Wow when I started this I had no idea my mouth would water the way that it has. Ok here's my list, for the kids

Reindeer and Christmas tree cake pops - cookies and cream and chocolate, peanut butter, banana
Santa hat cupcakes - french vanilla and my signature flavor
Decorated sugar cookies- snowmen and snowflakes
Cookies - neopolitan sandwich cookies (decorated like oreos), chocolate crack (the graham cracker and saltine version)
Chocolate dipped pretzel sticks with sprinkles

For the adults

Decorated cake pops - chocolate/raspberry/amaretto wc and chocolate/cherry/coconut
Decorated cupcakes - red velvet ornanments and eggnog rum w/ cinnamin bc swirl and topper
Decorated sugar cookies - ornaments and snowflakes
Cookies - white chocolate raspberry thumbprints, cherry bon bons, raspberry diamonds, white chocolate cherry shortbread, vanilla walnut crescents ( I might add mini chocolate chips to some), coconut clouds, chocolate crack. There's also a chocolate cookie I want to make it; was from a link in the forums that I saved as a watched topic. I have to pull that up.

so since everyone uses tins or baskets to give out their wonderful homemade goodies....

WHERE DO U BUY YOUR TINS/BASKETS?

I was getting them at WalMart but even $2 is a lot right now...plus r there any other ideas for packaging to send off besides tins?

I just seen some nice Christmas tin buckets (great for cookie pops) for a dollar at Michaels and Target usually has those kinds of things for a dollar' they did at Easter time.

My holiday traditions start with decorating for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving (no Black Friday shopping for me unless there's REALLY something I want to go get). Then that Sunday I'll make an assortment of cookie doughs and pop them in the fridge to bake as time allows during the week. I do this every week til Christmas. For packaging I just use holiday plates and wrap with plastic wrap and tie up with curling ribbons. I freeze all my cookies after they've baked and have never had a problem. There are some I prefer to have fresh baked when packaging, so those get baked last. My mother (who held this tradition before me) created a chart to fill in with her cookie varieties and ingredients and would fill it all in for each cookie so she would know exactly how much of what she needed to buy. That would usually occur early in the fall and she'd pick things up as money allowed. It's a fabulous tradition that I am honored to continue. Already the end of October and I'm a bit behind on my list. Better get to that.

I am so excited about this holliday baking! I got the kitchen crafts cut out cookies, the jack-o-latern, the snowflake, tree, and the ornament. They are big! I will do a bunch of "fancy" decorated cookies, pecan rolls, caramel, toffee, caramel corn, mini quick breads, fudge, candy jems, marshmallows, and gum drops. The cookie list is still in the works. I want to do a few of the press cookies, the springerle, linzers, snowballs, filled peanutbutter, and macaroons. I will also make cocoa, hot tea mix, cider mix, and creamers.

The packaging, I have gone to the dollar store and found amazing plates and matching mugs. Last year, I found some Christmas plates sets at Dillards on clearance that I will use. I try and buy the clearance items and store for the following year.

Jamielc...what cookies are best fresh and not frozen?

I've never frozen cookies before, and with a a baby, I need all the time management help I can get. I'd be grateful if you'd share which ones hold up best in the freezer and which ones I should bake last.

Thank you!

where is the best place to get a large number of cupcake liners? I would like to get more than 30 at a time.

Does anyone ship their treat boxes? I'm trying to figure out how to package them cutely but keep them safe and fresh for shipping (I'm in Wisconsin, and will be shipping to Denver, Los Angeles, and Orlando at the very least). I love the printed cellophane bags and takeout boxes but they're not exactly airtight.

frankdiabetes - I hear that when you ship cookies, you must make sure that they don't move. So, bubble wrap galore!

You could make it look nicer with colored tissue inside the box for a shifting buffer...

I had a friend who requested her brother ship some cookies from several states away. He owned a little sandwhich shop. She said they ship just fine. To demonstrate...he did ship us choc/chip & sugar cookies. They fit 3x3 in a gallon zip lock. He layered 3 layers with bubble in between. Then...inside a Pizza box...then wrapped in bubble...and then inside a flat rate USPS box. They arrived perfect.

Thanks EvMarie! The colored tissue paper is a good idea...I guess I'll have to save the cute takeaway boxes and bags for treats that I give to local people.

I think they even sell colored bubble wrap. But, I'm not sure how budget friendly it is! I t-h-i-n-k I saw it on papermart.com. Not sure.

Meh, I'm not too concerned about budget. Like some others in this thread, I'm thinking these treat baskets will be in lieu of any other gifts so I'm willing to splurge a little.

To contribute, this is my (very) tentative list:

turtle thumbprint cookies
decorated cutout cookies (I think minis in jars a la SweetSugarBelle)
caramel corn
candied nuts
mini world peace cookies
pistachio and cranberry biscotti, dipped in white chocolate
nut brittle
rugelach
homemade tri-color peppermint patties
peanut butter balls
peppermint bark
Mexican wedding cookies

These websites have proved very useful for inspiration and ideas:
http://www.tastespotting.com/tag/cookies
http://www.tastespotting.com/tag/candy

My friends and family are going to get so fat!

Stopped by Big Lots! and went crazy. The had stacking boxes that matched a cup and saucer for next to nothing. I think I paid $5 for the 4 boxes and cup and saucer. Will make a nice tower of goodies topped with hot cocoa mix or tea.

Shoot - frankdiabetes - what about that shimmery shred? You know that kind that is irridescent a little? I'm thinking that might do the trick to nestle your cookies in for shipping. Super fancy. Especially if you have individually wrapped cookies. You could tie each cello bag top with ribbons. Oh, & don't forget your paper isle at Michaels. They have the greatest sparkly papers for home made gift tags.

I'm good at spending money!!!!

this is great! I"m doing the original, old school cookies:

sugar decorated
hershey kisses
peanut butter cups/blossoms
heath bar cookies
little cheesecakes with fruit topping
gingersnaps
fudge
snickerdoodles
thumbprints
peanut butter balls
and my famous ricotta cookies(favorite italian ones)

Thanks for sharing!

I have been sitting drooling. I started looking for containers and like everyones' especially jlynnw's cup/plate idea. I saw some dinner sets that are sold individually - the cup and plate, etc. Would you use the cup for cake balls or candies, then set it on the plate and have cookies whatever around? Then you'd wrap in cellophane. Is that the idea?

I got a few boxes that are similar in color in graduated sizes that matched good with the cup and saucer. I will put caramel corn in the bottom box, cookies in the middle, and brittle in the top box. I will then set the cup and saucer on the very top with tea or cocoa mix in the cup and a few candies around the cup. I then do a ribbon from front to back under and then side to side and tie in place. The fancy box style like you see in Swiss Colony catalogs. I have also done the cup and saucer with little candies in the cup and cookies on the side. I bake and mix and go to town. I make my list of reciepients and go from there. A big family will get a big basket of several items, teachers get the cup and saucer items. You will get a feel for what will work. I also found some mugs that I will be making "beer nuts" and filling for all the guys. They have the red and white strip "box" at Target that I will make flavored popcorn and fill. Mostly looking for nice packaging for the ornament cupcakes. Oh, I need more time!

Jenscreativity - what are heath bar cookies? May I have the recipe? I love heath bars.

[quote="jlynnw"]I got a few boxes that are similar in color in graduated sizes that matched good with the cup and saucer. I will put caramel corn in the bottom box, cookies in the middle, and brittle in the top box. I will then set the cup and saucer on the very top with tea or cocoa mix in the cup and a few candies around the cup. I then do a ribbon from front to back under and then side to side and tie in place.



I love this idea! I wonder if you used some super 2 sided tape you could make it a topsy turvy!!!
Celophaned and tied up really tight I think it could stick together!

for a topsy turvy, you can lift the lid off one so that it is on but just to the edge(use a brace inside like a hidden pillar cut at an angle in each corner). I used the self adhesive velcro strips on the joining peices. You can add the curling ribbon comming out of the boxes or even tissue paper. They have some great cello bags and cello wrap at dollar tree, michael's, and hobby lobby. Make sure to buy plenty they usually sell fast. I also buy left overs for the next year. I also like making cinanmon or salt dough snowflakes for decorations. Try to go shopping the after holiday sales. I have a closet just for clearance, sales, and discount items. I know that not every one has the space or funds, but I always try to look for the good deals and plan ahead.

I so need to finish my list, go shopping for the ingredients (love Sam's for that!) and plan out the schedule.

I have a long list of sweet items i'm putting in mine but this year i would like to include a few savory items. I know everyone is expecting all sweets from me and I would like to suprise them with something really good that's savory. Any good suggestions?? Thanks!

Both of those crackers sound great! I love the things Ina makes on her show!

thanks for explaining the tiered box idea. You know, homemade antipasto is something I have given. I'll try and think of more things.

there's sun-dried tomato, basil and Parmesan muffins that are good.

Hollyberry91 - Sauces????

Well, my initial thought WASN'T savory. I was thinking that lemoncello stuff that Giada always uses. I guess it could be used with food & sweets. Maybe make little canning jars of it with a recipe to use it with attached. Basically, it's a lemon simple syrup. You could go with a cocktail recipe maybe.

But, now that my brain is going - what about a home made BBQ or pasta sauce? Do you make anything like that?

Or - I had a friend in TN who gave spiced tea mix. Not sure what it was exactly, but it was tasty.

I used to make mini-scones with all kinds of sweets type combinations. However, you could make them savory for sure. Breakfast scone with bacon and cheese? I've seen some recipes along those lines. Scones dry out quickly - maybe a scone mix?

Maybe somebody will have a "light bulb" moment after reading my ramblings...

pattycakes...I think you were posting while I was "rambling". Those savory muffins sound fabulous!