Best Consumable Gifts

[belle032]

My grandmother always sends us the Harry & David pears and they are so good. It’s a nice change to get something healthy! Plus, they are a great high end brand to give as a gift, especially if you’re not sure what to give someone. They have tons of gift choices and really the prices aren’t that bad compared to other brands. (I’m looking at you edible arrangements! )

 

[tcufrog]

There are some good ideas here! I do Shutterfly calendars and photo books. I was very distracted this year when I did them, so they are not as good as usual, but will still be enjoyed! I would love to do a total consumable/handmade christmas one of these years...

I always make my dad a Costco photo calendar with kid and pet photos. He looks forward to every year.

 

[disneyeveryyear]

Depending on age, preferences, etc.

Upgraded pandora with no commercials
One year HULU
One year of Netflix

Fresh fruit either subscription or fruit basket.

Cheryl's cookies (all individually wrapped) so they can also be easily frozen.

Magazine subscription.

 

[richkaryn]

As a teacher, items such as post-it notes, sharpies, pens, staples, tape, pencils, copy paper, etc are always a plus. We just can't handle any more dollar store coffee mugs filled with peppermints. We have plenty of those already.

ETA: I also love Moonshine Mountain cookies!

 

[wgeo]

As a teacher, items such as post-it notes, sharpies, pens, staples, tape, pencils, copy paper, etc are always a plus. We just can't handle any more dollar store coffee mugs filled with peppermints. We have plenty of those already.

ETA: I also love Moonshine Mountain cookies!

The amount of coffee mugs that we give to goodwill is astounding! But the thought is so nice we always keep them for a year or two before we donate them.

 

[azdisneylover]

An assorted box of Popcornopulis popcorn. (Costco usually puts some variation on sale this time of year). Best popcorn!

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

I think next Christmas I am going to check in to getting gift certificates to the community theatre for a couple I know likes to attend.they can then select which show they'd like. Maybe a gift certificate to a meat store/ meat locker for a young family that I think that could use that.

 

[CeCe]

I agree with the Harry and David pears. My sister buys them for all of us every year. One year she did something different, and she still hasn't heard the end of it! It's the one gift we always look forward to, and they are healthy!

 

[arminnie]

Here's my See's Candy story. In the fall of 1976 Warren Buffett (the financial guru) was a guest lecturer in my MBA finance class. He talked about a company that he'd bought a couple of years earlier and why it was such a good match. I'd never heard of See's but rushed out to buy some. I've been hooked ever since.

The company that I worked for in California had a corporate relationship with See's so I could buy it at certain stores at about a 20% discount. Every time I had visitors from out of state we went by that store - everyone always ended up buying pounds of the stuff after tasting it. I now live in a state with no See's except for a kiosk at Christmas. My sister always gets me a box then.

Forty plus years later Warren still uses See's as an example of one of his best acquisitions. As an aside - I thought he was an "old man" 40 years ago. He was much younger then than I am now.

 

[DVCjj]

A tin of Garrett's Popcorn "Mix" from Chicago. 1/2 caramel, 1/2 cheese. Mixed.

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

I forgot to say airline gift cards. My sis and bro-in-law like to fly to AZ to golf in the winter. Next year maybe I'll buy them southwest air gift cards.

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

For candy, Sugargina for the win!!

 

[havaneselover]

My parents spend their summers in Petoskey, MI and American Spoon is a local company that makes extremely good preserves. I'm not really a $10/jar preserve person, but I bought several for gifts.

 

[kathy884]

The two things I get regularly as consumable gifts and are purchasing again this year have been mentioned. I'm just adding my vote.

Overpriced fruit can be a decent option. I'm getting my brother the Harry and David Favorite Gift Basket that has pear and some other things. It's the thought that counts really. Usually I have just gotten the pears, but am doing a gift basket this year. And I'm getting my one cousin who loves Peanut Brittle some from Sees in a Christmas Box.

I'm not a fan of gift cards, as statistically the redemption rate is very poor. A fairly high value Visa gift card or something like that can be good for someone who could really use cash, etc. if you can't do money. But a check is probably even better.

 

[lovesmurfs]

The two things I get regularly as consumable gifts and are purchasing again this year have been mentioned. I'm just adding my vote.

Overpriced fruit can be a decent option. I'm getting my brother the Harry and David Favorite Gift Basket that has pear and some other things. It's the thought that counts really. Usually I have just gotten the pears, but am doing a gift basket this year. And I'm getting my one cousin who loves Peanut Brittle some from Sees in a Christmas Box.

I'm not a fan of gift cards, as statistically the redemption rate is very poor. A fairly high value Visa gift card or something like that can be good for someone who could really use cash, etc. if you can't do money. But a check is probably even better.

Hale Groves is a wonderful fruit option (http://www.halegroves.com/). They have an orange selection that regularly goes on sale (I look up coupon codes) -- just last week bought a nice box for my BIL/SIL for $25 delivered which retails for $35 plus shipping.

 

[All Tangled Up]

Clothes or a good pair of socks if that counts... as a kid I used to hate getting them but now everytime I'm gifted an outfit or a good pair of socks I want to cry in joy. Everyone needs a good sweater or more clothes and well if you don't, you can always donate them to someone who does and then you're doing something great!

 

[trouttigger]

I make Friendship Soup in a Jar mixes. Several of my friends love getting them every year. It is a way to help a friend get dinner on her table. They end up costing me between $5 and $7. Here is the link on how to make:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/16927/friendship-soup-mix-in-a-jar/

 

[NinaBella]

My grandmother always sends us the Harry & David pears and they are so good. It’s a nice change to get something healthy! Plus, they are a great high end brand to give as a gift, especially if you’re not sure what to give someone. They have tons of gift choices and really the prices aren’t that bad compared to other brands. (I’m looking at you edible arrangements! )

We order Harry and David’s for several relatives every year.

 

[Maddie2]

For years, I made tons of homemade goodies and shared them with close friends, neighbors and co-workers. Now, I usually do store-bought edibles. If my shopping is local, I usually go with boxes of Whitman's chocolates. I know they aren't as exciting as Sees, but when you are buying 15-20 boxes, they fit the budget. I usually save one box out for our family - and really, they are a treat for us too. We only have them once a year.

When I can get to an Ikea or World Market store, I like to buy fun, foreign foods and candies. Ikea has jams/jellies and other food items that we can't buy around home and World Market has lots of choices too. I just try to keep in mind - what would be a treat for ________ and how adventurous are they? - and go from there. A friend who did a DNA test this year found she was Scottish, so, shortbread for her!

 

[1st*toright]

We did homemade pancake mix in jars one year - we have a great buttermilk pancake mix recipe, so a jar of that and a little bottle of maple syrup worked well.

We just did hot chocolate bombs and marshmallows as part of the goodie bags for my daughter's birthday - basically little balls of ganache rolled in cocoa (with some edible glitter mixed in so they sparkle) - an uncoated truffle, really. I think I'm going to use some of those for teacher gifts as well.