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!**
listening to Christmas music
lots of family traditions (story every day, doing acts of service to earn ‘hay’ for the manger we have, etc.)
The decorations.
Sending and receiving Christmas cards gets me in the spirit!
I’m in the spirit by decorating our tree and setting out my nutcrackers 🙂
Singing and listening to lots of Christmas music with my kids.
Wrapping presents, making gingerbread cookies and our traditional two-tone fudge!
Sewing quilts, and hiding presents.
We’re thinking about getting our first real Christmas tree! And I made two batches of fudge already. Jam cookies? Yes, please!
Listening to Christmas music while Christmas candles are burning!
I already decorated my tree. Earliest I’ve ever gotten my act together. And I found the station that plays Christmas music. Been listening on my drive to work. 🙂 Love it!
I am watching a Christmas movie as we speak. I love all the made-for-TV Christmas movies that are on each year. My DVR is full of them!
Walking around waving my arms around to Christmas music in order to practice conducting skills (especially cueing) for upcoming Christmas Concerts! And of course, spending waaaayyyy too much money on candy and stocking stuffers!
My family is all in town this weekend so we’re celebrating early!
Going shopping for gift for friends and family,turning on the Christmas music. Makes it a little more festive with the snow on the ground!
We are hanging out with friends and family while we make Our Best Bites sugar cookies! It is seriously the BEST sugar cookie recipe I have ever found and so easy to make. Yum!!
I’ve been listening to my favorite Christmas music to get me into the spirit!
Our work secret santa gift giving is really getting me in the spirit! The falling snow outside my window right now helps too! 🙂
Today I did some holiday baking to share with friends. I made buckeyes and coconut macaroons. Thanks for the giveaway!
My Christmas cards are almost ready and as soon as we move those decorations are going up! I’m also anxious to start some Holiday Baking with my six year old daughter. I CANNOT WAIT!!!!
I’ve got my tree up and the house decorated. We are listening to Christmas music all the time too.
I’ve got the tree up, the stockings are hung, and the presents I’ve ordered online (because is there any other way to shop anymore?) are arriving daily! I’ve still got baking and candy-making to do, but I sure am feeling Christmasy!
Tonight I am taking my boyfriend to see the tree at Rockefeller Center for the first time, and we will grab hot chocolate and go ice skating on the weekend! I love the holidays!
Live Christmas tree up and decorated and listening to as much Christmas music as I can fit in!
Finally starting to get my Christmas decorations up! Gotta put the music on while I work, too!
We get in the spirit each night by lighting our advent candles. We’ve baked cookies, decorated the tree, set up the nativity, and rock out each afternoon to holiday tunes!
I’ve been spending weekends with my mom and sister baking and making candy.
Wrapping presents for family and friends 🙂
This year I have found my Christmas mojo! Last year was a dud. My boyfriend was struggling with serious health issues (later diagnosed as MS) and Christmas only went forward for my two sons. What a difference a year makes…This year I’m weeks ahead in my baking and have most of my candies done, almost all my shopping done…I even went home on my lunch hour today and decorated my kitchen! I’ve NEVER seen those jams either, but I’m sure they’re the best like everything else Smuckers puts out. Merry Christmas 🙂
I have been baking different cookies for a Christmas cookie wreath for my little nephew who thinks he’s cookie monster! My husband and I are also getting decorations up this week and listening to lots of Christmas music!!!!!
Reading Christmas stories every day!
started playing christmas music around the house. that gets me into the holiday spirit fastest. hope i win! <3