It’s hard to think of a more celebratory meal than a fresh, juicy, and buttery lobster paired with sweet shrimp cocktail and a side of chowder. Whether you’re celebrating the Fourth of July or the New Year, embrace the festivities with these seafood gifts and recipes fit for celebrations of all kinds.
Showing up to a holiday gathering with a sad bag of frozen shrimp or tired clams can take some of the fun out of a celebration. Instead of falling back on your old stand-bys when hosting or attending a holiday get-together, elevate your celebratory offerings with thoughtful, timely, and elegant seafood meals you’ll be proud of.
With a bit of planning, it’s easier than you think to wow guests all year long with decadent and delicious seafood meals for every occasion. These recipes and gift ideas show you care, but won’t take all day to put together.
Once you start serving these seafood delicacies, your parties will be the hottest invite in town. Read on to discover:
- The best seafood gifts to give for all of the major holidays that are on-trend, in season, and in good taste
- How to plan a holiday menu around delicious lobster, shrimp, scallops, and other treats of the sea that set a festive tone for every gathering
- How to wow guests with a meal that won’t have you stuck in the kitchen all day long
By the end, you’ll know exactly how to build a seafood-forward party menu for every event from Valentine’s Day to Christmas. Plus the perfect (and most delicious) host and hostess gifts to show your appreciation, whether you live near or far.
The Best Seafood Gifts and Recipes for Every Holiday
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Father’s Day
Celebrated annually on the third Sunday in June, Father’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate father figures of all kinds. From biological dads to grandfathers, godfathers, uncles, and coaches, families often celebrate Father’s Day by giving Dad time to spend on his favorite hobbies and enjoying the beautiful summer weather.
Recipes for Father’s Day
On Father’s Day, family members may show their appreciation for Dad with gifts, quality time, and often, a shared meal. Since it’s June, that usually includes a grill and all-American fare like burgers, hot dogs, and to really spoil dad, grilled lobster tails. Or if he likes a bit of a kick, put a spin on lobster tails with a spicy jalapeño butter.
Whether Dad likes to man the grill himself or someone else is taking on dinner for his big day, frozen jumbo lobster tails are the best for grilling sweet, juicy seafood with just the right amount of smokiness.
Seafood Gifts for Father’s Day
Whether you’re grilling or staying in, Dad will appreciate the festive joy of digging into a fresh lobster dinner right at home. Treat Dad (and yourself) to a steamed jumbo lobster with his favorite sides (try classics like cornbread, coleslaw, and chowder) for a Father’s Day meal to remember.
Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day, held on the second Sunday in May every year, is celebrated by showering moms and mother figures with love, gifts, and memorable experiences. In many homes, that means a shared brunch fit for a special occasion.
Recipes to Make for Mother’s Day
If Mom loves seafood, treat her to a Mother’s Day brunch or dinner of buttery seared sea scallops with seasonal veggies. Asparagus, radishes, and garden peas are all in season in May and make the perfect delicate pairing to juicy scallops.
If you’re going more in the direction of brunch, on the other hand, Mom will love this classic diner-style lobster eggs Benedict, complete with a buttery hollandaise sauce.
Mother’s Day Seafood Gifts
If you’re looking to give the gift of delicious food for Mother’s Day, the Maine Fresh Catch Dinner is the complete package. The meal includes plump lobster tails, large shrimp, dry scallops, and a classic whoopie pie to finish off Mother’s Day on a sweet note. This gift is the perfect way to thank someone who’s provided countless meals for you over the years.
New Year’s Eve
New Year’s Eve is all about celebrating the highs and lows of another year around the sun, reminiscing about the past 365 days, and welcoming in a fresh new digit on the calendar. On January 31st, stay up until midnight waiting for the New Year’s countdown to let streamers and kisses fly.
And before the ball drops, feast on a celebratory meal fit for the last day of the year.
Seafood Recipes for New Year’s Eve
This wintertime celebration calls for a touch of elegance and decadence. It’s the perfect opportunity to cook up a fabulous meal of surf and turf for yourself or a crowd. Soft and tender seared filet mignon paired with juicy cold-water lobster tails finished off with creamy and tangy key lime pie is the ideal way to close out the year.
Or go in a classic French direction with a retro dish of lobster thermidor. This timeless recipe features chopped lobster tails coated in a creamy, cheesy mushroom sauce with a touch of garlic and tarragon. On the side, serve a light and refreshing lobster salad with champagne vinaigrette to cut through some of the richness. All that’s missing is a refreshing glass of bubbly.
New Year’s Gifts
Are you looking for just the right hostess gift to ring in the New Year? Bring a heaping plate of colossal shrimp cocktail with classic horseradish cocktail sauce to take something off your host’s hands and keep guests tided over until dinner. These extra-large shrimp are as sweet as they come and always disappear fast at parties.
Christmas
Every December 25th, families around the world gather to celebrate Christmas. While the holiday has religious roots, for many families, this day of the year is simply an opportunity to gather over a celebratory meal and exchange gifts.
Seafood Recipes for Christmas
Go old-school Italian for Christmas Eve or Christmas dinner with a classic Italian baked lobster dinner. Buttery whole lobster or tails are served in an herby, savory tomato sauce that’s perfectly cozy and celebratory for the occasion.
Seafood Gifts for Christmas
If there’s a die-hard seafood lover on your Christmas list, this show-stopping shrimp Christmas tree is an absolute must. You’ll need a Styrofoam cone, some lush greenery (we like curly endive to mimic the evergreen look), and poached super colossal shrimp to adorn your one-of-a-kind tree.
Thanksgiving
While seafood may not always immediately come to mind when you think of Thanksgiving, adding a beautiful shrimp or lobster dish to your holiday table is an easy way to upgrade your spread and delight guests who are only expecting turkey.
Seafood Recipes for Thanksgiving
Creamy lobster mac and cheese is an easy way to upgrade your Thanksgiving side dish spread. Make sure to use plenty of lobster so no one gets the short end of the scoop! And finish the dish with a crispy breadcrumb crust for the perfect ratio of crunchy to creamy in every bite.
Soup often gets overlooked at Thanksgiving, but when you’re offering a silky-smooth lobster bisque (that happens to be gluten-free), it’s sure to be the talk of the table. This bisque gets its body from rice and heavy cream instead of a roux, so it’s easier to make but doesn’t taste like you took a single shortcut. And as a bonus, it tastes even better the next day so you can prep it ahead of time and save time on turkey day.
Valentine’s Day
February 14th is a day to celebrate love of all kinds: romantic, friendship, and familial. Whether you’re celebrating with a group or one special someone, nothing shows your love better than a home-cooked seafood feast.
Seafood Recipes to Make for Valentine’s Day
Lobster ravioli is the key to an instantly impressive meal without the stress. Serve it with a succulent colossal shrimp cocktail for a truly special evening.
Valentine’s Day Seafood Gift Ideas
For a one-and-done gift that truly shows you care, the You’re My Lobster Dinner is just the ticket. The package includes fresh cooked lobster meat, silky lobster bisque, and two chocolate lobsters to end the night on a sweet note.
The Fourth of July
Lobster is considered a national delicacy in many parts of America, so why not celebrate the country’s independence day on July 4th with a red, white, and blue feast? Lobster is great all year long, but it has an especially summery flair that’s great for grilling.
Fourth of July Seafood Recipes
Fresh steamed cold-water Maine lobster adds a natura l pop of red to your meal. Not to mention a touch of decadence to your Fourth of July party.
Add some white to your spread with a cup of creamy clam chowder or toss some skewered scallops on the grill. And blue? What’s more American than homemade blueberry pie for dessert?
Guests will have a blast cracking open claws under a sky of fireworks.
Fourth of July Seafood Gifts
Early July is the peak of grilling season throughout the United States, so equip your party host with a grill-ready gift of lobster tails to make grilled lobster with lemon butter. Grilling lobster tails in the shells help them maintain moisture for a flavor-packed feast.
National Lobster Day
It probably goes without saying that there’s really only one gift to give on National Lobster Day, which is celebrated annually on September 25th. Whether you prefer to steam whole live lobsters to juicy perfection and dunk each bite in plenty of melted butter or you like your lobster served cold, smothered in mayo on a fluffy brioche lobster roll, the only requirement to celebrate this holiday is that you don’t skip the seafood altogether.
Recipes for National Lobster Day
Celebrate lobster in its purest form on its special day. Steam up whole live lobsters for a crowd, and serve them with plenty of melted butter and classic lobster-loving sides like:
- Cornbread
- Boston seafood chowder
- Coleslaw
- Mac and cheese
Gifts for National Lobster Day
If you’re celebrating this crustacean’s day far from family and friends, why not surprise them with a shipment of fresh Maine lobster just in time for dinner?
Or make things super easy with a thoughtful gift of fully cooked tail, claw, and knuckle meat that’s perfect for lobster salad.
Why Seafood Makes the Perfect Holiday Gift
No matter the occasion, a gift of the freshest, premium seafood is guaranteed to delight. A box of fresh Maine lobster is the ideal present for that hard-to-buy-for friend or uncle\. Everyone can appreciate the joy of high-quality seafood at home, whether it’s live lobster, colossal shrimp, or firm sea scallops.
Delight friends with a shipment of premium New England seafood this holiday season.