Stumped on what to give a Southerner for the holidays? Opt for something edible. A delicious nosh, nibble, or sweet treat will make an already stressful entertaining season run a little smoother. Here are a few seasonal favorites that I’d love to send this year via post (or slip into a stocking) for my favorite people.
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Cocktail Biscuits
I grew up in Virginia, the unofficial home of the tiny, flat, bite-sized ham biscuit that I remember being served at breakfast with Bloody Marys and in the evenings with all manner of libations—all season long. These mail-order Hamlet Kitchen versions featuring country ham from Edwards Virginia Smokehouse make me particularly nostalgic. You’ll want to buy them in sets of three—because it’s hard to eat just one ($12 for a dozen; hamletkitchen.com).
Chocolate Bars
I am a sucker for both beautiful packaging and delicious chocolate, and these gorgeous offerings from Jayson Home tick both boxes ($9 each; jaysonhome.com).
Candy Collection
Speaking of candy, leave it to doyenne of Southern entertaining Rebecca Gardner, of Houses & Parties, to curate the perfect old-school collection to fill a stocking in one fell swoop ($62 for the set; housesandparties.com).
Popcorn
This bacon caramel popcorn from the Buttery ATL in Atlanta is the opposite of the stale tinned versions you might remember from childhood ($15; thebutterylove.com).
Tea
It doesn’t matter which one you choose, each of the teas in this Palais des Thés collection essentially offer two gifts in one: the loose-leaf and the gorgeous container ($24 each; food52.com).
Cake
Deliver happiness in cake form with one of these lookers from Red Truck Bakery (I’m partial to the bundts) ($34–$60; ggfieldshop.com).
Apricot Fennel Pistachio Rounds
This mix of toothsome flavors from the Rounds NYC plays well with other holiday handhelds, such as the classic cheese straw ($40 for forty-five; theroundsnyc.com).
Southern Snack Plate
Charleston’s own Counter Cheesemongers has everything you need to build a staggeringly beautiful grazing buffet, from Southern cheeses and artisanal charcuterie to housemade crackers ($8–$75; countercheesemongers.com).
Cookie Tin
There is something dopamine-inducing about the delicate details on classic holiday confections like linzer tarts and snowballs, and this classic mail-order box from the Vienna Cookie Company lets you enjoy them at home without lifting a finger in the kitchen ($50; viennacookiecompany.com).
Booze-Free Bubbles
If you need a quick bottle for someone who doesn’t imbibe but still loves to celebrate, this nonalcoholic sparkling rosé from Boisson is one of my go-to picks thanks to a recommendation from Emeril alum and South Carolina sommelier and chef Sarah O’Kelley ($38; boisson.co).
Hot Pepper Jelly
Just add cream cheese (or chevre!) and water crackers to this hot pepper jelly from Alabama’s Stone Hollow Farm for an instant (and very Southern) holiday appetizer ($17; stonehollowfarmstead.com).
Advent Calendar
Snap this up early in the season—a snowflake-shaped advent calendar filled with sweets from La Maison du Chocolat will bring joy to the recipient every single day until the big day ($95; food52.com).
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