What do you get for a friend who is not your best friend but close enough to merit a gift? This is a dilemma riddling people of all ages. While more than adamant to shell out money for those who mean a lot to us, we are wary of buying gifts for acquaintances. Herein lies the beauty of food. Homemade treats such as fudge brownies, egg nog cake and apricot preserves can serve as cheap, meaningful gifts for those who do not make your A-list. In fact, jams last a long time and can remind recipients of your kindness. So while those souvenirs you bought en masse may be great gifts outside the season of giving, they may be tossed to the side in the holiday frenzy of iPads, webcams and e-readers. Now, a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies? I know I will be sending a thank you letter to whoever baked those.

Related posts:

1. ‘Thanks, but what the heck?’