I love the holidays. The food, the fun, and of course, the parties! My friend hosts an annual cookie exchange or “Cookiepalooza” as we call it. It’s an amazing Open House where guests are asked to bring a batch of decadent treats. As the guests file in with loads of holiday goodies, her dining room turns into a scene out of Willy Wonka with stacks of amazing cookies, rows of beautiful cupcakes and piles of other seasonal bites galore! It’s a sweet tooth junkie’s paradise. Pastry boxes are provided for guests to scoop up whatever catches their eye. It’s fun to catch up with old friends and sample the sugary delights.
Our gracious hostess appreciates homemade, but assures everyone store bought is just fine. She basically says, come have fun and let’s not turn this into an episode of Cupcake Wars. With limited time on my hands, I knew right away that this year I would bring Little Sparks Cookies insanely addictive, handmade sugar cookies. They are my favorite cookie on the planet and her holiday selection this year is beyond. They are just as delicious as they are beautiful. The cookies are custom made to order and can be delivered in Los Angeles or shipped anywhere in the country.
I’m also headed to a special holiday dinner at a friend’s home. While I refuse to give a candle as a hostess gift, I will gladly present a tin of my seasonal obsession, Williams Sonoma’s The Original Peppermint Bark. In addition to the delicious confection, I will also wrap up a beautiful candy dish as a gift with the bark. That way, when the bark is long gone, she will still have a lovely gift from me to enjoy. Whenever I bring food as a hostess gift, I throw in a cake plate, a platter, or in this case, a candy dish. I just think it’s a pretty presentation and makes for a longer lasting token of my appreciation.
I have a few people on my gift list who are impossible to buy for. Either they have everything, don’t want anything, or it’s just hard to find something special for them. Instead of making myself crazy and inevitably feeling like I’ve come up short, I like to send special treats that are always big hits like Garrett Popcorn from Chicago. When I go back home to the midwest, I always stop into Garrett and indulge in the best caramel corn I’ve ever tasted. Another fun thing to send is Graeter’s ice cream in Cincinnati. Long ago, before it made Oprah’s List, a business associate of my husband sent it to us for the holidays. I remember opening the door and there was the delivery man with a huge box filled with pints of ice cream and various sauces! We were so surprised and loved it.
The holidays are so much fun and the best time of the year. I’ve decided to give myself a break this year by taking a few short cuts and and enjoying them. Here are a few things that will be on my edible gift list for friends and family this year.
Enjoy!
