Nope. I love sharing food at the holidays, and always have, but not this year. What would I say? I would accept the gift, say thank you and quietly dispose of it. If someone wants to share gifts of food they should be special treats that are bought, not homemade.

Alas, I agree. No little mincemeat pies this year unless I make a few for myself. I'm not encouraging visitors so don't intend to have a lot of anything on hand, unless I'd buy small bags of candy to pass through the crack of the door. :(

I agree with Iris.

Our old neighbor was the best baker, if she sends cookies I’ll take them!

My SIL has been making banana bread a couple of times a week and dropping some off. All this year. We've made entrees at home and shared them - pasta sauces, stews, soups although admittedly most of those things are served hot. Which may make a difference. A neighbor who loves to cook feeds us frequently, leaving dinner maybe as often as twice a month. I've yet to say No, he's a great cook.

Our realtor now our neighbor left cookies this week and we're enjoying them. He baked them. I know his habits. I've been in his house. His spotless kitchen. I've never seen any data indicating Covid has been linked to food anyplace, either. Have I missed something?

If my co-worker brings in her rum balls and they give me the 'Rona I'll die a happy woman!

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7529092/

I used to bake cookies and nut cups at Christmas for family and coworkers. Not this year though. Not seeing family and I'm furloughed. If I bake then I'll just eat it myself and I don't need extra pounds.

I'm baking right now, trying out some different recipes. So far, none of my friends or neighbors or my son and his family have refused anything. Biggest "danger" is the face-to-face handover of the treats.

I suppose the sensible thing to do is ask your neighbors before dropping off goodies. If you know them well enough to share food, why not call, knock, or leave a note asking if they would enjoy a holiday treat, or would they prefer to wait until sometime after Covid. For us, we've exchanged a few desserts with our closest neighbor -- but we know she is super cautious.

I do not see any reason why not to bake or accept homemade goodies. I do not believe Covid is transferable in foods or surfaces. But who knows. I would go with your gut and do as you please.

My aunt and I discussed this last night, and she is in the "the cookies and other baked goods (and food) would be as safe as what we buy in stores and bakeries" camp.

Thanks for the input.

I often bake and send goodies to DS and family living many miles away. I am always extremely careful about washing hands, etc. and wear a mask the whole time. The unknown is always lurking, of course, so I'm not sure if I will continue although they all love this touch of caring from Grandma.

I am expecting goodies from two people. Most years I simply open to see if there is anything that is perishable and needs to be refrigerated. Then I allow the boxes to sit in a safe place until Christmas Eve. I will do the same this year however since they are being shipped I should wear a mask and gloves when opening. If it is something that I do not like I simply feed it to the birds and other wild things.

Yup, I'll take them. My friend makes kringles every year and dropped mine off the other day, and we are eating it quickly. I look so forward to the best kringles in the world! Hubby makes fruitcake and passes it out, people who like fruitcake love his.

Good points. I think I will not be sharing baked goods. I usually do.

I just ask people. They are generally honest about it. I take extreme precautious with covid and they all know it. I wouldn't be at all offended if someone declined. I probably wouldn't eat food from someone I know doesn't believe in covid, like some of my family members. It's unlikely to get you sick, but baked goods are not important enough for me to risk it if I don't trust the source, as I still think there's a lot we don't know about this virus.

The only worry with baked goods, e.g, mincemeat tarts, any viruses inside having been cooked, would be with what might have contaminated the surfaces, later.

If you're worried, give 'em a quick blast to the surface in the regular oven or microwave.

If I get any, I plan to string 'em on a board hung from the clothesline, to outfox the foxes, coons, skunks, bunnies and rats. But I may have to put'em in a plastic box against the birds and deer ... but will have to leave 'em for several days, due to the plastic reducing the power of the sunlight. Probably bring 'em in overnight, for deer can access the clothesline.

So accept any gifts graciously, quarantine'em if you feel it necessary, and perform cleansing operations in order to make them a part of joyfully welcoming in the New Year!

ole joyfuelled ... who enjoys fuelling help to body and spirit from cookies, tarts, etc. gifts

Cooking kills virus. Your stomach kills virus. Covid is a inhaled disease.

I have a neighbor, next door, with no family. He is a marine biologist,PhD. A man in his early 70's. I watch his dog (who I love) each time he travels (which is often). Now since the virus, he doesn't travel but does go out to shop.

I bring him food occasionally when I make something he likes.

The bottom line is you have to know the people. I would have no problem giving or receiving gifts of food from people I know. Food is something you eat, your stomach will take care of any germs. Covid is a inhaled virus. Just like the common cold which is spread from droplets from your nose.

Jane

I don't receive baked things at Christmas, so I don't concern myself with it, but suppose if someone made something for me, I would accept it.

Sue

Thi is sooo sad. Why do sooo many not yet understand how this virus is spread!! Ya need 10 minutes of contact with no masks!! The virus will not, will not, will not be transferred via baked goods!!! There is ZERO , NONE, NADDA scientific proof it is!!! Gathering bringing food LINGERING OVER A MEAL has been discouraged but that is not the same as baking at home and gifting or accepting gifts of home made items. Honestly people the paranoia over this is not helping us endure!! As I do every year I will send my dad's favorite cookies and the raspberry cordial we made. Apples were in abundance on all the neighbors trees this year. One gal had four trees. She made pies for all 30+ households here in the woods. They were DELISH!! Our contact with one another has to be fleeting this year not NON EXISTANT!!

If it is something I like, I'm eating it.

Well, now I can't wait to see if my neighbor brings me her homemade marshmallows again this year!

"Thi is sooo sad. Why do sooo many not yet understand how this virus is spread!! Ya need 10 minutes of contact with no masks!! The virus will not, will not, will not be transferred via baked goods!!! There is ZERO , NONE, NADDA scientific proof it is!!! Gathering bringing food LINGERING OVER A MEAL has been discouraged but that is not the same as baking at home and gifting or accepting gifts of home made items. Honestly people the paranoia over this is not helping us endure!! As I do every year I will send my dad's favorite cookies and the raspberry cordial we made. Apples were in abundance on all the neighbors trees this year. One gal had four trees. She made pies for all 30+ households here in the woods. They were DELISH!! Our contact with one another has to be fleeting this year not NON EXISTANT!!"

EXACTLY, Arcy-thank you