I wish I could participate in this one. I don't have any good, simple recipes. I always wanted to make jams but am worried about contamination. I hope to see ideas on simple recipes that travel well (that are truly homemade too).

I make marshmallows for holiday care packages. It seems to have become a tradition now (3 years in) and people automatically expect it. I think this year I'll also make caramel popcorn or something along that vein.

Only slightly OT: Does anyone know of a website where I can get weck jars shipped to Canada?? I was poking around just this morning- timely post!

@SlighlyIrritating&inconvenient: weckcanada.ca, but they appear to be moving and say that shipments may take up to two weeks... I'm interested if anyone has any other ideas.

For gifts, I'm making/have made homemade tonic (for gin & tonics), SmittenKitchen's apple cider toffees, vanilla pear and almond jam, fermented dilly carrots, Trinidadian black cake, pickled dilly beans... and maybe a few more things.

I put up tomato jam this summer (my very first experience, and it went really well - I might be forever spoiled) that I'm giving all my bosses/coworkers, along with mini English muffin loaves. Glad I saw the MS wax paper idea - that's going to save me some packaging headaches!

I put up tomato jam this summer (my very first experience, and it went really well - I might be forever spoiled) that I'm giving all my bosses/coworkers, along with mini English muffin loaves. Glad I saw the MS wax paper idea - that's going to save me some packaging headaches!

I don't do a whole lot of holiday gifts, but one that has been a really big success the last few years--and is so easy--is candied nuts. I do pecan halves, tossed in a beaten egg white to coat, then tossed in a mixture of sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of cayenne. Bake until done (can't remember the temp, but probably 350ish). The secret, I think, is the egg white--gives it this light crust that makes them totally addictive. I usually just pack in cellophane gift bags with a pretty sticker.

Normally I knit people things for the holidays, but this year I'm baking (will save so much time). I'm probably going to do a mix of hazelnut biscotti, toffee & meatball cookies (meatball in shape, not in flavor) all of which are easy to make in large batches.

I always make fudge and my grandmother's amazing sugar cookies (seriously, people who don't like sugar cookies beg for mine). This year I'm shaking things up a bit and making lavender fudge (a little nervous) and vanilla extract. I'm considering doing some lavender vodka as well. I think I still have enough time.

peach butter, apple butter, magic (herb) salt. I think that's it. and its all made. I just have to package up the salt in glassine bags

I usually do a big cookie day/weekend and make about a dozen different kinds of cookies (no cut-outs here, more like biscotti, pecan tassies, jam thumbprints, grasshopper bars, etc.) plus homemade marshmallows and hot chocolate mix. These all go into work for everyone who works in the same department as me to enjoy, plus small boxes for my immediate coworkers, hairdresser, yoga teacher, a few neighbors, etc. Close friends get bigger boxes (plus a real gift). World Market sells great confection boxes, bags, twine, and tissue and it always looks great.

This year I also started making jam. Some friends will probably get a few jars, but not my coworkers (I don't like them that much!).

I do some non-food gifts (homemade coasters, pretty glass plates with scrapbook paper modgepodged on, etc), and I usually just stick with cookies or fudge. I have an awesome cookies 'n' cream fudge recipe that wows every time. One year I'm going to do apple butter or pumpkin butter in pretty jars.

We do a big cookie day every year too!

I'm making meringue mushrooms for all my friends. Does anyone have a great cheap source for small baskets? I'm always stuck spending more than i want on the packaging!

I go pretty crazy every year with the homemade food gifts. I don't know what I'll decide this year yet but in the past I've done: truffles, caramels, beautifully frosted cookies, hot chocolate mixes, homemade marshmallows, cookies galore, and I'm forever gifting jams and chutneys (this year I have made spiced tomato chutney and cranberry-strawberry jam especially for Christmas) along with spiced nuts, toffee, cakes, pies and a favourite among my family homemade vanilla. I usually end up changing my mind a few times when I see new recipes. This is my main form of gift giving but I haven't really found a cost effective way of packaging these things to showcase all the care and time I took to make them. The nice packaging costs a fortune here in Canada.

For the last five years, I've made fudge. It's a pretty simple recipe and three batches makes a lot of gifts.

This year I'm making my boyfriend a vanilla banana rum liqueur we drank while vacationing on St. Maarten. SO delicious! Can't wait to try it.

A cookbook. My friends and I are gathering our favorite recipes and pictures and putting them all in a book.

I use the natural brown boxes from this company: http://www.brpboxshop.com/index.html
It is a large quantity but I use them all the time. I bake for people more because I know I have a pretty box available. Shipping was really quick. Target has treat bags that I use for cookies and other small items. And, I save the jars from Bonne Mamman jam for cookies, hot fudge... When I was working, I gave everyone their own cookie jar for Christmas. I haven't decided all that I will make. I just start cooking ang giving and when it stops being fun I stop.

Did you check crateandbarrel.com?

I'm making chai tea mix for a few tea-loving friends and a huge batch of salted chocolate stout truffles to give alongside main presents. I usually make cookies as a hostess gift as and when they're needed.

Cookies for everyone at work (2 Smitten Kitchen recipes) and granola for friends and family. Possibly cheese crackers again.

Is it a secret family recipe?

I'm making spiced pear butter and cute packages of 'holiday scent': they will be filled with dried lemon and orange slices and lots of whole spices.

Miniature bacon and cheese quick breads courtesy of a Cristina Tosi recipe from Oprah Magazine (delicious!) and Smitten Kitchen's granola crusted nuts for the more health conscous of my friends.

I made some extra strawberry red wine jam this summer. I'm also gifting popcorn seasoning, hot chocolate mix, and hand-knit dish towels!

I make homemade marshmallows dipped in chocolate, some with pecans, fudge, peppermint bark, Mexican Wedding cookies, and I am doing homemade caramels this year.

My sister's on a no-carb diet, so I'm giving her some homemade spice mixes and marinades. My mother's getting some Greek yogurt and some jam and granola to eat with it (all homemade). My honey's getting homemade liqueurs. I bought some fair trade chocolate to send his sister, but I'm going to make some homemade marshmallows to go with it.

I just moved to a vegetable farm in Georgia with my boyfriend, where he is taking over management. I was going to makes sweets as gifts but there were baskets of harvested hot chilies with no plans (apparently the CSA members aren't into spicy things), so now I'm making hot sauces for gifts. I've made Sriracha, basic hot sauces with various colors and spiciness, and sweet chili sauce.