What do you get your friend or family member who has everything? You hear a lot of talk these days about people trying to cut down on the amount of clutter or “stuff’ in their lives. But how does that fit into Christmas gift-giving?
I love the idea of giving consumable gifts for Christmas. You know what I mean: things that can be used up by the recipient. Consumable gifts could be anything from gift cards to event tickets. My favorite consumable Christmas gift, though, is Christmas candy.
Christmas candies can be a ton of fun to make. Just turn the radio on to your local Christmas music station and plan to spend a day in the kitchen. By making your Christmas gifts you’re sure to save money, and you can be sure your loved one will love his gift. Who doesn’t enjoy a plate filled with his favorite treats?
Below are a few of my favorite Christmas candies to get you started on planning your day in the kitchen. If you can’t find a recipe you like in your own cookbook, don’t hesitate to look for one on the web. They are everywhere!
Broken Glass Candy: This candy is a cinch to make since it doesn’t have many ingredients. Think of it as a Christmas peanut brittle that doesn’t have peanuts. My recipe calls for the use of red food coloring, but don’t feel free to add whatever color you’d like. Then, when it comes time to break the candy up, you can cover the floor with an old sheet (it makes clean up easier) and let the kids go crazy.
Divinity: For an old-fashioned Christmas treat, you may want to include this recipe in your Christmas candy plans. Again, this treat doesn’t have a lot of ingredients. However, there is a little work involved since you have to beat your concoction for a full ten minutes during one phase. You may want to skip this goodie if you don’t have a stand mixer.
Peanut Butter Fudge: For the loved ones who enjoy sweets, but not chocolate, peanut butter fudge is heavenly. Once you’ve formed the fudge into its pan, don’t forget to top it with festive decorations. I’ve seen fudge sprinkled with walnuts or peanuts or drizzled with icing. Either way, it’s perfect!
Peppermint Patties: A little more labor intensive than my other suggestions, peppermint patties are a real treat. There are a couple of different points that require you to let the patties chill, so space in the refrigerator is a must for this dessert. You could, however, let them chill while you’re starting another recipe. Older kids could, then, help you later with dipping the patties into their chocolate covering.
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