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!**
putting up Christmas lights and making crafts!
I’m getting into the Christmas spirit by listening to Christmas music on the radio, decorating the house with a peppermint candy wreath and admiring the lights on all the houses!
watching Holiday Inn and other great Christmas movies, and decorating throughout our home!! Merry Christmas!
We are looking at Christmas decorations and recipes on pinterest – we are obsessed! 🙂
Try freezerves! (it’s a brand of freezer jam/presses! Sold in the freezer section of some grocery stores or available on amazon.com) best stuff I have ever had! We have a local produce store that sells it’s, albertsons used to but quit carrying it. It is something worth buying a case of on amazon!!!!! (seedless raspberry!)
I just finished decorating my tree with my mom and sister, while watching an awful hallmark Christmas movie! While remembering what year, wee got each Christmas ornament or why one is our favorite! (to find out my sister was always jealous I got the 2 angel ornament and hers only had one, and I had always been jealous of hers! Moral of the story get your kids the same ornaments! Funny to find that our after 20 years of having them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Each night the person who says our family prayer also picks their favorite Christmas song for us to sing. We plug in the christmas tree, turn off all of the other lights in the house and just enjoy the time together.
Baking, decorating, attending a special Christmas program this weekend, and watching Christmas movies!
We put our tree up two nights ago and last night we filled boxes for the salvation army to distribute. And have you tried the Harvest Cherry? Soooo good!
I’m super excited about making my own gift tags this year instead of using the lame store-bought ones. Nothing fancy, but fun for this craft-challanged girl.
Three (possible four) Christmas parties next week will certainly get us in the Christmas spirit. Right now I’m trying to decide which recipes to make for each of the events.
Music, music and more music 🙂
We have the house decorated inside and out. Now it’s time to get started on the baking, and the home made gifts. Thanks for all of the great ideas and wonderful recipes. I am making snow globes for each one of my grand kids, I can’t wait to see their faces when they see themselves inside a globe 🙂
Qui accompagnera beaucoup de choses
Je te souhaite une excellente fin de semaine
Valérie
I’m trying to get into the Christmas spirit by being nice to those who normally drive me crazy.
I went to the hospital and volunteered for a Christmas party! 🙂 To see those kids light up with happiness … best gift ever.
Making muffins for the neighbors & listening to Christmas music.
I love the holidays…who doesn’t? We’re having an appetizer party…just so we can enjoy ALL the appetizers that I find. We’re trying your sweet fruit salsa tomorrow! Also, I cook all season long…party or not.
Also…last night, while listening to a Mannheim Steamroller Christmas CD, I made some cute little gift bags for door prizes for our next quilt guild meeting. This weekend we’ll cut down a Charlie Brown cedar tree from our yard & decorate it. It’ll probably be ugly, but it should smell nice!
Writing up my baking list! It’s getting very lengthily!
Just watched “Christmas Story” on Netflix streaming. Best movie ever. I got goosebumps! It is my new favorite holiday movie. This put the holiday mood in high gear.
My boys and I put up our tree, have made Christmas crafts, baking treats, gingerbread houses are on the list, all while listening to Christmas music…my favorite!!
Just wrapped my wife’s Christmas gift!
I am watching American’s Funniest Home Videos: Christmas Edition 🙂
I switched out all the “regular” music in my car and on my ipod to Christmas music. I only have a few weeks left to listen to it all!
Watching Christmas movies with the family and reading a Christmas book each night.
I LOVE your gift basket ideas! I give away jars of homemade jellies & green tomato relish for Christmas gifts & now I’ll be adding some ‘extras’ into cute little baskets this year. Thanks for the opportunity at the Smucker’s Give-Away…..and you’re right, those ARE some cute jars with lots of possibilities when they are empty! I can’t wait to try your cream cheese and jam cookies…maybe with some new Smucker’s jams? Have a great Christmas and Good Luck to everyone who enters.
Yum! I hosted a quilt group Christmas party at my house, all that decorating and christmas music got me in the christmas spirit!
I’m sitting next to my hubs with the Christmas tree up and lit and a yummy holiday scented candle burning nearby–one of my favorite things to do!
Lots of baking and laughter with friends.
Keeping everything simple, and stress-less. Enjoying spending time with family and friends. Thanking God for the continuance of the Blessings.