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!**
Reading different Christmas books with the kids around the Christmas tree….and finding the elf on the shelf every morning (or a new hiding spot every night).
I’ve been playing Christmas music during the day!!
Oh wow, I almost missed this one! I have been baking like a little keebler elf to get in the holiday spirit. I love to give treats away for the holidays! I need to try those cookies with the fancy jam!
The Christmas music of course, but all the gift giving. Our girls and I are putting together a Christmas socks and a note for the kiddos in their class. I LOVE this time of year!
We are going caroling tonight with a group from church.
Driving around and looking at the decorated houses in our neighborhood.
I hate to admit it, but I’ve been bah-humbug this year. I’m getting married in less than a month — I haven’t even put up my tree yet! If I could go hide until Christmas is over with, I promise I will go *all out* for Christmas next year.
Yumm!!!
I officially started my shopping… I never can get into it until I actually start shopping! I try to focus more on the birth of my savior.
Since I am a musician I play Christmas music as much as possible. I love to bake something and then take my treat and violin and play a song for an elderly person that may not be able to get out much. My kids help with the treats and the deliveries. They sing songs as well. What a great way to share the Christmas Spirit!
I am in the midst of making a ton of presents so this would definitely help!
by watching christmas movies
[email protected]
I just discovered your website…and I love it!!!
To get into the holiday spirit, I’ve been listening and singing Christmas carols. To get read for the holiday season, I’ve been writing lists of all of the baking, and searching for the best prices for all of my baking needs. (So excited: really good butter is on sale in my stores right now!!!)
I am Christmas shopping and *not* getting annoyed at the crowds. I just go along, humming a Christmas tune.
We have a Lego City Advent Calendar and everyday we open up a new square. Every day we also re-decorate the tree because the kittens have knocked off all the (shatter-proof) ornaments. 🙂
Soon, I’ll be making the Lemon Snowballs and we’ll be set for Christmas!
Thanks for the chance to win!
Beverly
Right now I’m watching all my favorite Christmas movies- Elf, Miracle on 34th Street and an incredible 10 year old made for tv movie called Three Days- and planning my last round of holiday baking for my coworkers!
It’s our first married Christmas so we got one of those cute 2 1/2 foot table top trees and have to get some lights and ornaments for it.
Sigh! I really AM trying. I’ve baked cookies(rolo turtles, peanut butter reindeer, magic bar cookies, oreo truffles, and lace cookies so far), made out of candy(and bought the playmobil) advent calendars, shopped for presents, watched Christmas movies(the new Ice Age Mammoth Christmas was a-dorable). Still for some reason I don’t seem to have the same enthusiasm for the season I usually do. I can’t help but think its burn out from having it pushed at me since before Halloween. This is the first year I haven’t had the tree up the day after Thanksgiving. :/
Christine
dazed1821 at aol dot com
Our family has a nativity advent calendar. We read a scripture and add a star each night of December to count down to the big day.
Christmas parties, lights, etc., but I’m most excited that I have an almost 3-year-old who is very excited for Christmastime!
Making candy cane kiss cookies and peppermint bark popcorn. They were both soooo delicious!
too cute! I am busy baking cookies and candies for little holiday care packages that i deliver the drs. office, pharmacists, neighbors etc… they look forward to them every year.
We just got two Christmas trees this weekend which really helped with getting in the spirit of the season. Now I just need to make some cookies to get into it more.
We’ve been decorating the tree!
baking and music! I’d love to win smuckers! I’ve never tried orchard’s finest, but we love smuckers! My grandma went to school with the Smuckers in Orville, Ohio 🙂
I have been making peanut butter fudge to give to my friends & family! I also took an extra day off today after attending my nephew’s (out of state) wedding this weekend, so I could take my 89-year-old mother to finish up all her shopping. She’s a happy camper, so am I!
Jane
We’ve been singing Christmas carols, getting our cards ready to send out and working on wrapping all of our presents!
I am doing lots of Christmas shopping! My favorite thing is to buy gifts for the people love.
Baking, baking, baking! Who needs a candle when the real thing’s in the oven?!
I’m listening to Christmas music at my desk as work and getting excited to go shopping so I can make homemade jam for my family tonight :)!