This year when I was trying to figure out what to buy my friends for Christmas, I was perplexed.  The more I thought about it the more I decided I did not want to buy them gifts. I wanted to make them.  (Terry—this is where you should stop reading if you want to be surprised.)  I ended up buying some baskets at the pazar and filling them with baked goods.  Here they are in all their glory.

These eight baskets represent about 12 hours of baking.  Oh the love!

Here is a close up—unfortunately not very good.  The baskets were filled with sugar cookies(cut into all types of lovely shapes), jam and butter cookies, peppermint chocolate pinwheel cookies and gingerbread.  All packages tied with little red bows, tucked in adorable little baskets.

Not to brag but I think they are WAY better than the candle holders I was going to buy.   I am also psyched because I also managed to freeze a little dough so we can bake fresh cookies for our house on Christmas Eve.