What It's Like to Get Holiday Treats in the Mail (Food52ers Tell All)

Every year, thanks to enbe's organization, the Food52 community gets to participate in our annual Holiday Secret Swap. This year’s sign-up included a $5 donation (or greater!) to a fantastic organization: The Edible Schoolyard Project. You all generously donated a total of $1716.50, and Food52 matched your donations to double our impact, for a total donation of $3,433!

Nearly 200 Food52ers around the globe participated in the fifth annual swap: Treats were made, sent, happily unwrapped and eaten, and everyone's edible gifting skills got to shine. Here are some of this year's highlights—​find more on the Food52 Secret Swap Tumblr page.

Thank you to all the participants for your thoughtfulness and generosity.

From mrslarkin to Panfusine:

“I can’t but help squeal with pure joy at the amazing set of goodies I received from Liz Larkin—a.k.a the Scone Lady—to the point I was borderline gloating about how Mommy is Santa’s favorite to my two little kids. Thank you for the precious, precious confections that you’ve made with so much love and care. My family is all the more blessed this Christmas. Looking forward to opening and savoring each and every one of these packages with my kids and also making some very special Parathas with the artisanal wheat flour. As the Saying goes in Sanskrit—Anna daata sukhi bhava—‘May the giver of food live well and prosper.’”

From QueenSashy to tbitty690 (enbe's dad!):

“A wonderful package arrived from QueenSashy filled with delicious homemade goodies including peach & red pepper jam, yellow pepper jelly, maple zucchini relish, a delicious Christmas fruit bread and cake, and Sri Lanken roasted curry powder (which smells incredible). The card was an ornament which went straight onto the tree! Thank you for the delicious and thoughtful gifts!”

From tbitty609 to gingerroot:

"Came home to find an amazing box of holiday cheer from Tom in Brooklyn: Mud coffee, a lovely tin of orange spice cookies, halva with pistachios, cranberry gingerbread, maple syrup and homemade dry rub. Thank you so much, Tom!! It is especially sweet to receive a secret swap gift from enbe’s dad. Enbe, you’ve made the season so much brighter and more meaningful for so many!! Thank you. Cheers, Jenny"

From gingerroot to Erica Campanella:

“I was so delighted to see that my swap gift this year came from gingerroot in Hawaii. You would think that air travel had just been invented the way I was talking to my roommate: “No, you don’t understand…It came all the way from Hawaii. Hawaii!" From left to right: Homemade olive oil, Norwegian holiday cookies, coconut almond granola (I was crossing my fingers for some great granola again this year!), a Madre chocolate bar, and a FLUX magazine.”

From Sorelle to Mary Tee Malmberg:

Thank you so much Sorelle for the amazing Christmas goodies! Everything made it to Maine in one piece and we’re enjoying every bit! Spiced homebrew almonds, Russian tea cakes, Jamaican gingerbread, chai spritz cookies, and chocolate hazelnut biscotti. The candle and tea towel are equally as fantastic! Many thanks, Mary, Chris, and Izzy

Tell us: What's your favorite food gift you've given or received this year?