Last-Minute Hors D’oeuvres with Gourmet Gift Baskets for Holiday Entertaining

Holiday entertaining is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the season, but it can also get a bit stressful! With so many social engagements and activities, you may end up needing some emergency entertaining ideas.

Whether you’ve just answered the door to find unannounced guests or need a quick and easy idea for your dinner party, take a look at some of our favorite last-minute appetizer ideas.

Maple Summer Sausage

This hors d’oeuvre recipe from Yummly is perfect for keeping your guests happy prior to Thanksgiving dinner. Rich maple summer sausage and maple are perfect for fall and winter, and our gourmet sausage is perfect for adding an extra-special touch to this dish.

Blue Cheese and Pear Tartlets

Combine juicy Crown Comice ® Pears from one of our fruit baskets with rich blue cheese and puff pastry to create these elegant Blue Cheese and Pear Tartlets.

Cheesy Cheddar Fondue

This recipe for Cheesy Cheddar and Apple Cider Fondue provides another great use for our gourmet cheeses. Use our gourmet sausages for dipping, as well as apples or pears from our fruit baskets.

Wine and Cheese Bar

Hickory Holiday Reserve from Hickory Farms

This is actually one of the easiest solutions for holiday appetizers, but it is sure to be a hit with your guests! Set up a wine and cheese bar on a sideboard or table with wine glasses and charms (to identify the owner), a selection of red and white wines, a cheese board with a variety of gourmet cheese, and some delicious gourmet crackers.

Our wine gifts are a great solution for last-minute entertaining, almost like a ready-made party! These gourmet wine gift baskets come in a variety of combinations, accompanied by mixed nuts, orchard fruits, and gourmet sausage and cheese.

Grazing Boards

Another fantastic idea for easy holiday appetizers is to create a grazing board. For some lovely ideas, check out At Home with Kim Valée. Basically, a grazing board should contain some combination of meat, cheese, bread, and an accent like gherkins or caramelized onions.

Beef Summer Sausage from Hickory Farms

Our gourmet gift baskets filled with Beef Summer Sausage, Smoked Gouda and other gourmet cheeses, and delicious specialty condiments like our Sweet Hot Mustard allow you to create a beautiful spread of pre-meal munchies, without the stress.

The Original Cheese Ball from Hickory Farms

Cheese Balls

And of course we can’t forget one of the best time-tested holiday appetizers of all time – the classic cheese ball! Head over to our classic food gifts to order a selection of cheese balls for your next gathering.

How do you use Hickory Farms gourmet gift baskets to simplify your holiday entertaining routine? Share your ideas in the comments section, or head over to our Facebook page!

Simplify Holiday Shopping with Christmas Gift Baskets to Maximize Family Time

The holidays are a busy time of year, full of social events, shopping and all sorts of seasonal activities. Unfortunately, with all of the hustle and bustle, you may be missing out on the things that are most important about the holiday season!

This year, make time for the things that really matter about the holidays – family, friends, traditions and community. How can you do this? It all comes down to how you manage your time. One of the best ways to leave time for the things that matter this holiday season is to get your gift shopping done as quickly and easily as possible.

Fighting crowds and traffic can drain valuable time from your day that could be spent volunteering for your favorite cause, visiting a friend or just enjoying a relaxing winter evening with your family. If you are looking to shop online for Christmas gift baskets as a way to spread holiday cheer and save time, selecting a basket full of trusted favorites from a reputable company is another great way to ease your mind.

Christmas gift baskets from Hickory Farms

Grand Snack Tower Gift Basket from Hickory Farms

Visit the Hickory Farms website to explore our range of gourmet gift baskets and other holiday gifts for every person on your list. There’s something to fit any taste from wine gifts, fruit baskets and gourmet nuts to sweet gifts and gourmet cheese and sausage. Surprise that sausage aficionado with a stocking full of savory Summer Sausage, or satisfy a sweet tooth with classic treats like mints or fudge.

Gourmet sausage and cheese from Hickory Farms

Beef Summer Sausage from Hickory Farms

We make it easy to find the perfect item for everyone on your list, allowing you to shop by price or browse special offers. And while you’re shopping online for holiday gift baskets, don’t forget to send something to your military friends or family! Visit our recent post about Operation Gratitude to learn about our partnership with this great organization. Visit us online to shop military gifts with free shipping to APO and FPO addresses.

Do you shop online to save time during the holidays? What would you do with the extra time if you had it? We’d love to hear from you, so share your holiday traditions and ideas with us in the comments!

Get Ready for Black Friday with Gift Baskets for Christmas!

Thanksgiving is a day of grateful togetherness with friends and family, enjoying delicious food and warm company with the ones you love. Most families have cherished traditions that take place at Thanksgiving every year, whether it’s a special dish or a post-dinner game of football in the back yard. But let’s not forget about another cherished tradition that starts the day after Thanksgiving – Black Friday!

Holiday traditions from Hickory Farms

After sitting around and eating rich food for a day, Black Friday sales are a great reason to get out of the house and get moving. This annual retail event is the unofficial start of the holiday season, and the perfect time to start checking names off your holiday gift list.

Get a good start on your holiday gift shopping this year by taking advantage of our Black Friday promotion! Whether you’re shopping for family members, your children’s teachers, or even for corporate gift baskets for Christmas, there’s something at Hickory Farms for everyone.

Family Gathering Gift Basket from Hickory Farms

On Black Friday, head to your nearest Hickory Farms location for an exclusive in-store offer you won’t want to miss. When you spend $50 or more on gourmet gift baskets and other Hickory Farms products, you’ll be rewarded with a cutting board while supplies last– a $20 value!

Our holiday gift selection has something for every taste, from gourmet meat and cheese, delectable sweets, and gourmet mixed nuts, to fruit baskets, gourmet mustard, and holiday fruitcake.

Orchard’s Bounty Gift Basket from Hickory Farms

Don’t wait until the last minute to get your holiday shopping done. Gourmet holiday gift baskets are a perfect way to show you care with a high-quality food gift that evokes classic American quality and tradition.

What are your favorite food gifts you’ve received throughout the years? Do you have any Black Friday gift shopping traditions? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below, or head to our Facebook page to join the conversation!