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’m getting into the spirit by baking cookies and decorating the tree.
great giveaway! thanks so much for the chance!!!! we are decorating our tree tonight and having a white elephant gift exchange next week. best, jeanette at thealldays(at)msn.com
Planning my cookie-baking & candy-making extravaganza next week, oh boy!
I’m getting into the Christmas spirit by writing Christmas cards to friends and baking Christmas cookies that I bake only at this time of year. The smells are fantastic and the decorating the cookies puts a smile on my face.
I am decorating my home listening to my favorite Christmas music. I am also getting ready to bake lots of different kinds of Christmas cookies.
I love Smuckers Jam on hot rolls or toast!! I always buy the holiday Smuckers that comes with several different flavors, its just the BEST!
baking and candy making! I have recipes that I only make during the holidays.
I just finished baking for my holiday party and buying Christmas gifts for the family.
Our Elf on the Shelf is roaming around our house daily and my kids take turns putting up the next magnet on our advent calendar. We have an artificial tree, so I’m using lots of Scentsy bricks to get that “fresh” tree smell in my house. LOL And we drive our girls back and forth to Nutcracker rehearsals too, which we’ll get to watch right before Christmas!
Some girlfriends and I made chocolate peppermint cupcakes last weekend while listening to Christmas music and sipping egg nog. We also are decorating the house this weekend and might even go cut a tree!
We have been spending our evenings playing board games by the fire and watching Christmas movies!
I’m getting in the holiday spirit by buying presents, wrapping presents, and distributing them to their rightful owners!
Making treats (like the peppermint rice krispie treats and your caramels from the cookbook-turned out perfect by-the-way) and cute reindeer cards with the kids, telling the story of the baby Jesus, reading Christmas stories, etc.
Making Christmas-y floral arrangments, making all our warm-weather comfort foods, and singing Christmas carols with familiy!
I’m getting a Christmas tree tomorrow! 🙂
We put our Christmas tree up the week before Thanksgiving! hehe
O and the smell of cinnamon always makes Christmas giddy 🙂
Just started setting up my tree today!
We’re decorating the tree tonight and listening to Christmas music!
We are watching “A Christmas Carol” and having some hot chocolate as a family! While the Christmas tree, lights and garland sparkle throughout the house 😉
I’d have to say my cats are more into the holiday spirit than I am. They keep taking the ornaments off the tree and running with them!
Putting the tree up and setting out the decorations. Thanks for the giveaway!
twelve30{at}gmail{dot}com
What gets me in the spirit of Christmas is a few things:
1- reading to my children before bed in front of the Christmas tree
2- While cooking warm comfort food, having a nice drink in a pretty christmas glass
3- And while cooking having Mannheim Steamroller playing in the background.
I’m studying for finals, so Christmas prep is going to start on December 16 for me, but I did get the tree up and take the girls to see Christmas lights! Thanks!!!
Stephanie Ellis
I’ve been making Christmas treats and sharing them with neighbors!
I am participating in a Secret Santa at work and I’m so happy I haven’t gotten caught yet! I’m so not very sneaky 🙂
digging out my Christmas decorations & begging my hubby to get us a tree
I’ve been wrapping gifts for our local food pantry toy drive. This benefits childern in the area that usually wouldn’t be geting a Christmas present this year. I also have been baking cookies for friends and neighbors. All my Christmas candles are out and the house smells like balsalm firs.
i bake a lot of cookies, take my son to see santa, and holiday crafts
Decorations are out, music is playing, cloves and cinnamon are on the stove, presents are being wrapped and my family around!
I’m finally getting around to decorating, which I love. Listening to Christmas music enhances the experience, of course. I love Smuckers jams. I haven’t tried these new ones yet, but I love their Simply Fruit jams because they’re not over the top sweet. You’ll have to try them!