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!**
We just had out annual Christmas candy/cookie bake day and we’re going to be decorating our Christmas tree tonight. It’s the most wonderful time of the year! 🙂 Thanks for the great giveaways and fantastic recipes!
Making beef stew and wraqpping presents, it doesn’t get any better!
Wrapping gifts and listening to Christmas Music!
I’ve been making never-ending batches of caramel corn to give to all the neighbors while listening to Christmas music (NOT from the radio because they play the same 15 songs over and over!).
It was funny that as soon as I saw the jar I thought “oooh, what a pretty jar!” and then your next sentence was “Don’t even get me started on the jars.” Yes, you and me both, Kate!
I’m getting in the holiday spirit by making cookies…lots and lots of cookies. My house smells like Christmas!
We are buying toys for tots, drinking hot cocoa, listening to Christmas tunes and baking goodies!
I’m listening to, and singing along with, all the Christmas songs on the radio.
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We are getting in the Christmas spirit by listening to lots of fun Christmas music, attending our kids Christmas concerts and by delivering yummy treats to our neighbors. We love this time of year– even if it is so cold! 🙂
I am hosting my fourth year of a OCD cookie exchange. There are rules and guidelines………that way no one is shorted out on quality. Happy Holidays!!
I live in Tucson AZ so it is a little harder to be festive without snow or the fireplace burning, but I wear a scarf anyway! I also make the inside of my house feel toasty warm with scented wax burners and baking some of your Ginger Spice cookies. Besides I can decorate a cactus with lights too! While I can’t “Let it snow” here I can’t still dream of a white Christmas.
I am planning a day of cookie baking on Sunday with my mamacita! can’t wait! Great Giveaway!
I am listening to Christmas music and cooking up a storm for my Christmas party this weekend! 🙂
I’m getting my daughter ready for her Nutcracker ballet performance (she’s 5 and playing a Bon Bon -too cute!).
Christmas music a plenty and an ELF party tomorrow night complete with Stephens hot chocolate, hot chocolate mix-ins, and yummy homemade yuletide ice cream! Mmmmmm . . .
Today I went food shopping for all the ingredients for my Christmas morning breakfast.
Singing Christmas songs while I’m doing just about anything!
Every year, I make a new advent calendar for my little girl. This year, I made a forest of trees, made of rolled paper, into tree cones. Under each cone, I would place a tiny treat, prize, candy, or a note, telling her there’s a prize under the tree. It has always been a special time, counting the days down to Christmas with her. Always on Christmas Eve, we have a tiny birthday cake, and we Celebrate Jesus’ birthday and have cake on that evening. We have a candle in the middle for her to blow out- and to make a wish for our family on that night.
Christmas is very special to us, considering we weren’t able to have children, God blessed us with one 7 days after Christmas, 7 years ago.
I am making holiday cookies this weekend!
I’m baking Christmas cookies to get into the spirit. There’s nothing like the smell of fresh-baked cookies!
I am listening to Chirstmas music and doing my homework in front of our Christmas tree!
There is nothing better than Christmas music to bring that holiday spirit as well as all of the classic Christmas movies!
Christmas music and the smells of Christmas–a real tree and baked goods!
I finally started Christmas shopping today!
Listening to Christmas music!
Christmas Music everyday … kids Christmas piano recitals and chorus performances … gingerbread houses … viewing the lights. December is in full swing 🙂
Dropping off “neighbor gifts” and listening to Christmas music!
To get in the spirit we’ve been listening to Christmas music and wrapping Christmas presents. It really is the most wonderful time of the year! 🙂
We’re listening to Christmas songs, drinking cider, and making gingerbread cookies.
Shopping, baking, decorating, singing…filling every minute of the day with something Christmas!
Getting in the spirit by sending “Our Best Bites” cookbook and calendar to a friend for Christmas!!! LOVE the cookbook!!