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!**
Love the website and the jam!
I’ve got some holiday candy-making coming up this weekend… and then everything that is made will be making its way to my coworkers for gifts (and safely out of my kitchen and away from me!)
I’m making santa crafts with my 19 month old.
Were keeping it simple for Christmas. Were trying as many free things around our town and playing Christmas music in the car. We will soon be making our annual gingerbread houses and we can’t wait! Counting down to when school is out is our favorite thing to do.
For the first time in my life, Christmas shopping is already done…I’m enjoying all this free time!
Eating all the holiday candy!
We are making our shopping list for holiday baking over the weekend. We are also buying and wrapping our “secret Santa” gifts. This is the best time of the year!
Just got our Christmas letters sent off today to Elder Ransom in Texas San Antonio mission!
We have been doing our advent calendar and it has really helped us get into the Christmas mood! I love seeing my children’s sweet faces in the morning wondering what fun event/craft/treat/project is in store for them today! 🙂
I actually got a Christmas tree. looking forward to buying ornaments.
just finished putting up the christmas tree. now i’m finishing up my decorations. then i’ll start wrapping my presents for family and friends and bakibg goodies to give away!
We’ve been dancing and singing to Christmas music everyday!!!
I put on my favorite Christmas apron, light my small kitchen Christmas tree and bake my traditional Christmas goodies for our house, family and neighbors. All the while listening and singing to Christmas songs with my best pal a chocolate lab 🙂 Merry Christmas !
Christmas shopping GALORE! I had better get to wrapping soon!
Doing Christmas crafts with my kids and blasting Christmas music!
I’m putting together a basket like that for my sister in law. 🙂
Woops! Forgot to mention how I’m gearing up for the Holidays – sorry! My Christmas shipping (that spelling IS right!) is almost done, cross country. The house has something green peeking out of every corner – and this year it isn’t mold! All the ornaments that haven’t shed all their glitter onto the floor (all 6 of them) are dangling from the Plastic-Fantastic-almost, nearly, part of the way real-sort of, Christmas tree. It would have reached the ceiling this year if only the dog hadn’t “done” something on it. Dumb dog! It’s ok though. I hadn’t planned on putting one of those pretty winged beings on the tree top. How do they manage to look so happy with a tree branch stuck up their………never mind. The Holidays are coming and I, for one, am ready! ‘Nuf said.
Thank you for giving nice gifts to your followers; I love this Christmas season…the season for giving! I have been giving of my time to help a single mother caring for her young child while she attends college. I also volunteer to help with community events in celebration of Christmas. I think “giving” is the real spirit of Christmas.
I understand your need for fine jars – I share that with you! Smuckers really IS the best in the business and a big gift box would sure be terrific fun!
this is the first year we have really stuck to our holiday advent countdown and it has been soooo fun to see the extra twinkle in the kids’ eyes each day! it sure is getting me giddy for Christmas 😀
Wrapping gifts for my church’s Angel Tree.
Munching on Peppermint Cookies from Costco, listening to Christmas music, enjoying the lights on our Christmas tree (put up and decorated by our granddaughters) and Christmas shopping on Etsy and Amazon.
Baking sugar cookies and singing along to Christmas songs!
Doing 12 days of Christmas for a needy family, decorating the house, lots of holiday parties, watching Christmas movies…to name a few things!
Every day at work, I listen to online holiday music and sip cocoa or holiday spiced tea. At home, I’m decorating and wrapping gifts and planning what we’ll bake this year. I love Christmas; the lead up to the big day is so much fun!
(PS – I love jam!)
I am getting in the spirit listening to Christmas music and making home made Christmas ornaments.
Putting up Christmas trees everywhere! And filling the apartment with cinnamon pine cones!
wrapping presents, decorating the tree and spending time with family and friends.
We have an advent calendar where my little boy picks out a piece to a puzzle each day…the completed puzzle is a nativity scene
Wrapping presents and putting them under the tree to keep my three cats from causing mayhem underneath it!