Orkney is the kind of place that sticks with you. The big skies, the blue seas, green fields, and a local larder full of the finest food and drink all make these islands truly unique.
If you visited us at 59 degrees north this year, you might be looking for a special Christmas gift for yourself or a loved one to really help you remember your Orkney adventure. Or perhaps you’re an ex-pat, keen to keep the islands close to your heart this festive season.
We’ve picked out some special gifts that could be the perfect keepsakes from our archipelago, helping you bring Orkney home this Christmas.
Orkney food and drink hampers
No holiday in Orkney would be complete without sampling the very best our food and drink. The islands are home to some incredible producers, with award-winning gin, whisky, rum, and beer, and delicious cheese, shellfish, ice cream, biscuits, and much, much more on offer.
The choice can be overwhelming if you want to take a taste of Orkney home, but that’s where a local food and drink hamper comes in. Both Judith Glue Hampers and Jollys of Orkney offer a fabulous range of bespoke hampers, full of delicious products from the islands.
There are options for cheese lovers, gin drinkers, those with a sweet tooth, and various family, deluxe, and ‘peedie’ options too.
Artwork from the islands
It’s hard to fully appreciate the views of land and sea in Orkney, and the special light you find here, unless you’ve spent time in the islands. Even photography can struggle to do it justice, so for a reminder of our stunning scenery the best idea might be to turn to our talented crop of artists.
They’re able to capture the views here perfectly on canvas, complete with all the colours and textures you remember from your time in Orkney. Bill McArthur, Jo Thomson at the Hoxa Tapestry Gallery, and Ingrid Grieve at Toumal Art Studio all paint beautiful seascapes, Jeanne Bouza Rose is an expert at depicting some of Orkney’s ancient sites, and Jane Glue has been producing art focused on life in the islands for 40 years.
All the artists offer prints of their work, but if you’re feeling flush this Christmas then an original from Orkney could be the new centrepiece of your home.
An Orcadian dram
Did you drop in to one of our distilleries during your Orkney holiday this year? If so, you probably sampled some delicious single malt whiskies, perfected over the centuries. Orkney has become home to a host of new distilleries in recent years, but Highland Park and Scapa are the originals, both producing an unrivalled collection of whiskies that would be ideal to raise in a glass on Hogmanay.
Although the distilleries are only a few miles apart, their whiskies are very different; Highland Park has touch of smoke and heather from locally-sourced peat, whereas Scapa is a delicate, smooth dram made with the freshest water from the nearby Lingro burn.
If you want to try something new, both the Deerness Distillery and the Orkney Distillery have embarked on their own single malt journeys. Those drams might not be ready just yet, but they do have their own blends available, offering a tantalising taste of what’s coming next.
Homeware inspired by the sea
It’s almost impossible to avoid the coast during a visit to Orkney. These islands are full of beautiful beaches, wide bays, and dramatic cliffs, and many of our makers take great inspiration from the seas surrounding our islands, including jewellery designers Marion Miller, Sheila Fleet, and Zoe Davidson.
Alison Moore has taken her love of local waters even further though and created a stunning range of homeware, all from her own underwater photography taken right here in Orkney. There are cushion covers, tea towels, tote bags, and much more on offer, all adorned with vibrant images of jellyfish, seaweed, and shipwrecks.
The collection offers a daily reminder of those hours spent by the sea during summer in Orkney.
Say cheese this Christmas
Cheese is a perfect souvenir to take home from a holiday, in terms of portability at least. If you’re anything like us though it won’t last very long, leaving you looking longingly at an empty fridge.
But there’s no better time to replenish your cheese stock than Christmas, and Orkney has the perfect addition to any festive feast. The Island Smokery has been smoking cheese here for more than 20 years and its red and white cheddars have been popular from day one.
The range also features some creative collaborations, including smoked cheese flavoured with Dark Island beer from the Orkney Brewery, whisky from Highland Park, and gin from the Orkney Distillery. Bring a taste of Orkney back to your family and friends this Christmas.
Handcrafted heritage
Whilst many of the gifts mentioned in this blog are smaller, or in the case of the food and drink items, liable to disappear very quickly over Christmas, this next suggestion is the definition of a statement piece.
Orcadians have been crafting their own furniture here for generations, making use of driftwood from the shores and straw from the fields. These days, local makers are still keeping those traditions alive. Orkney Hand Crafted Furniture and Scapa Crafts both have their own takes on the iconic Orkney chair, and they design a range of traditional and contemporary tables, mirrors, and more, all inspired by the craftspeople that have come before them.
These pieces are perfect for anyone with Orcadian roots - a tangible reminder of life in the islands.
Say cheers to an Orkney Christmas
Orkney’s buzzing drinks scene offers plenty of gift inspiration.
If you arrived home from your Orkney odyssey raving about the craft beers you sampled here then it’s perhaps time to give your family and friends a taste of Orkney, just in time for their Christmas celebrations. The award-winning Swannay Brewery has an excellent range of beers inspired by the islands, and the brewery’s tasting boxes are the perfect introduction for any beer drinker.
The Peedie Taster Box features a mix of the brewery’s traditional and modern beers, with the Classics Taster Box showcasing some of the beers that helped the brewery build its fantastic reputation.
A tasty treat
We’ve picked out cheese, whisky, beers, and gin from Orkney in this blog, but there’s one special treat from the islands that anyone with Orcadian heritage will recognise.
Fattie Cutties are a bit of a biscuit and cake hybrid, thought to have originated in the island Westray. They’re made with flour, butter, sugar, and currants, and are a staple of many a biscuit tin across Orkney. Luckily for ex-pats or recently returned visitors, Jane & Paul’s Orkney Produce bake these to perfection in the traditional way, and can post them to your plate after just a click or two online.
They’re the perfect stocking filler for anyone with an Orkney connection, and a sweet tooth, this Christmas.
Give a gift from Orkney this Christmas - shop online by browsing our food, drink, and crafts makers.