That sounds like a fun party to me, wish I was invited:) That being said one idea is the gifts in the jar. You could do the layered bean soup mix, homemade hot chocolate mix or something like that. That or your ideas for candy sound good too.

Stacie
who wishes she had some like minded friends to do this kind of party!

Here are a couple of easy ones:

HOT BUTTERED RUM MIX

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup confectioners sugar (MUST be sifted)
1/3 cup firmly backed brown sugar
4 Tbs. honey
2/3 cup dark rum
2 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 and 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine butter and sugars and cream until well blended. Mix in remaining ingredients and beat until creamy. Store in airtight container in refrigerator. Give mix with the recipe for Hot Buttered Rum.

To make Hot Buttered Rum: In a 9-ounce mug, combine 1 jigger (1 1/2 oz.) of rum with 1 heaping tablespoon of mix. Fill mug with boiling apple cider or water. Stir.

HOT SPICED WINE MIX

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. grated lemon peel
1/2 tsp. grated orange peel
1 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Place mix in an airtight container and give with the recipe for Mulled Wine.

To make Mulled Wine: For one serving, combine 1/4 cup mix with 1 cup red wine and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil over medium heat; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

The Rolo pretzels were a big hit with my friends last year and are always a hit when I serve them at bridge. Just place a layer of mini pretzels on a foil lined baking sheet with sides. Put an unwrapped rolo candy in the middle. Place in low oven 250 -300 2 -4 minutes Just until candy is soft. Remove from oven and place a pecan halve on top. Press down to push chocolate over pretzel. Place in refrigerate a few minutes to harden. Put in pretty little dish and wrap with clear cellophane, tie with some Christmas ribbon and Voila. So easy, so good. This year I'm making some Kahlua fudge sauce in pretty little jars for gifts. That's easy too.

Here's a few ideas-- sounds like a great way to spend a few hours !

Diane;s Home Cookin Chapter: In a Jar Dustcatchers Crafts-- novelty gifts

Caramel-Drizzled Spoons
=======================
4 squares (1 ounce each) white baking chocolate, divided
12 metal or plastic spoons
8 caramels
2 teaspoons heavy whipping cream
. Directions: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt two squares of white
chocolate; stir until smooth. Dip six spoons into chocolate; tap spoon
handles on edge of bowl to remove excess chocolate. Place on waxed
paper; let stand until set. Repeat with remaining chocolate and spoons.
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt caramels and cream; stir until smooth.
Drizzle over spoons. Let stand until set. Yield: 1 dozen.

Chocolate-Dipped Spoons
=======================
Ingredients:
1/2 cup raspberry chocolate chips
2 teaspoons shortening, divided
12 metal or plastic spoons
2 squares (1 ounce each) semisweet chocolate
4 teaspoons coarse sugar
. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon
shortening; stir until smooth. Dip each spoon into chocolate; tap spoon
handles on edge of bowl to remove excess chocolate. Place on waxed
paper; let stand until set. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt semisweet
chocolate and remaining shortening; stir until smooth. Dip coated
spoons into chocolate mixture; tap spoon handles on edge of bowl to
remove excess chocolate. Place on waxed paper; sprinkle with coarse
sugar. Let stand until set. Yield: 1 dozen.

Hot Chocolate On A Stick
========================
(use 1 oz. hot chocolate on a stick per every 1 cup milk or cream)

Equipment:
Ziplock bags or piping bags
A double boiler or pan with a glass bowl that can sit over the simmering water
Some kind of chocolate mold, ice trays work great
Stir sticks or a bag of wooden craft sticks like I used (available at any craft
store)

Ingredients:
8 ounces chocolate (with at least 70% cocoa butter, see note above), bittersweet,
semisweet, milk, and white chocolate all work
1/4 cup cocoa, Dutch processed if possible, sifted
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar, sifted
pinch of salt

6 cups milk and 2 cup heavy cream if you plan to enjoy these right away
. Method

1.If your chocolate is in a block, chop it into meltable pieces. Simmer
a couple inches of water in a pan and place glass bowl over the top to
make a double boiler. Be sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the
water beneath it, and regulate the heat so the water stays at a simmer.
Dump chocolate into the clean, dry bowl and stir as the chocolate
melts. 2.Once the chocolate is 2/3 melted, with just some pieces of the
chocolate unmelted, remove the pan from the heat and continue stirring
until chocolate is fully melted. 3.Add cocoa, sugar, and salt and
continue to stir until combined. 4.Lift the bowl off the pan and use a
towel to dry off any drips of water. Pour chocolate into a ziplock bag
and clip off the corner. 5.Pipe the chocolate into your chocolate mold,
tapping the mold on the counter to make sure all the chocolate settles
into the mold. Add a stir stick and you’re done. The stir stick should
stay upright without any trouble. 6.Let the chocolate cool either at
room temperature or in the fridge if you’re in a hurry. 7.If you don’t
like the look of the chocolate once it is removed from the mold, you
can dip the cubes into a new batch of plain melted chocolate for a
shinier finish. This also lets you add sprinkles or crushed candy or
just lets you dip in fun patterns. I like dipping at an angle into a
different color of chocolate. 8.In order to enjoy these, heat up any
combo of milk, water, half and half, or cream. I like 6 cups milk with
2 cups heavy cream. One ounce of chocolate on a stick should be melted
into one cup milk or cream. So a standard ice cube-tray block, which is
3/4 an ounce, should be melted into a mug with 3/4 cup milk or cream in
it. How to store it: Chocolate will keep in an airtight container for
up to a year. Don’t keep it in the fridge because it is really good at
absorbing odors.

Variations: Try adding a pinch of cardamom, anise, allspice, nutmeg,
cinnamon, malted milk powder, or cayenne pepper, depending on your
mood. We tried adding a little extra punch by lining the outside with
red hots. Very fun. You can also leave out the cocoa and sugar all
together and replace it with 8 servings of your favorite packaged hot
cocoa. Have you ever had so much fun? I love playing with chocolate.

Diane's Home Cookin Chapter: Holiday Food Gifts

Recipe: Hot Pepper Honey
========================
1 cup honey

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
. Preparation Step 1 Place honey and red pepper in a double boiler with
water.

Step 2 Bring water to a boil, and bring honey to 190 degrees for 10
minutes.

Step 3 Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Step 4 Strain while still warm and store in a jar just as you would
regular honey

The latest: Hot Pepper Honey. This is a really interesting flavor
combination, that goes well with both sweet and savory dishes.

And if you've got a couple hrs these are great-- end product is bright, deep green with bits of red scattered thru;

Christmas Fire And Ice Christmas Pickles:
=========================================
•2 jars, 32 oz. each, hamburger dill slices , dill pickle spears ( I use Mt Olive's Petite Kosher Snack Dills)
•4 cups sugar
•1-2 Tablespoons hot sauce (We use Frank’s Red Hot in this)
•1/4-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
•3 large cloves, or 6 small cloves, garlic, lightly smashed and peeled
. Pour pickles into a colander over the sink. Allow to drain briefly.

Add pickles, sugar, crushed pepper flakes, and hot sauce to a large
mixing bowl.

Mix gently until everything is evenly distributed.

Cover tightly and allow to rest at room temperature for four hours,
stirring every so often. After four hours, evenly divide the garlic
cloves between three impeccably clean pint jars. Spoon the pickles into
the jars and pour the liquid over the pickles to within 1/4? of the
lid. Screw lids in place tightly and allow to rest in the fridge for at
least one week -but preferably closer to two weeks- prior to serving.

Chai Concentrate
================
Adapted from The Oregonian

1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground clove
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
. In a medium-sized pouring vessel, such as a Pyrex measuring cup, add
sweetened condensed milk, sugar, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.
Mix until combined. Store in the refrigerator.

To use: Brew a cup of strong black tea, such as Assam, then add two
heaping teaspoons of concentrate or more to taste. Stir well until
concentrate has fully melted. Or, pour over vanilla ice cream, it's
absolutely delicious. Keep refrigerated.

To give: Pour into small 1/2 pt jars with lids and package
decoratively. Attach a tag with instructions to keep the mix
refrigerated and how to use it.

diane, thanks for that Chai concentrate, Ashley loves Chai tea, so I'm going to make her some!

Boo, there are always spice blends too, or flavored vinegars, flavored coffee/espresso mixes and, of course, salsa and jam. (grin)

Annie

Dare I say it . . .
Chex mix.
There are tons of recipes online on their Web site (Post, or whomever makes Chex)
Every year I get a hankering for some. Although if I actually HAD some I would try and avoid it . . . fat . . . salt . . . yum!

Take a look in Our recipes, you may find just what you want there. Check out the Holiday page too.

Thanks for all your sweet and savory ideas everyone. I'm lovin' it! Keep them coming.

Becky, you've gotten a lot of good ideas but your own very first idea sounds good to me. Buckeyes! You can sit and roll them while you chat with the others. They're easy enough and delicious. Plus, that little Buckeye is my very favorite team mascot. LOL.. love that guy. You could also make some bark and let it cool while you're making the buckeyes, then you can just break it up and bag it at the end. I think the buckeyes are enough, but whatever you think.

How 'bout some cookie or baking mixes in a jar?
They make nice gifts, useful, too.

Properly layered, they are attractive, also.
I have a number of recipes,
and will be happy to post some in the morning,
Have to start dinner in a few minutes.

They sold really well when I was selling in a co-op here,
People often came back wanting more.

Rusty

Well I went to the store today to pick up some stuff for the party. I forgot the peanut butter! So, I'll be running back to the store. Buckeyes are a definite. I'm also planning on making a cashew macadamia crunch (Hershey's recipe). I'm also going to be bringing gingerbread and sugar cookies already baked to decorate at the party. I still love the idea of the spoons.

I emailed a link to this thread to my sister-in-law that's hosting the party and she loves it. I think she passed it on to the others.

I know another niece & sister-in-law will be making barks, chocolate covered pretzels, Chex mix white trash and some dry meat rubs.

Great ideas! Keep them coming!

I wish I had some good ideas, but it sounds like there's lots of good ideas already.

I'm wondering how such a party works. Do the hosts have a huge kitchen with lots and lots of counter space, or a huge island? I can't imagine having the space for everyone to make their treats. Or does everyone make theirs one at a time as a demonstration? Just curious.

Sally

My sister-in-law does have a huge kitchen that opens up into an informal dining room. I'm thinking we'll be working in teams of 2 or 3. Each group making there own thing(s) and them sharing them at the end of the night. That's my guess! I also don't think that anything we're making is so difficult. So, if you get bored, you can switch to another group or start doing something else. I think there will be less than 10 (I think maybe 6 all together)of us there. So it'll be more conducive to poking around and seeing what others are doing and chit chat amongst the group.

That sounds totally fun! I get to do that virtually with all my friends here, but my friends near by are not cooks.

Sally

Thanks so much for the ideas! Here's what people made:
Toffee bark
Maple Apricot Granola
Limoncello
Pasta (dough was made ahead of time)
Lake Travis Mud (a spin off of Rocky Road)
Macadamia Cashew Crunch
Buckeyes
I also made gingerbread cookies and sugar cookies ahead of time for my niece and a friend to decorate.

These all went over really well. They all could be done within a matter of a couple of hours too.

I totally missed the point! Not only did we get a lot done but the time went by so fast! It was great having everyone there. It made it fun instead of work. I totally recommend having a party like this if you have the space!