Wisconsin-made gifts keep on giving

The countdown to our holiday traditions is on! As with every holiday season, storefronts, television commercials and online advertisements fill us with new ideas for gifts to give. The choices can be overwhelming! What if we could find ingredients and gifts that keep on giving? Something Special from Wisconsin makes it possible.

Something Special from Wisconsin businesses guarantee at least half of their ingredients, production or processing can be attributed to Wisconsin. Purchasing these local products supports those local farmers, processors, communities and economies and creates a ripple effect throughout our state. With hundreds of businesses from which to choose, there are options for everyone on your shopping list.

Barham Gardens

Kim and Roberta Barham are the proprietors of Barham Gardens in Wisconsin's Driftless Region,

Blanchardville. They were so excited about the quality of their certified organic aronia berries that they partnered with Yahara Bay Distillers in Fitchburg to create a unique Aronia Cherry Liqueur. The Liqueur which contains Wisconsin aronia juice, Door County cherries and Mount Horeb honey. With nearly 100 percent Wisconsin ingredients in a beautiful bottle, Barham Gardens offers a standout stocking stuffer.

Beans n Cream Bakehouse

Artfully packaged for simple gift giving, Beans n Cream Bakehouse has the perfect pastries and cookie boxes to make the holiday season special. The scratch-made pastries, cookies and breads use a lot (and they mean a lot!) of Wisconsin butter, eggs, dairy, honey, fruits and nuts. From their Maple Cheddar Bacon Scone to the holiday cookie boxes, everything is made better with Wisconsin ingredients. Beans n Cream specializes in crunchy sourdough bread and coffeehouse favorites like muffins, cookies, and scones.

Cream City Caramels

Have you ever tasted something too good to not share? Cream City Caramels & Confections has

treats your family and friends will ask for every holiday season! For more than 30 years, they've handcrafted the caramels for loved ones in their home kitchen. Now, Cream City Caramels & Confections is sharing the craft with everyone! The secret? Locally sourced butter and heavy cream! These wholesome ingredients are key to creating these soft and creamy caramels in small batches. The caramels have a melt-in-your-mouth buttery goodness and smooth creamy texture.

HANmade Milwaukee

Are you looking for the last piece to make your holidays picture perfect? HANmade Milwaukee can help with creative gift ideas! The designs are created in Milwaukee by two talented cousins in New Berlin. Their products include everything from jigsaw puzzles and towels to party trays and pillows. The ability to capture our state's signature style truly makes these products Something Special from Wisconsin. The recently released "Up North" design features a slice of summer in the North Woods of Wisconsin in their signature style. Do any of those images remind you of time well spent in our state?

Heil Ginseng

A unique, Wisconsin gift includes one of our top commodities: ginseng. Heil Ginseng Enterprises

gives the best American Ginseng Experience. The sell only what they grow and offer products like ginseng teas, ginseng capsules and an American Ginseng gift box. Heil Ginseng said it is the first grower in Wisconsin to have the rights to use the Ginseng Board of Wisconsin trademark that guarantees the American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) is grown in Wisconsin. This is a cultural gift that showcases the diversity of Wisconsin agriculture.

Maple Hill Farm

The Michielson family's story began in 2006 when their dream farm became available. Their oldest son needed an FFA project and decided on a lamb! Nearly 100 dairy sheep later, Maple Hill Farm has a full milking parlor and uses the sheep milk to make uniquely Wisconsin products such as handmade sheep milk soap and lotion. They raise their animals with the utmost care because quality products are created with help from livestock that have quality lives. Carefully crafted with the finest ingredients, these gifts have no artificial fragrances or dyes. Created with sensitive skin in mind, the family uses essential oils and botanicals for scent. This gift has an added bonus! The Michielson family always welcomes groups, families, and curious customers to visit their farm to get a firsthand glimpse at agriculture in action!

Original Cream Puffs

Is there a better tradition than enjoying an Original Cream Puff, the signature item at the Wisconsin State Fair? While we can’t fast-forward time to August 1-11, you can pre-order the pastry for yourself and for loved ones with a promise of attending the 2019 Wisconsin State Fair. Made with plenty of butter and cream, the Cream Puff has been enjoyed by fairgoers for 95 years. The Wisconsin Bakers Association, the oldest food association in Wisconsin, operates the famous Cream Puff Pavilion as well as provides support and education for bakers across the state.

Wisconsin Christmas Tree Producers Association

Have you ever selected and cut a farm-grown Christmas tree? I had the honor of kicking off the holiday season by cutting down a Christmas Tree at Winterberry Christmas Tree Farm in Brooklyn. With support from Green County school groups, I had a beautiful, real tree to place in my home to celebrate the holidays. It was one of my favorite memories as Alice in Dairyland, and it can be the perfect gift for your family. The chance to visit a tree farm, perhaps make a wreath for a loved one, visit Santa and enjoy hot cocoa is a very special gift of experience. Plus, farm-grown Christmas trees can be recycled and will decompose, returning to the earth. Real Christmas Trees are green for beauty, green for the local economy, and green for our environment! With nearly 870 Wisconsin Christmas tree farms to choose from, your perfect tree is waiting to find its home.

Wisconsin is a wonderland filled with gifts to make any season something special. The bright red Something Special from Wisconsin logo will put a vibrant smile on anyone’s face. You can find these gift ideas as well as countless others by simply visiting somethingspecialwi.com.