Christmas food gifts, home made - good or bad idea? (bbq, garden)
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My oldest sister and I stopped buying gifts for one another and the family years ago so we started making gifts instead. We both bake. She makes preserves/jams, spaghetti sauce and bread and butter pickles. To me it is a lot easier to buy a gift rather than make a gift. I hope that everyone who receives my gifts feel the love that is included - otherwise I wouldn't spend weeks in the kitchen.
This year I have made:
thumbprint cookies with her homemade raspberry jam
s'more bar
matzo toffee
spritz cookies
pecan lace cookies
rice krispy treats
banana bread
Kettle mushroom popcorn
Any of the above which are left over will reach St Thomas in 3-5 days via flat rate Priority Mail box so let me know and I'll pay the postage!
1. Because I've never yet received anything but hugely positive feedback. I owned and operated my own restaurant for 16 years until a year ago and I know my friends' particular tastes. Each gift is individually geared to the recipient.
2. See above, "smart one".
3. I know what a forum is and and I responded to the title of the thread and to your post. Yes, in my particular frame of reference and from my own experience, I do think that homemade Christmas food gifts are a good idea and fully appreciate that many disagree for various reasons.
I wish you happy holidays and do hope that your disposition improves in the new year!
^^^ Well Good Morning, Scrooge, and Happy Holidays to you too!
I gifted friends this year with bottles of my homemade hot sauce; banana bread, avocanana bread and banana date bread (the bananas and avocados from my yard); and homemade herb bread (herbs from the yard). Everyone's been genuinely thrilled and it never even crossed my mind that a situation such as you describe would come about. I in turn have received some rooted cuttings of herbs I didn't have, and some homemade citrus salad dressing. Every time I see them/use them I'm reminded of the friends who took the time and trouble to put them together - what could be a greater gift?
I agree with you completely. Unfortunately, my baking skills are not very good so I do NOT try to bake stuff and send them to my friends.
However, I have a little black book of GREAT small merchants in the Chicagoland area (and other places I visit). Starting on November 1st, I plan gift baskets for ALL the people that I buy gifts for. No two people get the same package as it is geared toward the people teh gift is for.
For example,
The in-laws always get a lot of cheese from the University of Wisconsin as well as Chicago gourmet popcorn.
My brother, the foodie, always gets a collection of cheeses including a beautiful wedge of Maytag Blue Cheese from Newton, IA.
My aunt, the matriarch of the family, gets a variety of small sweets, usually from one of the area monasteries.
Since most of the people I buy for are over 50 years of age, I prefer food gifts as they always are eaten. I really like that age group as I always get a thank you note or a phone call.
For my nephews, Huey, Dewey and Looey, I give them Groupon or Livingsocial gift certificates so that they can eat out occasionally.
My oldest sister and I stopped buying gifts for one another and the family years ago so we started making gifts instead. We both bake. She makes preserves/jams, spaghetti sauce and bread and butter pickles. To me it is a lot easier to buy a gift rather than make a gift. I hope that everyone who receives my gifts feel the love that is included - otherwise I wouldn't spend weeks in the kitchen.
This year I have made:
thumbprint cookies with her homemade raspberry jam
s'more bar
matzo toffee
spritz cookies
pecan lace cookies
rice krispy treats
banana bread
Kettle mushroom popcorn
Sweet George - you KNOW I am not far away!!!!! Hint Hint Hint!
HA! I no longer make anything for gifts. I just bought half a dozen of those popcorn tins which iI've stacked under the tree if I get stuck for a present. I love those things for storage.
I think soup would be a great idea. You could give it to them in Mason jars. We have a food truck that sells their soups in Mason jars. They refund $1 when the jar is returned (no, I'm not suggesting you give $1 if they return the jar ).
I used to make a huge cookie platter for my husband to take to work, and smaller cookie plates for neighbors and friends.
My brand new food allergies keep me from cooking 90% of the things I used to make, and the ingredients I can still cook with are mostly too expensive to give away, so I guess I'm done making cookie platters.
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I owned and operated my own restaurant for 16 years until a year ago and I know my friends' particular tastes. Each gift is individually geared to the recipient.
Food gifts for neighbors and friends
