Sweet Grown Alabama Blogs

Christmas is glorious. It just is. From the festive decor and Hallmark movies (insert eye-roll here), to the cooler temperatures and, most importantly, the celebration of the Messiah, it’s just an amazing time of the year. Except for one thing…

Gift-giving.

There, I said it. Go ahead and judge me. But before you dig for the coal to put in my stocking, allow me to explain myself.

I used to love gift-giving. In my 20s I traveled a lot and relished opportunities to find very personal and interesting knick-knacks for my loved ones. Then, kids came along, and my time, creative energy and travel all took a sharp decline. What was once something I loved, now feels more like a chore.

For me, the trouble starts with simply shopping. Shopping for a meaningful gift takes a lot of time, energy, and focus. Remember those kids I mentioned? They are five and three and an absolute delight, but they are certified “zappers” of time, energy and focus – a real roadblock to meaningful shopping. In any given store, I literally have to dig them out of about 12 clothing racks, repeatedly shoo them from the checkout candy and manually remove them from any toy section. Twenty minutes in and I find myself thinking, “Wait, what was I here for? Oh yes, lovely gifts.” For me, the bottom line is this: shopping for gifts = aimless browsing that usually ends up unfruitful…with maybe a swear word or two mixed in.

And, if the hindrance isn’t my own children, it’s the rest of society. Browsing the shopping center during the holidays will sincerely make you question humanity. (No offense, humanity. I’m part of you too). My husband attempted to shop for my gift the week of Christmas last year. He came home with a nearly legitimate case of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. 

But, if by some miraculous feat, I can shop unhindered, my next hurdle becomes the questions…oh, the questions. Will it fit, will they like it, do they already have one, can they use it, what is the return policy, and on and on and on. So, lately, my extended family’s solution to this has been making an Amazon gift list and sending it to everyone. Truthfully, that feels so impersonal to me. And, let’s be honest, as a grown-up, there’s not much I really need.  I’m looking for something thoughtful and/or indulgent and/or sparkly (in case my husband is reading this).

Next comes wrapping. I remember wrapping gifts with my mother growing up. It was one of the sweetest parts of the season for me. We were so intentional about every detail – the quality of the paper, the coordinating ribbon, the perfect gift tag. Fast forward to 2020 and that three-year-old and a five-year-old love nothing more than completely unrolling every spool of paper or ribbon in my house and turning it into an princess gown or making a fort out of it. I know they’ll wrap with me one day, but for now, I prefer watching their make-shift princess gown fashion shows and attempting to climb into their wrapping paper forts.  The actual gift-wrapping always ends up on the backburner. And that’s okay.

Up next, the insult to injury…shipping. That’s right. Much of my family now lives in other states and when Santa and his sleigh are not an option, I must depend on “Joe” and his UPS truck. Or the US postal service…don’t get me started – that’s a topic for a different day. I find myself spending ridiculous amounts of time looking for the right box to balance the functionality of delivery and the appeal of presentation. By the way, if anyone can find a happy marriage between the two, please let me know.

And then, I find myself frazzled during the most joyous time of the year and I nearly miss the gloriousness of Christmas all for the sake of gift-giving. Don’t get me wrong, I think gift-giving is great. I just find that if I am to enjoy the most important parts of the season, something has to give. So, I end up giving up gift-giving.

You may be just like me and if so, may I offer a suggestion. Two words: Priester’s Pecans. Gift-giving is one of their specialties. Now, I’ll be honest, in-laws own the company, so I know what you’re thinking, “Of course she’d suggest Priester’s.” But do not let my familial connection negate the authenticity of my argument here.

I have personally watched the hardworking hands of men and women from Fort Deposit, Alabama carefully craft these products. I have personally listened to the genuine appreciation of my in-laws’ (Thomas and Melissa Ellis) as they interact with customers from near and far. And I have personally tasted one mouth-watering goody after another, all of which boast some of nature’s most delicious ingredients. So, yes, I am a part of the family, but rest assured my admiration of the company and its owners is genuine.

If that’s not enough to convince you, here are some other considerations.

Remember all those questions? Will it fit, will they like it, etc. Priester’s Pecans can solve many of those quandaries. Our products are loved by men and women both young and old. Seriously, everybody loves this stuff!  In fact, if your loved one doesn’t even like pecans, no worries! There are lots of non-pecan gift options. Does your recipient prefer salty or sweet, or a combination of the two? Doesn’t matter, we’ve got it covered. With our product variety, Priester’s Pecans is like the gift that always “fits.”

You can never have too much Priester’s, but if your recipient would like to enjoy their “Priester’s Prizes” later, then GREAT NEWS! Almost all Priester’s items freeze very well and can be stored for quite some time. It will be like the gift that keeps on giving!

Now, remember the beloved wrapping sessions that morph into make-believe time with my little ones? When you use Priester’s for your gift-giving, you won’t sacrifice the beautiful presentation of your gift. Priester’s has an incredible assortment of decorative tins, gift boxes and baskets that will “wow” your recipient. 

Priester’s gifts can also come with a personalized card, so you can round out your delicious gift with an expression of warm wishes to your recipient. Win-win! 

Gifts from Priester’s Pecans are top quality, so when your loved one opens their box and sees that red and yellow logo, he or she will know they’ve made your “nice list” this year!

And perhaps the best part of all…this amazing gift-giving option can take place from the comfort of your home. So, no holiday shopping PTSD. You can relax, pour yourself a cup of hot chocolate and enjoy your Hallmark movies (or whatever men do while women watch Hallmark movies). Simply visit Priesters.com and we’ll get you fixed right up.

We do hope you’ll consider Priester’s Pecans for your gifting this year. But regardless of what you decide, make sure you take time to slow down, enjoy your family and friends, and reflect on the real reason we celebrate Christmas.

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas from your friends at Priester’s Pecans!