by Samantha Wetzel

Created on: October 06, 2010

Everyone loves hot drinks and edible treats during the holidays. Diet or not, they're all hard to resist. Here are some ideas on how to keep close to the budget with edible holiday gifts sure to please everyone on your holiday gift list.

The cold windy weather can leave our bones chilled on wintry nights. Many of us love curling up with a hot beverage to thaw our insides. A great idea for a holiday gift is a mug for a warm beverage. I prefer the jumbo sized as it can double for a soup mug. Of course, you can't just give an empty mug as a gift. Fill the mug with gourmet coffees, herbal tea, or gourmet hot cocoa mixes. Aren't sure what your giftee enjoys on wintry nights? Consider filling the mug with festive candies you know they will enjoy.

Ready to make gifts are fun gifts to give and receive. Consider mixing a dry hot cocoa mix, cookie mix, soup mix, bread mix or muffin mix in a pretty jar wrapped with ribbon. Be sure to include the recipe and baking or cooking instructions. For a little more fun include a go with gadget such as a mug for the cocoa, cookie cutter for cookies, pepper mill and peppercorns for soup or a muffin pan for muffins. Even a cute pot holder added with your jarred ready to make mix can make a more complete gift.

A variety of bread mixes with a new bread pan is an easy gift. Pancake or waffle mix with a bottle of real maple syrup and a list of add ins for the recipe is a sure to please holiday gift. Bonus points if you get the maple syrup in a bottle shaped like a maple leaf.

Everyone enjoys ready to eat treats. A home baked bread with the recipe and even the bread pan can be a delight. The same goes for muffins with a muffin tin and the recipe included.

Baskets are a very popular go to gift for holiday gatherings. You can find the Pepperidge Farm kiosk or an equivalent in every mall come holiday season. Often times you're paying a little extra for the convenience of having the basket put together by someone else.

Stop by a dollar store, snag a basket, or two, for $1.00 each. Consider baking muffins, breads, cookies and other treats to fill up the basket. Even you non-bakers can join the holiday bake off with the large variety of mixes on the market. A trip to the grocery store for cookie, bread and muffin mixes, a few eggs, milk, vegetable oil and some fresh fruit will let you check off a few recipients on that holiday gift list.

In fact all the things listed above can be pulled together into a basket. With a little effort each gift basket can be personalized toward a specific person on your gift list. This is a low stress, budget friendly way to bring a smile to each of your friends, family members, and whomever else will be receiving a treat from you this year.

These edible gift ideas can also be tailored throughout the year to fit any occasion. Let yourself get creative and enjoy giving someone a reason to smile. It really is the thought that counts and these ideas will make any tummy rumble in delight as well.

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