NOTE: This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to all of you who entered! The winners have been notified, and they are #464 (Natalie), #1151 (Wendy), and #1307 (Gloria). Y’all have 48 hours to respond before we pick new winners! 🙂
I have a confession for you all and I hope it’s not too shocking: I am not a fan of jam. Not a jam fan. I like homemade freezer jam because it basically tastes like sweetened fruit, but most jam is just too sweet and sickly and cooked fruit-ish for me. If you’re dying to know what I put on toast or peanut butter sandwiches, I like butter on toast and honey on my sandwiches. Am I weird?
Well, I thought I hated all regular jam until I went to Smucker’s last month and I got to try their Orchard’s Finest preserves (and then discovered, in a cruel twist of fate, that they don’t sell it where I live). Even the names are pretty–Pacific Mountain Strawberry and Coastal Valley Peach Apricot and North Woods Blueberry and Fall Harvest Cinnamon Apple. And the jars? 
Don’t even get me started on the jars. Y’all know how I feel about adorable jars and bottles.
I love this jam because not only does it taste fabulous, but it’s fancier than your average jar of jam, so it’s great for holiday entertaining or gift-giving. Instead of just handing someone a jar of jam (anyone remember the Gilmore Girls where Rory and Lorelai forgot to get Luke a present in Europe, so they brought him a jar of jam and he found it lame?), you could fill line a basket with a festive tea towel and then fill it fresh croissants or homemade rolls and then add a jar of jam with a ribbon on it.
Or you could make a plate of these cookies and deliver them with a jar of jam and a copy of the recipe.
If you’re having a party, you could serve up a plate of crackers and slices of crusty bread with some of your favorite cheeses and a few jars of jam. It’s elegant and easy and requires zero to little prep (which is totally what I need right now!)
Because it’s getting close to Christmas and because it’s Thursday (which has always been my favorite day…don’t ask…), we’re giving away 3, count ’em, three of the following gift baskets:
-6 jars of Smucker’s Orchard’s Finest preserves in a cute little crate
-A set of spreading tools (or something similar)
-$100 gift card to Cooking.com
To enter, leave us a comment telling us how you’re getting into the holiday spirit right now! You need to respond here on this post in the comments section, not through email or on Facebook or Twitter. The giveaway is a short one! It will end next Tuesday, December 13 and the winners will be announced on Wednesday morning.
**Thank you to all who entered! This giveaway is now closed!**
Wrapping Christmas presents!
Listening to Christmas music and making treats for all the parties this weekend!
This jam is fabulous! I recently bought a jar of the tart cherry! About fainted from happiness when I spread it over a biscuit!
Today I am finishing up a new Christmas tree skirt, and trying to narrow down my list of cookies I want to make this year. I’d like to get the dough done up and frozen this weekend, so when my adult children come home all I have to do is bake off sheet after sheet of yummy cookies!
I’ve been watching all of the christmas shows and singing carols with my little ones but it just wasn’t working. Then last night new england finally got some snow so now when I look outside it actually looks and feels like christmas.
I am making lots of holiday treats to get in the holiday spirit!
Watching copious amounts of Christmas movies and decorating!
my Mom and I are going to decorate the house this weekend
Oh, everything! Getting our Christmas gifts out to be sent today; finishing up Christmas letter and cards; decorating our home and tree; finalizing shopping, and baking. On the spiritual side – listening to music and reading the scriptures.
Decorated apartment and listening to Christmas music!
Made Best Bites Fudge last night to give away. Have to make more. I want a digital candy thermometer from Santa.
I am listening to Pandora with only Christmas music, finally got the lights ont he tree yesterday, and tonight I’m gonna put ornaments on. Oh, I will also be printing out Christmas messages for our 12 days of Christmas since it starts soon…
Our Christmas starts right after we eat Thanksgiving dinner. The tree is put up. The stockings are hung. And we watch Christmas movies. My favorite part of Christmas is Christmas morning. I make a huge breakfast and watch my happy kids open their gifts as they cheer, ooh and ahh. 🙂
We’ve started decorating (tree is up, decor is out, its simply a matter of rearranging!), baking is being done, and a new table cloth is being made. In fact the fabric dye is drying as I type!
I’m planning how I’m going to make all the cookies I want to before Christmas with an almost 3 yr old and a 3 month old attached to me in one way or another. 😉
I was so proud of myself for getting the Christmas lights on the house all by myself…but it took me another week to get the indoor decorations down! I finally decorated the mantel last night, though, and my kids were thrilled.
We finally put our tree up last night and it looks fantastic if I do say so myself! We got into the holiday spirit by drinking eggnog and listening to Christmas music while we decorated.
Putting up the Christmas Tree and my baby first stocking!
Sewing some gifts for the kids, watching Christmas movies, doing a book advent with the kids… Feeling pretty Christmasy around here! P.S. Can I win if I’m in Canada?
lots of goodies, christmas music, and hot chocolate!
Got decorations us, and I’m listening to christmas music, talking to my pooch and making cinnamon bun popcorn for my good neighbor gifts. I love the holiday season!
Our tree is up, their are carols playing on repeat, and my sisters are coming to bake tomorrow. Life is good 🙂
I am the same way with jam. I’d rather have butter and honey.
As far as getting in the Christmas spirit, I’m watching my 2 year old really discover all of the fun things about Christmas. Everything is amazing to a two year old. Especially Christmas. I LOVE experiencing Christmas through his eyes!
We are going to cut down our Christmas tree this weekend and I cannot wait. Holiday lights are up and now I am ready for just a little snow.
Finishing the house decor., making/baking treats to eat and give away, sending out Christmas cards, singing with the choir. The usual, traditional things, with a little service stuff tucked here and there.
Hanging all of my wreaths and garlands…while eating lots of flavored marshmallows in between 🙂
Just this morning I loaded the dishwasher with our everyday Christmas dishes. Time to start using them. Thanks for the chance to win some wonderful goodies.
Today I’m making pizza cookies to decorate to ship to friends and relatives.
I’ve visited their orchard and yes, they do have delicious jams.. I’m a jam fan 🙂
I am getting my Baked goods list ready and am going to start cooking up a frenzy !!! 🙂
What am I not doing to get into the Christmas spirit?! That is the real question. Anytime my son watches anything it must be Christmas related, Christmas decorations are up, Christmas radio station is tuned, Christmas books from library are checked out, and constantly talking about how Santa’s elves are watching! Christmas joy is being felt here and I love it!
It is just not the Christmas season without watching Muppet Christmas Carol. And on Christmas day, the BBC Doctor Who special.