Cue up "Pomp and Circumstance," dust off the mortarboards, and prepare yourself for inspirational quotes - graduation season is upon us.

Don't want to be the relative who gives the useful if unimaginative gift of cash? We put together a list of New England made gifts to help set the graduates in your life up for their post-collegiate plans.

Curated from New England companies, these products are available for purchase online - or if time for shipping is running low, many of these shops would make a worthwhile day trip.

Duxbury native Rebecca Potash has been blowing glass since she was 14, when her parents gifted her classes at Simple Syrup Studio in Brockton, continuing her education in the millennia-old craft while completing chemistry degrees at Cornell University. She sells her hand-blown glass drinkware and home decor on her website and at multiple locations on the South Shore.

With vibrant accent colors and one-of-a-kind patterns evocative of the neighboring Atlantic Ocean, these pieces would be appreciated by any graduate - a big step up from the red Solo cup they became accustomed to during their college years. 

Artist Meghan Surette spent several years in Europe before returning home to Maine, brining with a deeper appreciation of the beauty of both the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean off New England. This passion is evident, literally and figuratively, in her La Marée Art products.

Surette crafts unique oceanscapes using epoxy-resin and color pigments, paired with various species of woods, to create beautiful home goods including serving trays, cribbage boards and wall art, all made in Maine and perfect to help graduates keep New England close, wherever life takes them. 

Inspired by artists on a weekend trip to Oqunquit, Holly Stout created The Salty Cottage's New England-inspired graphic designer pillows, handmade in Beverly with nearly all materials made in the U.S.A. 

Stout now leads a team of local artisans and interns, selling their pillows at the Beverly studio where they are made, on the Salty Cottage website, Etsy, and in more than 50 stores nationwide.

Forestbound's collection is full of items crafted in New England. Alice Saunders started Forestbound from her Boston living room 15 years ago, seeking to highlight the reclaimed materials and vintage textiles she'd find at flea markets and estate sales throughout New England.

Their collection of backpacks and leather totes would make a stylish addition to a graduate's new adult life, whether as a laptop bag to take to the office or as a useful addition to their daily errands.

An offshoot of Waldoboro rope manufacturer Custom Cordage, Maine Rope Mats are a utilitarian, stylish and environmentally-friendly addition to any home. The business was born out of a desire to create more local jobs and utilize discarded fishing rope after the federal government banned use of floating lines due to the danger to northern right whale populations.

Founder David Bird started small, selling doormats at local festivals, and the product has since taken off. In addition to their signature mats, the company offers baskets, keychains, dog leashes and more. 

Michael and Cara Gaffney started Seawicks Candle Company as a reflection of their life on the coast of Maine, with the idea born after lighting so many candles during winter power outages.

All Seawicks candles are hand poured at the company's studio in Richmond, on the Kennebec River and made of soy wax from American-grown soybeans. With distinct scents and colorful artwork decorating the glass, these candles will remind your graduate of, and make them feel, at home.

Brainstorm Puzzle Company, an offshoot of New Hampshire-based print shop and design studio, offers jigsaw puzzles featuring that studio's colorful, whimsical illustrations. Printmakers Briana Feola and Jason Synder initially added just one puzzle to their existing product line, but once the pandemic hit, design work slowed and puzzles became a hot lockdown activity. They added new styles as fast as they could and it's since become a second distinct business. Pick up one as a gift to keep your graduate busy as they wait to hear if they got their dream job.