Do you have favorite must-have Christmas food at Costco and Sam’s? Do you have a hard time not buying EVERYTHING like I do? How about stocking up on baking ingredients? Yes to all of the above?
They get me every year – walking through Costco and Sam’s at Christmas time. Everything looks wonderful, fun, and festive! I have to hold back so that I don’t spend too much on food, much less gifts. Well done, Costco and Sam’s marketing people. Well done.
Here’s what came up when I searched online for Costco and Sam’s Christmas images. SEE? This is what we find when we walk in. It all looks so good!! (Yes, I do love all things Christmas.)
My good judgement does kick in and while I do put several fun treats and gifts into my cart, I don’t buy the entire store. #selfcontrol
But here’s what I tend to buy that is both practical and fun for hospitality during the holidays…
Favorite Christmas Food at Costco and Sam’s
Hawaiian Rolls
These are great for Sliders on a finger-food night or as a side dish if we’re having Ham. These are super sweet and tasty, perfect for a Christmas treat/snack/lunch/side. What? They’re just rolls, you say? Nope, not at Christmas time. They are magic rolls during the holidays.
Cheeses and Crackers
I’m not sure why I don’t put together fun cheese and cracker trays on random Thursdays in February. These seem to be saved for special occasions like Game Nights around holiday time. Either way, Costco and Sam’s both have nice options for cheese varieties and fancy crackers.
White Queso
Ok fine. I buy this all year long. But it does taste better around Christmas and it works great to keep warm in one of my Mini Crock Pots. We love this when we set up a Nacho Bar!
Fresh Fruit
I obviously buy this all year long too. But a fresh fruit platter at Christmas time? Well, it tastes extra sweet and looks extra pretty. Is it possible that the Costco and Sam’s marketing people have me all excited about everything when I’m there in December so even the grapes look irresistible?? Absolutely. (Even though I just bought the exact same variety of grapes two weeks ago when the Christmas music wasn’t playing and I felt no extra excitement beyond, “well here’s a good snack for Wednesday.”)
Croissants
Yep, these are a must-have with Chicken Salad on say, December 23?? On a Santa tray. With a side of those marvelous grapes mentioned above and ooooh, BABY CARROTS!!! (Again, buy fresh produce whilst Christmas music is playing in the background and suddenly everything is an exciting Christmas-food purchase. Baby carrots in March will just be baby carrots. In December they are FABULOUS WITH SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL DIP!!!)
Is this just me?
Fun Drinks
For real though – hot chocolate, tea, and coffee in green and red packaging with gold trim and glittery snowflakes? I need them all because my family and guests will LOVE their drink while we sit and visit, open gifts, and play games. We have all those fun Christmas mugs, do we not? We must provide drinks to fill them. And not just any drinks. The exact same drink that will later be found in a normal-looking package but is now only available for a limited time in a super fun festive package. I give in to this (and also they are usually “on sale” so this is a plus).
How about baking ingredients?
100% yes. I stock up on everything during this time because some of these items (like organic canned pumpkin) is not available year round. And the prices truly are wonderful this time of year.
Granted, shopping at Christmas time and seeing all of the ingredients deceive me into thinking that I will for sure have time and make time to make allllllll of our favorite Christmas goodies. Obviously we will bake for our neighbors, our church staff, our kids’ teachers, and everyone else within a twenty-mile radius. Obviously.
I may or may not be able to follow through with these grand plans, but I never regret stocking up on baking ingredients during the holidays. They are discounted and they will be used eventually. So these always go into my cart:
- Canned pumpkin
- Cream cheese
- Butter
- Chocolate Chips
- Unsweetened Cocoa
- Flour
- Sugar
- Cinnamon
I might also give in to special-shaped pretzels, Chex cereal, chocolate stars, nuts, and other fun items placed on end-caps and featured as limited time selections. If the price is right and I know how to use it…
Tell me what happens to you when you walk into Costco or Sam’s at Christmas time? Do they get you too? Does the festive feel of the store make you feel like all the normal things (ORANGES!!! SOCKS!! HEXIGON CRACKERS!!! are suddenly the most amazing Christmas items that you must have??
Or is it just me?