Every year there is always that one person that I forget to buy a gift for, either because I have never exchanged gifts with them before, or perhaps I just haven’t planned on seeing them during the holiday season. I have a new rule, one that usually works for me, but occasionally backfires; if I don’t see you during the holidays, you don’t get a gift. It’s not because I don’t like and appreciate you in my life, it’s because Christmas should be about spending time with the ones you love, not about exchanging gifts with one another. I refuse to spend my entire holiday season in the post office, pretending to be patient while I wait in the longest line imaginable, usually behind the rudest person I’ve ever encountered. That said, I realize there are still many occasions where a gift is called for. I’ve come up with this list of food gifts to help you out this holiday season; one for each day leading up to the big day. Most of these I have tried and/or bought as a present for someone on my “Nice List” in previous years.
My absolute favorites listed here are Lake Champlain Chocolates’ Old World Drinking Chocolate and Spiked Caramel Snowflakes; I find myself ordering the Drinking Chocolate in mass quantities several times a year. The Dangerous Stuff from The Toffee House is also a go-to gift I purchase several boxes of each year. It’s impossible to open the box and not finish it, so make sure to only open it in the presence of other people to avoid overindulging. The Toffee House will have a booth at the Sugarloaf Crafts Festival located at the Dulles EXPO Center in Chantilly, VA December 13-15. Admission is $10.00, but you can find coupons online, or buy your tickets in advance for a cheaper fee. There are several other unique food vendors that will be there as well, with many items that would be perfect for your holiday gift giving or for serving at your upcoming holiday parties.
I try to keep a few extra food gifts around my house during the holiday season. Sometimes I use them as a last-minute item to take to a party or gathering I haven’t had time to make something special for, and other times I use them as a gift for someone I haven’t anticipated seeing over the Christmas holidays. I feel much less stressed knowing that I’m prepared with something should the need arise, and if there just so happens to be a leftover box of The Dangerous Stuff, well I guess I’m just going to have to polish off the entire box by myself before it goes bad!
***Disclaimer: If you just so happen to get one of the items listed below it doesn’t necessarily mean that I forgot to get you a gift!***
1
Butter Rum Kringle from O&H Danish Bakery – $18.95
A Kringle of Rum, Caramelized Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Cinnamon, and Nutmeg
2
Candy Cane Light Roast Coffee from Target – See Store for Price
Smooth Coffee with the Festive Flavor of Peppermint
3
Coconut Caramel from Hey Boo (Dairy & Gluten Free) – $12.00
Coconutty with a Hint of Sea Salt and Has Just the Right Mouth Feel for a Caramel Sauce
4
Turkey Summer Sausage from Hickory Farms (3-Pack) – $23.49
A Leaner Option – Turkey Sausage Has a Sweet Finish Provided by Brown Sugar and Honey
5
Trinidads from Fannie May – $19.99
Smooth, Rich Dark Chocolate Covered in a Golden, Toasted Coconut Shell
6
Royal Riviera Pears from Harry & David – $29.95
Pears So Big and Juicy, You Eat Them with a Spoon
7
Sir Francis Bacon Dark Chocolate Toffee Bar from Crate & Barrel – $5.96
All-Natural Bar Bringing Together Artisan-Smoked Bacon, Dark Chocolate, and Buttery Toffee
8
Root Beer Mustard from Sprecher – $3.49
Mild and Sweet, the Perfect Dipping Mustard, Great for Baked Ham, Sandwiches, and Many Other Foods
9
Plain Cheesecake from Junior’s – $34.95
Famous New York Style Cheesecake, Rated “Best Overall” by the Wall Street Journal
10
Old World Drinking Chocolate from Lake Champlain Chocolates – $13.50
Gourmet Hot Chocolate of Pure Dark Chocolate Shavings, Selected as the Winner of Good Housekeeping’s Hot Chocolate Taste Test
11
Brooklyn Brine Hop-Pickles from Brooklyn Brine Co. at Amazon – $10.49
Pickles Made with Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA
12
Fine Ass Frosted Balls from Fine Ass Chocolate – $6.95
Frosted Balls Have Toffee Bits Mixed in with Milk Chocolate over a Whole Macadamia Nut, Coated in Powdered Sugar for Maximum Sweetness
13
Wild Maine Blueberry Jam from Stonewall Kitchen – $7.95
Bursting with Tiny, Hand-Raked Maine Blueberries
14
HoneyBaked Half Ham from The HoneyBaked Ham Co. – Starting at $87.95
Hand-Selected for Leanness, Smoked over 20 Hours, Spiral-Sliced to the Bone, and Smothered in a Sweet and Crunchy Glaze
15
The Dangerous Stuff from The Toffee House – Prices Vary Depending on Container
Delicious Combination of Sweet Cream Butter, Pure Cane Sugar, and Sliced California Almonds, Topped with Milk Chocolate and Walnuts, Drizzled with White and Semisweet Chocolate
16
Portuguese Sausage from Rego’s Purity of Hawaii – $80 for 18 Pieces Including Shipping
Hawaiian Portuguese Sausage Available in Mild and Hot, with the Best Mix of Garlic and Spices
17
White Snowflake Pretzels from Crate & Barrel – $18.71
Salty-Sweet, Crunchy Snowflake-Shaped Pretzels in Creamy White Coating, Sprinkled with White Nonpareils
18
Deluxe Holiday Gift Box from Great Harvest Bread Co. – $46 Plus Shipping
1 Loaf of Honey Whole Wheat, 1 Loaf of Stollen, 6 Double Choc Chip Cookies, 1 Jar of Rocky Branch Jam, 1 Beautiful Seasonal Tea Towel, and 1 Package of Kringle Crunch Trail Mix
19
Pure Mexican Vanilla from Blue Cattle Truck Trading Co. – $19.95
Made with the Richest Vanilla Beans on Earth
20
Macaron Holiday Gift Box from MacarOn Cafe – $35.00
Create Your Own Mix of Freshly Baked Macarons
21
Bacon of the Month Club from Zingerman’s – Starting at $99.00
Featured on “The Best Thing I Ever Ate”
22
Stoli Salted Karamel Vodka from Stoli – Prices Vary by State
Vodka with the Taste of Sweet Caramelized Sugar and Soft English Toffee, Balanced with a Light Saltiness
23
Le Chevre Noir from Murray’s Cheese – $35.99
Goat’s Milk Cheese Made in the Cheddar Style, Aged One Year, Hard and Crumbly, Sweet and Amiable, with a Little Bit of Crunch
24
Apple Oat Cinnamon Pancake & Waffle Mix from Williams-Sonoma – $14.95
Premium Mix Enriched with Sweet, Tender Bits of Dried Apples and Dates Combined with Oat Bran, Brown Sugar, and Buttermilk with a Sprinkling of Cinnamon
25
Spiked Caramel Snowflakes from Lake Champlain Chocolates – $13.00
A Blend of Creamy Caramel with a Touch of Sweet Rum and Warm Nutmeg in Smooth Dark Chocolate
Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck
-Colleen
