This week, I’m running a handful of short gift guides featuring some things you might like to give or get this holiday season. I’m kicking off the series with a couple things that you could give to your favorite canner who already has every other canning tool and gadget imaginable.
You might look at this guide and think it’s really short. And it is. You see, I’ve recommended a lot of gear over the years and you just don’t need me to suggest the same things over again (I’ve linked to those prior gift guides below, if you do need more ideas). But these are two things that a canner who has everything he or she needs might just enjoy having.
- Wusthof Epicure 2-Piece Prep Set – This lovely knife set is a gorgeous and useful upgrade for anyone who spends lots of time in the kitchen. I’ve had these knives in my tool kit since the spring and I reach for them all the time. The wooden handles are comfortable to hold and just get more gorgeous over time.
- GIR Ladle – I’ve used a lot of ladles in my life and this is the best one I’ve encountered. The bowl is made of flexible silicone. That means that you can scrap every last drop of jam out of the pot. It also holds a full cup, which is just enough to fill a half pint jar.
For more gift giving inspiration, check out some of my gift guides for years past. You’ll find favorite tools, good gear for cooking and canning, and my favorite mason jar drink lids.
And finally, because it’s Monday and the folks at Wusthof are kind and generous, I have one of the knife sets you see above to give away. Let’s do it the old fashioned way this week.
- Leave a comment on this post and tell me share something you’re looking forward to giving this holiday season.
- Comments will close at 11:59 pm eastern time on Saturday, December 10, 2016. Winners will be chosen at random and will be posted to the blog on Sunday, December 11, 2016.
- Giveaway open to United States residents only.
- One comment per person, please. Entries must be left via the comment form on the blog at the bottom of this post.
Disclosure: Wusthof provided the knife set you see pictured above, and is providing the giveaway unit, both at no cost to me. GIR also provided the ladle as a review unit. However, my opinion remains entirely my own. I both am sent and buy a lot of kitchen gear every year, and these are stand-outs!
The winner of this giveaway is #165/Mary H. Congratulations Mary!
This season I’ll be gifting homemade Meyer limoncello, vanilla extract, and pear chocolate jam. These have been the favorites for my friends and family over the years and all came from your site. Thanks for so much inspiration!
What I am sharing this year that I generally shy away from with a vengeance is an individual sentiment and wish on the back of our family picture made into a Christmas card. This was a hard year and I want those close and important to know how special they are to us. It’s taking a long time and I have writers cramp. You’re it’s totally worth it!!!
Im looking forward to giving homemde bath salt scrub, butter cookies and spice cookies, and books.
I always go homemade on gifts. Preserves, knitted items, and loaves from my great-great-grandmother’s fruitcake recipe.
I’ve made a handful of knitted chemo caps for my favorite aunt – including a Santa hat! Unfortunately everyone else is getting purchased gifts or IOUs as I broke my arm. Thanks for the opportunity!
Those knives are gorgeous!
#5? No way I’m winning this.
I’m looking forward to giving my sister a “cloud” platform for her little wooden German angels.
I’ll be making my Mom some heavy canvas tote bags for groceries.
I’ll be embroidering some handkerchiefs for my Dad, who is old fashioned that way.
I’ll be taking some Strawberry Rose Geranium jam to my old colleagues at work to say Hi and tell them what I’ve been doing in my retirement. (I also need to drop off some donations for a tax break.)
I like to give my co-workers treat trays for the holidays, I have new co-workers this season, so it will be a surprise to them.
I’m looking forward to giving friends some Shibori dyed indigo cloths for their kitchens! And I had a family tree made for my mom…can’t wait for that, either!
I am gifting kitchen homemade jam to friends and family.
Most looking forward to gifting cookies, especially since I can gift myself a few while making them! ;-p
I’m making up some “take care of yourself” packages for the ladies in my life with some homemade lip balms, eye pillows, and other treats (can’t spill it all in case they’re reading this post!). It’s something that I’ve tried to put together for years, but ran out of time in the past and ended up buying gifts, but this year, I think we could all use a little bit of extra TLC, so it’s happening :-).
I’ll be gifting jams made over the summer… mango habañero, raspberry jalapeño and good old fashioned Hood strawberry jam from Oregon. Best. Strawberry. Ever!!
Homemade Panettone!
I’m looking forward to giving banana nut bread.
I’m prepping for Christmas cookie making. Just finished a batch of Prune Plum Jam, which will be used in Thumbprint cookies. Such fun creating and giving!
Christmas cookies are such fun to make and give during the holidays. This year it is several varieties of biscotti.
Didn’t get a lot of canning in this year, but managed some macintosh apple sauce for a few special friends and some apple cider/ginger jelly
I am an avid canner. I’m looking forward to traveling to my mothers to spend time with my family for Christmas.
I’m looking forward to making different kinds of chocolate candy. I arrange them in a tin and give them to special friends. What would Christmas be without chocolate!
Jar of homemade jam (which flavor??!!) with a package of crumpets
I made a fair amount of jam this year so I will be tucking jars of it in many of my packages. Last year I did the same and later realized that I had given away most of my husbands favorite…the plum with star anise.
So this year, I am wrapping a large supply and putting it under the tree for him!
I am looking forward to having time off, so I can spend it with friends and family.
I am looking forward to gifting Kentucky bourbon vanilla extract!
No food related, but my kids are getting a snap circuit set, a portable easel and a crystal growing set and they are going to be thrilled with all three…I love their curious, creative brains! And that we can give the three these three gifts and all will use them.
I’ll be gifting jam, pickles and herb vinegars made from local produce and herbs from my garden.
Depending on the person, I will be making homemade gift items for my gift baskets of homemade spices, jams, jellies, hot sauce, party mix, canned jalapenos, etc.
Thank you for this giveaway opportunity
I’m looking forward to mailing homemade cookies and jams to relatives that live out of state and won’t make it home for the holidays!
I am looking forward to giving my husband a nice pair of work shoes. His are really worn out and he really hasn’t had the extra money to replace them. I saved up to get them and I think he will be very surprised. He works hard and I would like him to be comfortable and look nice.
I’ve moved 2x this year and only managed to make strawberry jam and strawberry lemon marmalade, but my recipients are happy regardless!
I’m excited to gift homemade chocolates
For the past few Christmases my Mom and I have been making jam to give to family and friends. This past year I have been teaching her more and more about canning. This weekend after doing our annual round of holiday jams, she asked how I learned to feel comfortable canning by myself. I started with the Ball blue book, so I plan to pick one up to tuck in her stocking 🙂 🙂
My season is starting off slowly…but I have to bring a dish to work on Friday for our annual Christmas Breakfast. I hope my bread pudding made with croissants in lieu of french bread will be over the top “licious”. This weekend I plan on using some cranberries that were on sale to make a relish to give to some of my neighbors.
I’m looking forward to giving my mom-in-law an immersion blender. She’s a wonderful, adventurous cook and I know (from experience) how an immersion blender is incredibly helpful.
I’m looking forward to giving time….I have off from work the same time as my kids are off from school around the holidays. I’m looking forward to just getting together and being with them!
I found “Where the Wild Things Are” in LATIN for my son-in-law who teaches HS Latin – doubly a classic!
We’ve gotten ladybug rainboots for our two year old niece, and I and very excited about them! (So cute!)
I’m also planning on making spiced nuts, granolas, marmalade, and my first foray into caramel for food gifts.
I am giving the gift of bacon from our pig and the gift of time to my favorite non profit.
Gifting lots of jams, chutney, tomatoes, jellies, peppers & pickles. I get most of this done by October, make a spreadsheet of the yields and am able to chart out what selection goes to who. In late November, I wrap them and then there is nothing like a well packed Flat Rate USPS box going across the country!
I am gifting jam to many and rhubarb syrup to a close few. Excited to see their reactions!
I’m super excited to give my hot cocoa mason jars and handmade slippers to family and friends. I’ve worked all year to get things ready and I’m so excited to see how they like them!
I’m gifting little jars of pepper goodness this year – I made two kinds of pepper jelly and a really spicy tobasco pepper salsa and put them in quarter pint jars for gifting!
Thanks to your wonderful cookbooks, I’m ready for Christmas…lots of treats to give away!
I’m looking forward to giving my toddler a set of play pots and pans so he can “help” in the kitchen.
I am giving my mom a haircut certificate, gloves, scarf and hat. She just moved to a apt at a senior living community and is really loving it. She can walk down the hall and have her hair done. Plus she is trying to walk the grounds daily weather permitting.
A certain special someone will be getting the small kitchen appliance from the wish list. For other folks I will be giving jars of my preserves.
I am using canning jars for sugar scrubs. The perfect home-made gift.
We’re giving out homemade peaches preserved with honey!
I’m looking forward to the gift of time together. We live in different states so, I’ve rented a house and am bringing homemade/handmade gifts to give while we spend a few days enjoying the holiday season together 🙂
We just had new neighbors move in down the street, so I’m looking forward to giving them some Christmas cookies I made with my daughters!
We’re not doing a lot of. Gifts this year, just for the littles in the family! And those are going to be homemade and activities we can do with them. Trying to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas!
I’m looking forward to giving selections of my jams and chutneys.
Certainly would like the opportunity to win the Wusthof knife set. Looks like another great giveaway for FIJ.
Cinnamon Rolls! I make them for the neighbors and coworkers!
I knitted my mother a gorgeous wrap and I can’t wait for her to see it.
I have a brand new grand nephew, and I’m looking forward to giving him some snuggles!
I’ve been knitting a sock monkey (pattern from Knit Picks) for my mom – she collects antique sock monkeys, so a fully homemade one will be a cute addition. Friends will be getting preserves and baked goods from me 🙂
I am giving some Mulled Cranberry sauce, which everyone loves.
Mostly, I am looking forward to seeing the faces of my grandchildren
when they open their gifts.
I preserved apple slices in cinnamon syrup and am looking forward to giving that away along with some homemade chocolate bark.
We are mostly only giving gifts to the kids in the family this year, and I think my favorite thing is that we bought one of those marble run toys (all the plastic tubes you put together in fun pathways to send marbles down) to my nephew. He’s going to love it, and I kinda can’t wait to play with it either!
I’m excited to give all of the thoughtful gifts I’ve already picked out and the excess jam I made.
Coconut macaroons, dipped in dark chocolate. They’re my tradition with a couple of friends, and while they started with sweetened condensed milk, they are now light on the sugar and held together just with egg whites.
And some woolen goods – mostly knitted hats!
After a year off, we were able to do our large batch of applesauce again this year, so I’m looking forward to giving them out to everyone who was disappointed last year!
Homemade maple pecan granola.
It’ll be hard to figure out what to give my dad, as he’s just moved to a retirement community, and I’m not sure what he needs (or has room for!). Nothing home-canned, as I have to fly down, so maybe I’ll just offer to take him shopping for a few edible goodies.
The gift of health for my husband by registering him for the LOVE Half Marathon in Philly!
I’ll be gifting homemade licorice and marshmallows!
Small photo gifts like cups, magnets, for all my family with photos taken during 2016!
I’m excited to give my mom a shawl that I’m just finishing up knitting!
I am sewing microwave warmers this year. Those plus Jan are going to make such cozy gift sets!
I’m giving a nephew (who is a mushroom hunter) a pint of locally made Candy Cap Mushroom flavored ice cream. I’m so excited to give it to him!
My niece discovered Shel Silverstein in our library, I’m so excited to give her a copy of Falling Up!
I knit a some pint sized ornaments in the shape of Christmas trees and stockings for my family members. So cute.
I’m looking forward to giving my grandma some wrinkle cream and dark spot corrector. She’s 90 years old and recently had her cataracts repaired, meaning she can see all the detail on her face for the first time in many years, and she’s not happy about it! It will be fun to pamper her with nice cosmetics.
I’m giving away Lemon-Basil Jelly!
I’m giving my uncle a jar of everything I’ve canned this year as part of our Xmas gift exchange. I’m not sure how he feels about daikon radish pickles, but I guess we’ll find out!
I am baking a lot of cookies this year and giving tins of them to my family and close friends.
Im giving some pickled jalapeños! Your recipe, of course.
I’m looking forward to giving an assortment of my canned goodies to all our neighbors.
I’m looking forward to giving out Pear Vanilla Jam as favors at my Latkes & Lagers party. 🙂
My husband and I worked hard to find 24 new books or each of our two kiddos. They are little so we don’t want to buy a ton of toys. We are letting them unwrap one a night until Christmas. We read them together and so far, it is the best thing we have done.
I’m excited to make some candy to give as gifts!
I can’t wait to give my family some of the garlic I pickled this summer and a bunch of hot chocolate mixes.
This year I am most excited to give gifts that I buy locally. Haven’t started sorting out what I’ll be picking up, but I know that this year I want to make sure I buy as much as I can in my town.
Last summer I made jam with flavor grenade (that is what the farm stand calls them) pluots. I think it will be a nice taste of summer in the cold winter.
To give locally made food goodies and honey mustard I made.
Since the summer I’ve been working on canning an assortment of goods: ketchup, mustards, BBQ & apple sauces, along with jams/jellies!
Looking forward to my (future) son in laws annual Feast of the Seven Fishes. It is a tradition of his Italian family and this is the third year we will be hosting it at our house. There are canned things involved, but my biggest contribution is the gravlax.
I’all be gifting my black berry peach jam! (Based on you blackberry apricot recipe – thanks!)
I’m giving all of my family members and in-laws framed pictures of my one year old son. They’ve been asking for them forever I’m glad to get it done!
I am looking forward to giving my homemade guava vanilla bean jelly, fig jam, lemon curd, BBQ Sauce, ketchup and home grown popcorn as gifts! I hope to make it a completely home grown Christmas. The gifts that someone made are always the most appreciated.
I did all my ‘Christmas Shopping’ this summer making jam and pickles. But I’m also glad to be giving a therma-pen thermometer. Wonder who might get that ? 🙂
What I am most excited to give is not for the kitchen.
I had an old full-length mirror, that belonged to my grandmother, framed for my daughter-in-law. It is just beautiful!. It’s trimmed in oiled live oak with a live edge…the bark edge is against the glass & the cut edge the outside of the frame. It will hang horizontal & along the bottom are five black iron hooks, the tops of the hooks curl into a flat circle.
I told my son that if he thought she wouldn’t like it I’d keep it & get her something else. His reply, ‘Let it go mom. You are not going to get to keep that!’
I’m giving date dinner baskets to most of my relatives. Homemade sauce, fancy pasta, bottle of wine and a nice chocolate bar. Easy and delicious!
I love watching my littles open gifts, the magic is still there. Giving gifts to them is what I look forward to.
This canner doesn’t have a lot of gadgets and makes do without things, so the knifes alone would be fantastic additions!
I started canning in September, so many of my gifts will be from my inventory. This year I have done more salsa and BBQ sauces, than jams. May start that in Jan when the meyer lemons hit the shelves.
I love a good knife! I’m looking forward to giving some home made vanilla.
I’m giving a few items I sewed myself. Very proud.
I’m looking forward to making my friend a basket of homemade goodies, which will include jam, salsa and sauerkraut (which are from your recipes).
I am doing a lot of canning and baking to get ready for Christmas. I spend the morning with my daughter and her family and then spend the afternoon with my adopted sister and Mom.