Originally published 12/6/2011, updated on 11/29/23.

Watch the CarbSmart Podcast Episode 3 on YouTube

Hey gang, Dana Carpenter here with Low Carb for Life, brought to you by CarbSmart.

If I posted a Thanksgiving article a couple of weeks ago, it must be the Christmas shopping season. Or Hanukkah. Or Kwanzaa. or Yule. or Saturnalia.

Or Festivus, or let’s drink to the days getting longer again. Today we talk about Low-Carb Holiday Gifts.

Whatever you want to celebrate is fine by me, so long as you count me in on the wine. So, let’s talk a little about low-carb gift-giving. Low carb gift giving? Sure, in a couple of ways. First, most low carbers know other low carbers. We’re a friendly bunch. Just go on the low-carb cruise someday. You’ll see.

Food Gifts for the Holidays

You may well have a low-carber on your gift list. How about the carbivores? Chances are you’re fond of a few of them, too. It’s a long-standing tradition to give gifts of food this time of year. My mom always sent homemade Christmas cookies and bread to all the relatives, not to mention our teachers and assorted friends.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t bring myself to send Food, I know, is pure poison to people I love, regardless of how much I know they’ll enjoy it, and the realization that my offering would be but a drop in an ocean of carbs. So let’s consider festive food gifts for low carbers and carbivores alike.

There are so many choices beyond fruitcake and caramel corn

Everyone thinks of cookies, candy, and fruitcakes for Christmas, but Low-Carb Holiday Gifts of cheese and sausage are easy to find. I know that every mall near me has a Hickory Farms (WARNING: Hickory Farms Gifts usually also include regular non-Low-Carb crackers) kiosk this time of year, and plenty of fancy food gift catalogs have selections of Great cheese and sausage, often with some interesting mustard thrown in.

For those with more elevated cheese tastes, you could adopt one of my traditions. Every Christmas, I put super expensive imported cheese in that nice boy I married’s Christmas stocking. He’d rather have a five-year-old aged Gouda and a good whiny Stilton than a chocolate Santa any day. One year, my publisher subscribed me to the Bacon of the Month Club.

Small Farm Artisanal Bacon

Bacon Freak Bacon of the Month Club here or here.

Every month, I got a new variety of small farm artisanal bacon. Wow, did I enjoy that! Turns out, there are now several Bacon of the Month Clubs. Bacon is deservedly trendy right now, so give it a quick Google.

How about some pricey steaks or a whole smoked salmon? For that matter, one year I found a kiosk at a local mall selling gourmet smoked salmon products.

All of these would make welcome Low-Carb Holiday Gifts for the low-carb and carbivore alike. Just as traditional as sweets are gifts of alcohol. Assuming you know your recipient in vibes, a good bottle of dry wine or a fine scotch or bourbon, or for this girl, a really good tequila, makes a welcome and low-carb gift. Skip the sweet wines and liqueurs. For the morning after, you could, of course, give gourmet coffees or teas. You might throw in a couple of bottles of sugar-free syrup for flavoring, or perhaps liquid stevia extracts. Maybe French vanilla, hazelnut, chocolate, caramel. The stevia comes in English toffee.

Sugar-Free Syrups

Sugar-Free Liquid Stevia Extracts

Liquid Stevia Extracts – https://amzn.to/40FACna. Maybe French vanilla, hazelnut, chocolate, or caramel. The stevia comes in English toffee. All of these would be great in coffee.

Low-Carb Coffee Gifts

Low-Carb Coffee Mugs – https://amzn.to/3unYUG1. Add a nice mug or two, you’ve got a really wonderful gift.

Fancy Quality Nuts Including Mixed Nuts

Fancy quality mixed nuts are another item often found in the fancy food catalogs that seem to grow in my mailbox this time of year. Or you could really splurge and give a five-pound container of macadamia nuts.

Often in these catalogs, you can find a mixed package that leaves out the junk. Several times I’ve sent my godmother a package from Harry and David’s that included a couple of blocks of good cheese. can of mixed nuts, and a few super good pears. What if you want to make something yourself? Gifts of homemade food are a long-standing Christmas tradition.

Harry & David Ultimate Meat and Cheese Gift Box (not 100% Low-Carb)

I have often made spiced roasted nuts to give away, and they’re always appreciated. In years that I’ve been flush, I’ve done pecans or cashews. When I’ve been broke, I’ve sometimes done peanuts. Easy to do in quantity too.

Low-Carb Spice Blends

I’ve also given spice blends. In particular, I’ve sent barbecue rub to my father-in-law, who rarely cooks anything he can’t do on the go.

Again, easy to mix it up in quantity. If you don’t want to buy my low-carb barbecue book just for this purpose, I’ll understand if you take it out of the library. If your library doesn’t have it, Ask them to acquire it. Most libraries are great about acquiring things patrons request, or they can get it for you through interlibrary loan.

You can often buy spice shakers at gourmet or health food stores that carry Bulk spices. Which, by the way, is a much cheaper way to buy the spices to blend than getting them at the grocery store. Or, you can simply package your spice blends in Ziploc baggies. How about a few non-food gifts for that special low-carber?

New Clothes

Something fitted to their new, slimmer body. I have long recommended that people go out and buy something that actually fits for each size they lose, even though they know that a new item will be loose in another month or two. Few things are so joyfully encouraging as seeing yourself in the mirror looking great.

Give Low-Carb Cookbooks

In the interests of shameless self promotion, You could give them a low carb cookbook. Gosh, wonder where you could get one of those. Just put in carpenter with a D where the T oughta go at Amazon. If you’re feeling flush, and you really, really, REALLY like this person, you could give them the gift of this year’s low-carb cruise.

Dana Carpender Books & Cookbooks

The Low-Carb Barbecue Book by Dana Carpender – AUTOGRAPHED BY AUTHOR – LIMITED SUPPLY!

Fat Fast Cookbook 2 by Dana Carpender & Andrew DiMino

Fat Fast Cookbook by Dana Carpender

Up to you and your giftee whether you want to share a cabin. So there you go – Low-Carb Holiday Gifts. Half your shopping list is taken care of. You’re welcome.

More Low Carb Recipes & Articles by Dana Carpender.