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!**
Tonight I sat and watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas with my kids. It brought back so many memories of my own childhood! I love Christmas!
Wrapping Christmas presents and listening to Christmas music.
I am getting into the Christmas spirit by having all of our decorations up and listening to Christmas music as often as possible. I love a good Frosty the Snowman, personally. 🙂
Listening to Christmas songs and decorating the house.
Advent calendar, Jesse Tree, and reading Christmas storybooks!
Our Christmas tree is up, but the newest thing I’ve done is simmered a pot of orange, lemon, cloves, cinnamon and a bayleaf on my stove. It smells divine!
The hubby just came home from a 3-month military training, so we are just now trimming the tree. The holiday music is playing and cocoa is coming out soon!
We are getting ready to do the 12 days of Christmas for some friends of ours. It’s becoming a family tradition that we all love so much!
I am planning to make “hot toddies” tonight as my husband and I decorate the Christmas tree!
Just had our Holiday “Get Together” for our Department at work. Hope you all have a wonderful Holiday!
Jayne
Just went to the annual Christmas Madrigal Dinner benefit for Hospice. It always gets me in the Christmas spirit. And this weekend is the Christmas Tour of Homes to benefit local non profit groups. It’s so much fun touring others’ homes all decked out for Christmas!
I am making all sorts of jar mixes, making jam, making wine, cookies, bread, and deer jerkey.
I had an extreme cookie baking weekend with my sister. I think I holiday cookie’d myself out 🙂
baking, baking, and more baking!
I am making lots of Christmas crafts with the kids and baking a lot!!
Hmm, this one is harder for me since I’m Mrs. Grinch this year. But I am trying to lighten my mood with LOTS of Christmas carols and holiday recipes. I’m going to make pancakes tomorrow with red and green sprinkles. Pretty sure the 2 year old is going to go crazy!
Honestly, I’ve been in a “Bah, Hum-Bug” for the past two years. Thankfully, I work with Kindergartners everyday and they can make anyone happy. It’s fun decorating, making Christmas crafts, singing songs, and talking with them about Christmas.
I’m making some homemade things for my kids like angry birds ornaments and plush angry birds.
I to see the lights at “Temple Square” which I just love! Visit friends and family and try to get heartfelt gift for all those I care about. Yes that means coworkers too. 🙂 I can’t wait to watch elf and read the Christmas book. All are mists in getting me in the festive mood.
listening to christmas music. looking forward with great anticipation to our church’s christmas eve service…
Finally starting my shopping…Or at least considering starting.
i’m trying to listen to christmas music and not get sick of it before xmas even gets here!
We are getting our tree this weekend so we will be much more in the spirit from here on out!
Hi girls… I am home recuperating from breast cancer surgery this week… the tree is already up, and boy would I love some yummy jam!
Today I decorated the sanctuary in our Church , helped the elementary kids pick and wrap presents for their families and celebrated a good freinds 79th birthday!! (Whew I’m exhausted!!)
This year instead of spending a bunch of money on presents for each other, my boyfriend and I have decided to donate to all 3 of the local animal shelters here in Spokane. We felt that the animals in need were way more important than a gift that will more than likely be stuffed in a closet by next Christmas. The gift of giving to others will always be more fulfilling! 🙂
we have got the x’mas tree set up and we listen to x’mas songs all the time!
BAKING!!!! 🙂
We have been watching classic Christmas movies and listening to Christmas music. Our six-year-old son is also in a local production of “A Christmas Carol” this weekend, so we’ve been having lots of nights of practice to fill our holiday time.
Getting the tree and decorating tonight! December birthdays always set us back a little!!!