Gifts for Holiday Travel

Traveling this Christmas? Here are creative gift ideas that won't over stuff your luggage.

Traveling during the holidays often means packing light. Space can be limited. Whether it’s packing the car to the roof racks or stuffing a carry-on with as many gifts as possible, it’s time to get creative.

We’ve compiled a selection of carry-on sized gifts perfect for spreading the New Hampshire love all throughout the holiday season. Each one of these Granite State-crafted items is small enough to fit into a laptop bag or backpack — perfect for stowing under your seat or tossing over your shoulder on the way to the next holiday gathering.

A Moose in the Evergreens
A New Hampshire-themed wooden ornament by Laskerkrafts will add a small piece of the Granite State to any Christmas tree. Choose a moose, covered bridge or a maple leaf from Richard and Myra Stone’s selection of decorations. Find them at Flossie’s General Store.

21 Main St., Jackson
(603) 383-6565
flossiesgeneralstore.com

Seasonably Saucy
Big Pete has been crafting this mouthwatering barbeque sauce in the kitchen of the Appleseed Restaurant in Bradford for more than four decades. Legend has it that Big Pete finally caved in to the constant urging of family and friends and bottled this smoky masterpiece.

63 High St., Bradford
(603) 938-2100
appleseedrestaurant.com

Perfect Pewter
Add these handmade charms by Gibson Pewter to a bracelet for a Granite State flavor: The loon — an iconic image of New Hampshire’s natural beauty — the Old Man of the Mountain or even a bit of heavy metal thunder with a motorcycle charm, perfect for visitors who love traveling to Laconia for the annual Bike Week.

18 East Washington Rd., Hillsborough
(603) 464-3410, gibsonpewter.com

Exquisite Confections
In this case, fudging it is a very good thing. Chutter’s homemade fudge is made right in the shop’s own kitchens and comes in a variety of mouth-watering flavors — from raspberry cheesecake to the more traditional chocolate walnut. There are three locations, but be sure to check out all 112 feet of the Littleton shop’s legendary candy counter.

43 Main St., Littleton
(603) 444-5787, chutters.com

Soothing Sips
This line of Healing Touch Pottery Mugs is specially designed for the Freedom Village Store and crafted entirely on potters’ wheels in the state of New Hampshire. Each mug comes with a healing stone or crystal mounted right into the thumb rest of the handle.

11 Elm St., Freedom
(603) 539-3077
freedomvillagestore.org

Piece it Together
Piece Time Puzzles creates custom-made puzzles, including a number that feature idyllic New Hampshire vistas. Choose a difficulty level — from 30 to 1,000 pieces — and then pick from a diverse offering of Granite State scenes, including beautiful views of Manchester, Exeter, Sunapee or the Lakes Region.

746 1st NH Turnpike, Northwood
(603) 942-5291, piecetimepuzzles.com

Hang Your Shingle
Ox Pond Press of Bethlehem crafts nostalgic and humorous wooden signs that are screen-printed on select-grade, native New Hampshire pine. With more than 24 years in the business, Ox Pond Press creates New Hampshire-centric signs perfect for gift-giving and available at farm stands and shops throughout New England, including Zeb’s General Store.

2675 Main St., North Conway
(603) 356-9294, zebs.com

Sweet Sips
Squamscot Beverages is the state’s last independent, family-owned soda bottler. Founded in 1863, these unique sodas are a taste of the past. Among the 26 delicious flavors are Maple Cream (all that’s missing are the pancakes), Raspberry Lemonade and “Yup” (as in, “yup, just lemon.”)

120 Exeter Rd., Newfields
(603) 772-3376
nhsoda.com