December 4th!  Wow, that came fast, we were just eating turkey and pumpkin pie yesterday weren’t we?!  Okay, so officially on December 1st, or the first weekend of December we’ve had the tradition to make it Christmas time around the house.  My husband was up on the ladder outside decking the house with new lights.  My daughter’s and I were inside the house putting up the tree and decorating.  My son was in charge of getting boxes down and sorting through old and broken lights and ornaments.

We declared this day (weekend) family time and we made an effort to turn off all electronics and focus on family fun.  Well into the evening our littlest took her toys and sat by the newly decorated tree and played by tree light.THESE are the memories we want to make and remember every year!

That very evening we enjoyed another tradition, Hickory Farms goodies from their Pack and Go Picnic Tote (retails for $60).

Slicing up turkey and beef sausage, we had a taste test and all the girls preferred the turkey and the boys preferred the beef, but both are full of such amazing flavor.  Stacking a slice of each sausage with a slice of Farmhouse Cheddar atop the crackers made for a delicious sandwich with a kick of rosemary.  Saving our peanut brittle for grandpa, we endulged in the peppermint cookies and  pretzels and vowed to make cookies and top them with the melt away mints when our bellies were full.

Product was sent for honest review, all opinions our own.

Choosing gifts that present beautifully and are as equally delicious proves valuable to many Moms when stressed for time and ideas. Besides shopping for the kids and your friends, what about teachers, neighbors, and even your mailman?  Hickory Farms is one retailer who combines these components and then some.

Hickory Farms’ gifts, a holiday tradition for nearly 60 years, provide a wide selection of signature sausages and savory cheeses in beautifully packaged boxes and baskets. Most of us can remember receiving Hickory Farms at some point in our lives, and the fun of carefully opening it and incorporating the delicious items into our holiday traditions. Whether that means serving the high quality foods to guests or enjoying them with your family, Hickory Farms believes that traditions matter, making these products a long-standing classic gift.

Hickory Farms makes gift-giving even easier this year, by featuring five signature gift boxes, using eco-conscious packaging, ranging from $16 to $100.

Our Take:  We received the Party Planner Gift Box and it was a delicious treat that we’d be happy to share with friends as well as teachers and neighbors.  The turkey sausage is a nice flavor and combined with the sweet hot mustard and creamy swiss cheese make a yummy snack.  I love the combo sweet/tart taste of he cranberry mustard, it has a taste of the holidays in it and it’s a nice change of a plain condiment!  We’d put this spread out as an appetizer at a party and it’s determined to be a hit.  I love that I’ve already seen Hickory Farms in our local Target store so I don’t have to order online if I don’t want.

Included in the Party Planner Gift Box ($40):
– 7 oz. Beef Summer Sausage
– 5 oz. Italian Recipe Beef Summer Sausage
– 5 oz. Turkey Summer Sausage
– 6 oz. Original Cheese Ball
– 4 oz. Smoked Cheddar Blend
– 4 oz. Mission Jack Blend
– 4 oz. Creamy Swiss Blend
– 4 oz. Big Barn Cheddar
– 2.5 oz. Cranberry Mustard
– 2.25 oz. Sweet Hot Mustard
– 1.5 oz. Sesame, Caraway & Sea Salt Crackers

This holiday season, Hickory Farms will donate $5 from each Party Planner Gift Box sold to Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign, a national nonprofit that is ending childhood hunger in America.

Additionally, Hickory Farms provides free military shipping to military APO/FPO addresses on select products, allowing our troops across the globe to share in holiday traditions. Visit hickoryfarms.com to learn more about these two opportunities as well as the variety of gift boxes available!
I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Hickory Farms and received a signature gift box from Hickory Farms to thank me for taking the time to participate.