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!**
We’ve been celebrating advent this year and that has been a nice new tradition.
I am up to my elbows in cookie recipes and wrapping paper! We fully decorating the house last Saturday, minus the tree. We’re waiting for my hubs to get done with finals before getting and decorating the tree. Now I am just busy trying to keep up with all the details…the cookies, the lights, the Elf on the Shelf, the Advent…I love this time of year!
Making Christmas cookies. Planning our extended family Christmas Eve brunch. But definitely got into the Christmas spirit by listening to a Christmas devotional this past Sunday evening.
I am deciding which of your holiday recipes I want to try next…I love cooking!
Taking a few minutes to relax and look at the twinkly lights on my Christmas tree gets me in the holiday spirit. I’m excited to try your super easy fudge with the cute peppermint marshmallows I bought yesterday!
I’ve been baking lots and lots of holiday cookies! With even more to come!
I have finished putting up the holiday decorations. My kids are really starting to get Christmas this year and are so excited. Every time we see Christmas lights they go nuts. It is fun seeing Christmas thru my children this year.
Making goodies for daddy who is currently serving his 4th tour in Afghanistan (army) . We have a 3 year old and 3 month old together so lots of crafts are happening in my kitchen everyday. We’ve made him pies in a jar, ginger spice cookies, sugar cookies, fudge, peppermint bark and peanut brittle, and even little hand and footprints made into reindeer using a simple homemade molding clay recipe :))
Baking … I never get in the mood early, but once the bug hits I’m going 90 miles an hour with my hair on fire until after New Year’s, and I LOVE it!!!
Sifting through the decorations.
I’m usually lazy about decorating for the holidays, but we just did the exterior lights this past weekend and I have to admit it’s helped to get me into the holiday spirit.
I have my Christmas tree lit up, and I’m listening to Amy Grant radio on Pandora! It’s wonderful.
Online shopping and baking cookies!
The tree is decorated, the lights are on the house. I have almost finished making my Christmas cards (now I have to write in them). It’s time for baking and wrapping and trying not to jump up and down too much that my daughter will soon be home from college. Deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa la la la la la la la la….
Of course I remember that Gilmore Girls episode! Love that show. Getting into the holiday spirit around here by listening to Christmas music – all the time! Even when I workout. 🙂
I’m getting in the mood for Christmas by finishing my presents-buying early so I can focus on the true meaning of Christmas.
Music, baking, decorating, crafting, festive movies, parties, etc. I’m trying to do a little of everything to get in the holiday spirit. And it’s mostly working. Thanks for the great giveaway.
Our family is getting into the holiday spirit by baking cookies together. Those preserves would be awesome in some thumbprint cookies! YUMMO!
The kids and I are busy making homemade ornaments!
I’m working on some homemade crafts to bring home to my family for the holidays. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we have good weather for our drive from SLC to Washington!
Every night, after I get my daughter in bed, I’ve been turning off all the lights in the house except the Christmas tree lights. I even folded laundry like that last night. Easy, free, and relaxing…my favorites :). Merry Christmas and thanks for introducing us to a great-sounding product.
Christmas songs and baking!
Listening to lots of Christmas music!
My husband and I have set aside all day Saturday to putting up our tree and decorating the house! Yay! Finally!
Made goodies and went Christmas caroling last night to 15 houses! Finally got up our Christmas lights and listen to Christmas music on my computer, on my tv, and in my car (basically every room I walk in and everywhere I go!). AND… going to do some more Christmas shopping for my 4 wonderful children, who, btw, LOVE Smuckers jam!! 😉
I’ve been baking holiday treats for my husband’s co-workers. If it’s red and white it most likely has been made the past few weeks. I love baking, but always have to find someone to give the goodies to, because if I keep a full batch at my house I will certainly try to eat it all myself!
I’m baking cookies for the annual Christmas Cookie Exchange party I attend every year. Starts the season off wonderfully and yummy.
Oh I love Smuckers! Anyway I am getting in the spirit by decorating the house and baking and planning our fun activities to do when my daughter is out of school. We’ve been reading Christmas stories and my youngest daughter loves A Star So Bright. She loves the sparklie star through out the book. She is also excited for Santa. Each time she sees him she gets all happy and says “Santa, Santa!” (she is 2)
Crafting up a storm along with holiday music and yummy treats. We are really enjoying ourselves.
I am taking my finals at BYU-I and as soon as they are done I KNOW its Christmas time.