For the last few years, I have tried to make homemade gifts for Christmas. Previous years were soap and bath bombs in 2018, and crocheted hats in 2019. I knew from the previous year that I should get started early so in August 2020 I decided that I wanted to make jam of various kinds to give out as gifts for that coming Christmas. My husband and I had been to Hawaii the previous year and we were in love with pineapple jam so I thought we could share. I googled what other fruit would be in season in the coming months, and decided the flavors and got to work. I had to clear out a whole shelf in my freezer to fit them all since I wasn’t canning them. I’ve linked the recipes I still have saved.

Jam Flavors:
Peach (13)
Pomegranate (12)
Marmalade (orange)(17)
Pineapple (16)
Blackberry/Raspberry (8)
Jalapeno Berry (4)
Habanero Berry (4)
Also a few jars of Raspberry/Blackberry Syrup, which could double as a thin jam. (5)

For a total of 79 half-cup jars.

As Christmas was getting closer I thought, why not make bread to go with the jam?!! I had a good recipe and it had come out well several times… so sure! So I also make 17+ loaves of bread (the + being a few for us to eat too throughout the month).

I’d made these crackers a couple times and decided I could add those - crackers go with jam!

I also discovered a candied pecan recipe and had to share that joy.

So I made a list of everyone to take baskets to and we came up with 17 so we got 17 baskets, cellophane, and ribbons.

I made a couple batches of bread a week (along with crackers and pecans to keep up) and delivered baskets all through December. (Keeping track of people’s COVID contact preferences - some deliveries were drop and run). It was a lot of work but it was so much fun! And I’ve heard nothing but appreciation for such a warm and fuzzy gift at the end of that (cough) awesome (cough) year.