The holidays are right around the corner and we have prepared a detailed gift guide for Polish presents that you can find in the United States! Some of the shops carrying these gifts may be located outside of your region so we have made sure that each shop we recommend has online shopping and shipping options.
Key To Poland is dedicated to sustainable travel and tourism. Outside of our business, it is also something we practice in our daily life. When it comes to buying gifts, this means choosing small locally run businesses. We recommend finding ways to support small businesses and shops in your neighborhood!
The Ultimate Polish Gift Guide!
Bolesławiec Pottery
If you’re new to Bolesławiec pottery, prepare to be amazed. I discovered this pottery on my first visit to Poland and was taken back by the beauty and design of each piece. We slowly started collecting items and now our entire dining set is composed of mismatched and colorful dish ware.
Bolesławiec pottery has been produced in Poland in the little town of Bolesławiec for centuries and some of the first pieces actually date back to the year 600! Each piece of pottery is carefully hand painted and stamped creating very unique and traditional designs. The pottery has been twice-fired which makes it extremely durable, microwave, oven, freezer and dishwasher safe.
There are many small shops across the United States that import and sell this pottery. Here are two that we recommend checking out.
The Polish Pottery Outlet - Denver, Colorado
The Polish Pottery Outlet is located in south Denver and has an excellent assortment of Bolesławiec pottery pieces. They have an online shop with shipping options across the United States. If you’re in Colorado they also offer in store shopping as well as curbside pick up.
Blue Rose Pottery - Rock Hill, South Carolina
This shop carries many unique and authentic pieces of Bolesławiec pottery. Their storefront is currently closed but they have an online shop with everything you need carefully shipped straight to your door!
Polish Baked Goods
Polish food is my weakness. Every time we visit Poland I’m overwhelmed by the delicious aromas steaming out from the piekarnie (bakeries) and cukiernie (confectionaries). Poland is famous for their cakes, cookies and other sweet treats.
Most cities in the United States have a Polish market of some sort (and often smaller towns too!). These shops are filled with imported foods and products. Many even offer their own deli and bakery where they prepare fresh dishes daily. Do a quick search to see if there is a shop nearby where you can pick up a tasty gift.
If there’s not a shop in your area, don’t fear, we’ve just the thing for you!
Chrusciki Bakery - Buffalo, New York
This family-run Polish bakery is named after the Polish delicacy chruściki (Angel Wings in English), which is a delicious bow shaped pastry that is dusted with powdered sugar or honey. They also operate Simply Pierogi, an excellent-reviewed pierogi restaurant, Sto Lat Bar, a Polish restaurant and bar, and they offer cake decorating classes in their event space.
Does driving to New York seem like a long distance to travel to pick up a delicious gift? Lucky for you, Chrusciki offers shipping across the United States! Visit their online shop to browse through their Polish treats to have sent straight to your door!
Polish Cookbooks
Is there someone in your life who loves to cook? Or maybe you want to experiment with some new Polish dishes of your own. There are two talented chefs that we highly recommend who are experts in Polish cooking.
Polish Your Kitchen, A Book of Memories: Christmas Edition
This incredible cookbook is written by Anna who operates the food blog and YourTube channel Polish Your Kitchen. Her fun videos give you step by step instructions for making your own Polish dishes at home. This cookbook is focused specifically on traditional Polish Christmas recipes that you can incorporate into your own holiday dinner! The cookbook is available for purchase on Amazon.
Lois is an American cookbook author and food blogger who spent a number of years living in Poland, perfecting her Polish recipes. Her cookbook is filled with inspiring recipes that will take your tastebuds on an international journey! Visit her website, The Polish Housewife, to find more recipes and to order a copy of her cookbook for the perfect Christmas gift.
Polish Books
Is there a bookworm in your life that needs a great gift? Poland has a number of famous books that have been translated into English. In 2018, Olga Tokarczuk, won the Nobel prize in literature. In 2018, she also won the Man Booker International prize for her book Flights, which was recognized as the best work of translated fiction for the year.
One of my favorite books that I recently read about Poland is called Shortcuts to Poland by Laura Klos Sokol. I especially enjoyed this book as it takes a humorous approach to share the unique traditions, behaviors and quirks of Poles from an American perspective. As someone who has lived in Poland, I found this book extremely insightful and very funny.
Read our article 5 of the BEST Books to Read Before Traveling to Poland to find more recommendations for books about Poland.
We recommend visiting or contacting your local bookshop to see if they have or can order any of these books for you. If they don’t carry them, we also recommend shopping on Bookshop or Indie Bound, where you can order books online but a portion of your cost will go to the local bookshop of your choosing.
Vodka
It’s no surprise that Poland is famous for its vodka. There are a number of different types that you can find in the United States. Here are a few brands of Polish vodka that you might be able to buy in your nearby shop.
- Luksusowa Vodka
- Sobieski Vodka
- Zubrowka Vodka
- Wyborowa Vodka
- Belvedere Vodka
Check out this fun article “Beginner's Guide to Polish Vodka” from the Polish food blog Polonist.
Polish Candy
Looking for a tasty sweet to use as a stocking stuffer or a small gift? Polish candy is ideal. You can find many different types of candies at Polish markets and European food shops. Here are some of our favorite candies that we always bring back after a trip to Poland
Krówki - Krowki, which literally translates to mean “little cows” in English, are delicious. They are a Polish fudge, semi-soft milk toffee candy. They are hard on the outside and gooey within.
Mieszanka Krakowska - These yummy candies are perfect to have in a bowl when guests stop by. These candies have a thin chocolate exterior wrapped around a fruity jelly candy. Yum!
Ptasie Mleczko - This is a soft chocolate-covered candy that is filled with a smooth meringue. From an American perspective, they taste like a sweet chocolate covered marshmallow.
Michałki - This is a soft chocolatey candy that is filled with crushed nuts. Simple and delicious!
Polish Art
Modern art in Poland is colorful, vibrant and fun. On our tours to Poland we always make sure to visit small locally run boutiques or art markets when you can find extraordinary hand crafted pieces.
Polish artwork might be a little tricker to find outside of Poland but we’ve found two places that might work for you.
Sylver Rocket Studio - Nowy Targ, Poland
This artist is located in Poland but sells her artwork through Etsy that has shipping available to the United States. The posters are fun, colorful and beautifully designed, each one representing a different city in Poland. Take a look!
Midwest Mountain - United States
This artist is located in the United States and creates handmade wooden signs for the home that can be personalized with Polish sayings such as “Smacznego,” “Na zdrowie” or “Wesołych Świąt.” Visit her Etsy site to see what you might find.
*Note if you are ordering gifts from Poland, there will be a shipping fee and the shipping time might take much longer.
Read more about local and handmade souvenirs from Poland.
I hope this list of Polish gifts is useful for your holiday (or anytime of the year!) shopping. If you have any questions about other traditional Polish gifts or would like information on planning a private tour to Poland (the ultimate gift!) contact us.
Key To Poland has not received any monetary benefits or other perks for recommending these businesses.
We are Damian and Elizabeth, a Polish-American couple, and we are excited to share Poland with you! We have traveled around the world and seen many places but find ourselves most inspired by our home countries.
