Holiday gift giving

December 22, 2011

 Our family has been keeping the focus of the Christmas Season on family and friends, not presents. Simplicity! A gathering filled with love, food and fellowship will last longer in our memories than anything else. That in mind, it is always nice to come to a party or gathering with a little something for the family or host.

one 4 ounce jar of jam and an assortment of homemade cookies

 Edible or consumable gifts aren't just practical and inexpensive, they're incredibly thoughtful and well received! As an adult with a house full of stuff and two young children, I find gifts like this wonderful. Each piece was made by the person giving it to me. They took the time from their life to cook from the heart and that is one of the best gifts.

homemade Turkey Barley Soup

So this year, the entire family came together and we made Turkey Barley Soup with the leftover turkey from Thanksgiving, selected a few jars of jam and made six different varieties of cookies to use as gifts for our friends and family. The boys loved being able to help "make the presents" this year and Steve and I truly enjoyed creating these memories with our children. The hardest part was deciding who got what!!

I found these cute snowflake napkins on the clearance rack at our local supercenter 10 for $1. All it took to create a pretty gift was the napkins, plastic plates, clear celophane (food grade) and some pretty ribbons.

A few small embellishments like the tag on the soup jars and on the outside of each package with a simple note really made these special.

all wrapped up and ready to go

There are many websites and blogs offering free printables for gift tags, recipes for drink mixes and other fun, holiday consumable gift ideas. One of my favorite sites to follow is MoneySavingMom Her site has tons of great gift ideas around the holidays that won't bust your budget. She also has great tips on budget keeping and is truly inspirational!

Fruitful Delights is your one stop shop for Jams and Spreadables for any occasion. Each jar of jam can be decorated upon request, making gift giving simple. If you're not sure what someone would like, you are welcome to send me any questions you have and I will do my best to match up the right flavor for that special someone.
I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and enjoy a joyous new year!