Recipes

[wagirl]

Would not give out  food as gifts---I think gift cards to the various food/coffee places are so much better. When I worked as a teachers aide in a preschool, I was given food, that I threw out-------not a fan of eating strangers food. Would have loved gift cards or a hand made non food item. Once I got a lovely hand sewed reversible apron that I still use today and that was over 20 years ago. Same mom made stationery too. 

[beckyb1012]

For over 20 years now I have given my post man and the maintenance men in my office building baked goods for Christmas.  It is always the same as the food gifts I give my friends here on the same floor with me.  I do something different every year to mix it up.

I about fell over one Christmas when my UPS man brought me fudge.  I was so shocked he thought of me.  What a turn around to get a food gift item, it was sweet.  (and tasty)  He is on another route now, too bad.

[AuntG]

I don't give gifts to people who perform services, with the exception of the newspaper delivery driver. Our newspaper actually suggests tipping so we put money in a Christmas card.

[Mary Bailey]

For Thanksgiving & Christmas Eve & Christmas Day  I always bring petit-fours from Swiss Colony

for FIL  I make spiked Cranberry Sauce.

[aroc3435]

@AuntG  The reason the newspaper publisher suggests a cash gift for your carrier is because he or she receives very little pay from the company for faithfully delivering your paper in all sorts of weather.  Add in the gas, vehicle upkeep (bundles of paper are heavy) extra auto insurance, and ungodly early hours if it is a morning paper and you really have to be dedicated to do it properly.

I've always given mine holiday cash,and still do, as did my parents, even in the "good old days" up until the 60's-70's when it was no longer a fine first job for a twelve year old before or after school.

It is almost exclusively delivery by adults these days. 

[mustang66lady]

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@Mary Bailey wrote:

For Thanksgiving & Christmas Eve & Christmas Day  I always bring petit-fours from Swiss Colony

for FIL  I make spiked Cranberry Sauce.

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I have given our grandson's bus driver and assistant gift cards to Subway.  We live in a very small village and I figured it would be a quick lunch or dinner for them.  Our Grandson loves to make Christmas ornaments and he makes one for each of them as well as his teacher.  I don't know our mail carrier-seems we have a different one daily and our UPS person changes frequently as well.  Trash is picked up at 6 a.m. and don't know them.  Have no idea of how many gift cards I would have to leave.   

@Mary Bailey

Would you mind posting that recipe for Spiked Cranberry Sauce?  If you have already done so, I missed it.  Sorry OP for hijacking your post.  

[Mary Bailey]

@mustang66lady  here you go. Enjoy!

Bourbon Cranberry Sauce Ingredients

• 1 pound (about 4 cups) cranberries
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup bourbon

Recipe Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine first 3 ingredients in 9x13-inch baking dish. Cover tightly with foil and bake until cranberries are tender and sugar is dissolved, stirring once, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and stir in bourbon. Refrigerate cranberry sauce until well chilled. DO AHEAD: Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Transfer to bowl and serve

[mustang66lady]

@Mary Bailey

Thanks so much for taking time to post your recipe-perhaps DH will eat the cranberry sauce this year if some bourbon is in it!  

[Group 5 minus 1]

We do not give food as gifts. If we receive it we give it to our woodland critters.

[wagirl]

I am making compound butter and seasoning mixes for my family this year. I don't give any food to anyone anymore except if I order online and send it to them. I use to get food as gifts from the preschool moms when I worked at a preschool,  and I never ate it---not a fan of eating something from someone I dont know. And I think gift cards for coffee or food  is more appreciated to those that deliver stuff or do stuff for me.