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 trying to enjoy moments with my kids without stressing over the details. Shopping is almost done and that’s a big stress reliever.
Those jars are adorable! I am getting into the Christmas spirit by doing our Christmas ornament scripture Advent with my kids. Each night we learn something else about Christ’s birth in the Bible. 🙂
I am making my Christmas baking list right now! I love baking lots of goodies and giving them out to friends and family. Gotta share the calories!
Baking cookings, hanging ornaments, lighting up the house, knitting a stocking, and singing all of my favorite Christmas songs!
I am doing shopping for a friend who has six children (3 are special needs), and they have had a rough time lately with a serious illness of one of their children and a death in the family. So to help take the stress off her, I am doing all her shopping (food, gifts, wrapping gifts, etc). I much rather give than receive but would love the Smuckers give away…
Oh, my goodness, my 91 year old father loves Smuckers. I definitely will give him this goodie. I am so busy sewing up last few presents for family and friends. Seems like good intentions of starting earlier in year never work out. Got my fingers crossed!!! Love your cook book so much!!! Sharon
You guys are awesome! Thanks for all of the great recipes and other fun ideas.
Today I finally started to decorate our Christmas tree…it’s been “up” for the last week, but I haven’t gotten to the ornaments until today. We also put up the advent calendar that has little fabric characters that visually tell the story of the birth of Christ. We got to put up eight of them today, and it was so fun to see my 4-year-old really get into the spirit of putting them up!
Other ways of getting into the Christmas spirit…I’ve been preparing some fun things to send my kiddos that aren’t with me right now for the 12 days before Christmas. I hope they enjoy it!
We have christmas decor up in the house and will be going to our local botanical gardens next week that are all done up in lights! Very festive!!
We are getting into the Christmas spirit by doing anonymous acts of service for people. It has been a challenge getting the kids on board, which is one big reason why we *need* to be helping others – the kids need to be a part of it to learn about compassion and Christ-like love.
I am cleaning up after fixing a princess dress for one of my daughters’ gifts. She won’t leave the house in anything but a princess dress. I found one at a garge sale in pretty good shape; well I guess anything would be in better shape than the one she currently wears everywhere!
Baking, baking baking! Especially with pumpkin and apples! 🙂
I love Christmas baking!
We are going to the ballet west nutcracker this Saturday and I always feel that is the best start of Christmas coming.
It’s gotta be getting the goodies baked and listening to Retro Christmas music.
This weekend, I’ll be starting to bake cookies for a small Christmas Tea Party next week. I can’t wait to bake another batch of your beautiful sugar cookies with glacé icing!
YUM! My office is decorated…is that close enough? Can’t decorate the house until next week when I am on vacation. I have cats and they like to be very naughty when I am not home, so it really works best for me to put up the decorations when I’m on vacation so I can watch their every cat like move. ha ha. Oh wait, I forgot, I’ve already watched two Christmas movies and I’m watching a third one tonight! hee hee 🙂
I’m decorating our Christmas tree.
This website makes me so happy! Everyday I watch this site for fun exciting recipes and ideas for the holidays. I have a list of things I have been inspired to make for our holiday get togethers and with my two sweet daughters. Bottom line…..I LOVE THIS SITE!!!!!!!
My husband and I are getting into Christmas with our advent calender. Each day has a note or an activity to do that either of us wrote. It is so fun and we take turns opening each day! I love this time of year. I also LOVE JAM! I hope I win!!
I think tonight will do the trick – we’re going Christmas shopping for the family we adopted from church.
I get the urge to renovate some part of my house…..crazy I know, but I listen to Christmas music the whole time!
We finally got up our Christmas lights and have been making an advent calendar with our girls! So fun 🙂
Been sick but have started to wrap because I can do that sitting down. Been shopping online. It’s fun to get all those packages.
These would make great gifts to go with the scones I make every year (Vanilla and Vanilla with Chocolate Chips)!! I will be shifting to baking mode starting next week.
We’re getting into the holiday spirit with our advent calendar and the seemingly endless process to get all gifts wrapped in time.
Holiday baking, Snow angels making, Christmas is in the air……
The fire is roaring, Shopping bills soaring, Neighborhood treats to share……..
Waistline expanding, Family is landing, Heavens blessings are none to compare.
The house is decorated and carols are on!
Reading Christmas books every night before bed. 🙂
Christmas music is always playing at my house. In every room that has a stereo! I love it!
All the boxes are down from the attic and I am getting ready to decorate the house!!