekitchens.com or by calling 800-23-FUDGE.
Beach sand jewelry
Take the beach with you wherever you go. Kate from beachdashery sells handmade stainless steel bracelets and earrings made with a bit of sand from Cape May and Cape May Point.
Vintage style Cape May travel poster
We love the design of this vintage-style travel poster from Red Robot Gallery.
Want warmer colors? Check out this design from LanternPressArtwork.
The Lobster House clambake
If your list contains a seafood lover who’s not afraid to cook it themselves, the Lobster House has you covered. Each clambake includes two live lobsters, shrimp, clams, and mussels. The best part? It cooks on the stove in the can it arrives in. Serves two. Order online at thelobsterhouse.com or call 609-884-8296 from 9am – 4pm ET to order.
A bottle (or two or three) of local wine
If your list contains someone who appreciates wine, it might be possible to send a few bottle of local wine–depending on where they live. Hawk Haven offers online ordering and is expanding the list of states they can ship to. Cape May Winery ships to New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Florida. Please call 609-884-1169 to purchase. Natali Vineyards ships to 35 states and offers online ordering.
If your recipient doesn’t live in a state that can receive wine, consider a gift card for the next time they’re on vacation.
A subscription to Cape May Magazine
This is a shameless self plug. If your holiday list includes someone who can’t get enough Cape May, a one-year subscription to Cape May Magazine (6 issues) is only $29 and feeds their obsession year-round. Our full-color lifestyle magazine covers Cape May now and in the past, with a focus on arts and culture, history, dining, and local businesses. Plus the paper is really nice.
Subscribe online at capemaymag.com/gift or call 609-898-4500. New subscriptions will start in 2019 or you can arrange to begin with a back issue for the cost of shipping. In town? Stop by our office at 513 Washington Street, second floor (we’re above the Fudge Kitchen) and skip the shipping cost.
And of course, there’s always a gift certificate to their favorite place.
A gift card isn’t impersonal if it’s for a place someone loves. And if you know they’ll use it, it’s more thoughtful than giving them something they don’t need. A large number of Cape May’s restaurants, shops, and spas offer gift cards. Some can be purchased online, others by phone. It varies by business. Slip a $10 restaurant gift card into a stocking, give them $50 toward a massage, or make that dream B&B stay someone’s main gift.
Not 100% sure of your friend’s favorite place? If you have some details (like a vague idea of the location or a particular product they sell) but need to talk to someone local, email hello@capemay.com and we’ll try to help you identify the business.
Check out our list of local stores that offer online shopping, and we have a few more options on our Etsy holiday gift guide. Happy shopping!
