Went to Sam's Club last night and found among other things a beautiful gallon jar of the BIGGEST Queen-Stuffed Green Olives that I have EVER seen! Only $12. A tiny jar of olives 1/2 the size at Krogers (labeled as "jumbo") was also $12!

Also stocked-up on other ingredients I know I'll use between now and New Years that I normally don't keep around that much: jumbo pecan halves, marinated jardinierre veggies, marinated artichoke hearts, whole cranberries, mincemeat, coconut, all kinds of various baking morsels- semi sweet choc, unsweetened choc, butterscotch, p.butter, marshmallow creme, sage, evaporated milk, chicken stock, jumbo shell-on prawns, butter, Heniz red chili sauce (it's GOT to go into homemade cocktail sauce for shrimp!) assorted crackers...

My holiday stock-piling has begun!

What's on YOUR list of holiday necessities?

definitely tons of flour and sugar, I made my vanilla sugars and the spice mixes I will be needing, vanilla is fresh along with the baking powder and soda, food coloring is checked and fine, spices are checked and replenished, now I am going through the recipes of waht I am going to make

I have picked up those same olives at SAMS. Ours has them in two jar packs. I always keep one and give on the Jon's Dad.
SAMS always has a good price on huge jugs of olive oil.
I went through my cabinet the other day and wrote down the herbs and spices I am low on. I need sage and poultry seasoning. I am also almost out of cinnamon, cocoa and several other spices I have to restock before the holidays. Not to mention extracts. Those also need restocked. I try and watch the papers for sales on chocolate chips, nuts and assorted sugars. They put brownie and cake mixes on sale here occasionally for $1 a box.
Thankfully since Jon's Dad plans to do a pizza Christmas this year like last I don't have to do as much cooking. I have a SS/holiday dinner with him the Sunday before Christmas and it is wonderful with just the three of us.

I do try and keep a well stocked pantry, still never have what I need. Oh well. We always have Wal-Mart, I hate that being the only store we have. We used to have a Winn Dixie but they closed some years ago. CF

Managed to stop by a little bulk food shop in town today and restock a few things. I got smoked paprika, rubbed sage, poultry seasoning, cinnamon, cocoa & fennel seed. I need to go by the Mexican supply shop tomorrow and get some Mexican oregano and then I should be in fair shape for herbs and spices. Need to get some herb de provence next time I go to Kroger.