Last week, I wrote about some of my favorite canning tools and the reasons they might just make good holiday gifts for the canners in your lives. This week I want to feature some of the odds and ends that aren’t canning necessities but make a jar-filled life a little bit prettier and more fun (of course, I intended to get this posted on Monday, but that knock-out flu I had has put me behind in my posting. So sorry!).
First on the list is Weck Jars. They’re good for canning, for dry goods storage, and if you spring for a set of snap-on plastic lids, they make fantastic leftover containers. Because they’re a bit pricier than your average box of jars, they’re an indulgence, but isn’t that what the holiday season is all about? Once hard to find, they’re now available for online order from the U.S. distributor, Kaufmann Mercantile and Mighty Nest, and in Williams-Sonoma and Crate & Barrel stores.
For someone who has all their jar needs met, what about a pretty ladle? It’s good for filling your jars, scooping up servings of soup and chili and it looks fab sticking out of a crock of utensils. Available from Kaufmann Mercantile, it costs $32 and would be fun tucked in a stocking.
I love my stainless steel funnel
If I didn’t already have a stainless steel funnel, I might opt for this one
Drink toppers are another fun gift for jar lovers. I’ve written about these a lot lately, so I won’t go into crazy depth about them, but they’re great. There’s Cuppow, EcoJarz, and a lid specifically for iced coffee from the Mason Bar Company (they’ll also sell you a straw if you want a plastic one. I like these stainless steel babies
Once you turn your mason jar into a drinking cup, you need something to absorb the moisture and heat. That’s where a jar cozy or sleeve comes in. There are so many different Etsy shops making these. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Mason Bar Company (cute hand-crocheted cozies from the folks who sell the drink lids mentioned above).
- Greyslater (sleek waxed canvas sleeves).
- Fine + Dandy Knits (hand-knit cozies made from organic cotton, pattern is available).
- One Robin Road (charming cozies made from recycled sweaters. No two are alike).
- Cadron Creations (hand-crocheted cozies made to fit a variety of sizes, including the newly reissued pint & half jars).
- Two Tired Bike (mason jar sleeves made from recycled bike inner tubes. Great for jar lovers who adore their two wheeled transportation).
- Hide and True (hand-stitched leather sleeves. Spendy, but gorgeous).
- The Stowe (another leather sleeve, this time with a built-in handle).
Finally, the ultimate gift for jar loves is the Jars to Go tote from A Tiny Forest. Since I first wrote about the original two-jar bag, Kim has expanded the offerings in her shop to include a four-jar bag and single sleeves that fasten up over the top of the jar (perfect for packaging up super-special gift jars).
And since no gift guide is complete without a giveaway, here’s what I have for you today. There are two giveaway packs and we’ll have two winners. The first is from Kaufmann Mercantile and consists of a six-pack of 1/4 L straight-side Weck Jars and that lovely white enamel ladle pictured above. The second is a four-jar Jars to Go tote from A Tiny Forest in Kim’s signature blue-striped fabric (like this one).
Here’s how to get in on the giveaway:
- Leave a comment on this post and tell me about your favorite edible or culinary stocking stuffer (my favorite edible stocking stuffer is Pocky and my favorite culinary stocking stuffer is this little microplane nutmeg grater)
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- Comments will close at 11:59 pm on Saturday, December 8, 2012. Winners will be chosen at random and will be posted to the blog on Sunday.
- Giveaway open US residents only.
- One comment per person, please. Entries must be left via the comment form on the blog at the bottom of this post. I cannot accept submissions via email.
Disclosure: Kaufmann Mercantile sent me the ladle seen above for photography purposes. Kaufmann Mercantile and A Tiny Forest have both provided the giveaway items at no cost to me. No vendor mentioned above paid for placement.
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Ooh! I so love getting Peppermint Bark in my stocking! And I love giving (and receiving!) fun, festive shaped cookie cutters. Happy Holidays!
This year my favorite stocking stuffer is the Edgeware Better Zester. Can a zester be life-changing? I think so! Several of my friends will be getting these for Christmas.
My favorite stocking stuffer edible would be high quality swiss dark chocolate. Nom. Nom.
Edible – I am thinking granola this year! Kitchen tool
- a bottle opener (along with a bottle of nice wine)
My favorite stocking stuffer is a gift card to Sur La Table or Anthropologie.
Thanks for showing all the crochet cozies for the Mason Jars. Adorable. 
My favorite edible stocking stuffer is chocolate, hands down. My favorite culinary stuffer comes from childhood: my par… I mean Santa put a bottle of vanilla extract and a Vanilla Ice tape in my stocking as a precursor to a Barbie ice cream maker!
Oh my goodness, what a giveaway! Well, I am going for the old school tried and true: we would get clementines in our stocking (if good!), so that’s my choice.
Glad you are feeling better!!
The chocolate orange so favored by others is also my favorite edible stocking stuffer. As for kitchen tools, one year my stocking was heavy it couldn’t hang because my husband filled it with odd-size measuring cups and spoons. I love them (and him!) and use them constantly.
My favorite edible in my stocking is Nutella and a wonderful set of measuring spoons would be nice. Thanks for the chance.
Favorite stocking stuffer is definitely homemade chocolate graham crackers. Tool? Some new copper measuring spoons!
My fav edible is chocolate oranges, and my fav stocking stuffer is a honey dipper.
Mmmmm, pocky. We love pocky around here. I’d actually have to go with that as a favorite stocking stuffer, since I’ve actually used it several times in my son’s AND husband’s stockings!
I would love a stocking full of watermelon jolly ranchers. They win hands down. Love your idea for a nutmeg grater!
My favorite edibles are chocolates brought home from Canada where I grew up. Specifically, I love Nestle Macaroons and Icy cups (chocolates I am very reluctant to share!). My favorite stuffer I got was a set of decorative metal measuring spoons last year. They’re so pretty!
I love making and giving white & dark chocolate peppermint bark! Although friends might say its my seasoned nuts!!! Everyone needs a wine foil cutter!
Happy Holidays to all!!!!
My favorite edible is chocolate, any kind of good chocolate! I love and use often mini spatulas and a good set of tongs.
My favorite edible stocking stuffer is a half-cup jar of fruit butter. This year it might be blueberry butter that I made this summer.
my favorite to give away are wooden spoon sets tied with beautiful ribbons and bows
Favorite edible stocking stuffer? This year it will be 1/2 pint jars of 3 citrus marmalade, which is so good, I could just eat with a spoon. Favorite little gadget would be either new toothbrushes for the kids (they groan, I smile) or an olive wood spoon. Looks pretty peeking out of a stocking and always useful.
I love a good, expensive piece of chocolate! Non-edible favorites – my kids love a handful of loose change!
I have two favorites: a 4 oz. jar of Thai Pepper Jelly (it’s unexpected and a lovely color for the holidays) and White Chocolate Covered Pretzels (so easy and yet so impressive). Thank you! Have a wonderful holiday season!
I love the old fashioned ribbon candy. And white peaches freezer jam.
My favorite edible would be small jars of spiced honey with cinnamon, cloves, and lemon slices. My favorite culinary would be small spatulas – perfect for lifting brownies from the pan!
Every year I make lots of cookies & candy for Christmas Eve and have containers for everyone to fill with their favorites to take home. I also love to make Sausage Bread or Cinnamon rolls to give to our guest so they have a ready made breakfast for Christmas morning. Merry Christmas!
favorite edible stocking stuffer – homemade glazed nuts! I glaze several different kinds all at once, so everyone can have their favorites. favorite tool for a stocking stuffer – recipe card clips, to hang your recipes from the cabinet knobs, always with a pack of really nice recipe cards to go with it!
Stocking stuffers? On-half pint jars of my course mustard and a garlic slicer from Williams-Sonoma.
My favorite to give is a variety of homemade truffles. I am a newbie at canning so I would love anything that helps with the process.
Lemon curd and any new gadget I don’t already have! Thanks for the giveaway!
My family and friends LOVE getting jam in jars for Christmas!
I always love a new set of metal measuring spoons. A bag of tea leaves is always appreciated as well.
This year everyone is getting Cuppows. I’m downright evangelical about them!
I love chocolate and caramel for edible stocking stuffers and I love my garlic press for best culinary stocking stuffer. I’d LOVE a stocking full of Weck jars the best though!
My favorite culinary tool was a veggie peeler that makes both normal and julienne peels!
I always make my family something. This year it’s mustard, the good spicy, grainy kind. I love making a big batch then putting it in beautiful diamond jelly jars. Such a pretty stocking stuffer, and my brother-in-law always opens his the day I give it to him!
I love giving those small measuring spoons that are labeled: dash, pinch, smidgen.
My favorite stocking stuffer is maple syrup.
I know, it’s weird, but my favorite stocking stuffer is black olives. And my favorite culinary tool is my paring knife. Thank you.
My family gave up stockings a while ago- but I’ll pretend. Culinary—a Pampered Chef citrus peeler. One of those nifty (and cheap) things that scores an orange to make it easy to peel. Love those! Edible–I love Take 5 bars. I’ll be giving blueberry lemonade jam and peach bbq sauce as gifts. Can’t wait to hear how much people LOVE them.
Favorite edible would be Lindt chocolate and culinary would be fresh new kitchen towels – I LOVE getting new towels!
My absolute favorite stocking stuffer is maple sugar candy. So creamy on the inside with a slight crust. And the flavor of natural maple concentrated down to candy is unparalleled! For a kitchen stocking stuffer, a frilly retro apron tops my list.
Edible? Satsuma orange in the toe of the stocking. Culinary? My favorite little whisk.
My favorite stocking stuffer is Tupperware’s citrus peeler stick. It saves your fingers from citrus overload, particularly when peeling crates of all the wonderful winter citrus for making all kinds of jellies and jams.
This year my favorite stocking stuffer to give is my homemade root beer jelly.
My favorite stocking stuffer is tiny jars of homemade jams.
My favorite edible is candied ginger, we get it in Canada at this little co-op. Yummy. for a favorite tool stocking stuffer it would be bento picks and silicone muffin cups. So practicle and pretty.
My favorite is maldon sea salt…what a revelation!!!
I love giving (and getting) homemade gifts. Especially when there are recipe cards attached or ideas for how to use the gift!
I always get a bottle of hot sauce in my stocking from my dad-it still makes me smile, and although it is not Christmas related, I thought it would be fun to share-last year for Easter my husband put all of my Easter treats in a brand new beautiful stainless steel colander instead of an Easter basket! So cute!
My favorite edible stocking stuffer has got to be chocolate. Any kind!
I would love to get a jar of just about anything but I usually give strawberry jam. I want to try those weck jars. TY for the great giveaway!!!L
Mine would be really good Parmesan cheese (it absolutely works as a stocking stuffer, too!).