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!**
I am making goodies to give out……peanut clusters, peppermint bark and white chocolate covered pretzels. Yummmmm!!
My husband and I decorated the tree last night while we had Christmas music playing and were enjoying hot chocolate! My husband said we couldn’t decorate unless we had the hot chocolate!
I am making gifts while Christmas music is playing in the background.Wrapping special gifts with little tags I am making too.Just enjoying the days before Christmas.
Holiday baking!
Reading blogs about Christmas ornaments, traditions, etc.
Also, we have a scripture advent going with pictures of parts of the nativity every day in December.
Making ornaments and baking!
I am getting into the Christmas spirit in the following ways:
I have put out my Santa Collection
I have been listening to Christmas music.
I have been Christmas shopping.
I enjoy reading emails full of recipes and decorating ideas.
Yesterday we put more ornaments on the Chritmas tree. Today I have rearranged the Nativity my 5 year old son keeps moving around like action hero’s…. Made fudge and am now on my way out the door to make the ruffled Christmas tree skirt that I keep seeing pop up on Pinterest. Good times! :)Pam
I’m getting into the spirit by leaving the Christmas tree lights on all day long. 🙂
Listening to Brian Setzer Orchestra. Fun Christmas music to dance to.
I’m getting all my recipes out to start holiday baking this weekend.
We are watching holiday favorites like Frosty the Snowman and new shows too like The Elf on the Shelf. Speaking of the elf, I have been super busy repositioning this thing every night but it has so been worth it to see the look of delight in my daughter’s face when she finds it each morning. Looking forward to getting our tree and decorating this weekend. 🙂
I play Christmas music, decorate the tree and attend the holiday music program at my children’s school. I love Christmas so it’s not hard to get into the spirit.
After work I’m definitely stopping at Starbucks for a holiday treat!
I love shopping for the perfect gifts for people on my list! I’ve been making a list & shopping for it for the last 2 months!! I love this time of year!
We’re listening to Christmas music and starting to get the decorations up!
Making lots of Christmas cookies and treats!! My house smells wonderful!
I am sitting at Starbucks sipping an eggnog latte after a fun Christmas shopping trip!
I am making Christmas cookies and burning Christmas-scented candles to get me in the holiday spirit!
I just made cinnmon bun caramel popcorn and handed it out to my kids teachers for the holidays. They all loved it and have even asked for recipes!
I am listening to Christmas music, Michael Buble’, while decorating the house and checking Pinterest for hand print gifts to make the babies parents at church!!
I’m Jammin for Jam!!
Thanks for the giveaway even if I don’t win!
Merry Christmas
Music. Music always sets the mood. I have been baking a lot, since it is the season too!
We are making our own snow globes. Only “snow” we will see in South Florida
Making lots of cookie dough for gifts and listening to christmas music right now!
Baking gingerbread boys & girls . . . m-m-m-m-m
I’m planning our Christmas menu and trying to prep as much as I can in advance. Good food definitely gets me ready for Christmas.
We’ve been watching lots of Christmas movies.
My apartment block has a rule against real Christmas trees. So this weekend i am getting into the Christmas Spirit by smuggling the best smelling, most Christmas inspiring real tree into my suite…in the dark of night…after which I will make hot chocolate and gaze proudly at my rule breaking fraser fir…ha ha ha. Happy Holidays from Winnipeg!
We have been watching our Christmas DVD’s and snuggling by the tree at night!
The grandkids and I have been making cookies for our neighborhood gifts. There’s nothing beetter for a holiday boost than spending time with grandchildren.