We asked readers what gifts they are whipping up in the kitchen this year, or what other food items they are giving. Here's a sampling of what they said:

Susan Cullen of Albrightsville is making struffoli and other Italian cookies."My children are Polish as well, so I will try my hand at Polish Christmas cookies also."Liz Shubeck of Summit Hill says her gifts this year include food, snacks and homemade essential oil sprays."Food is love and everyone loves food whether it's salty or sweet. I started using essential oils for both fragrance and therapy, so I thought 'what perfect gifts to share.' You need to buy special bottles, which are around 5 ounce, purified or spring (bottled) water and a few drops of essential oil. Healthy for you and healthy for the environment," says Shubeck. "As for the salty and sweets … the sky is the limit. If you take a few extra minutes to look around the grocery store or local shops, you will find festive pasta, salsas, specialty chips and dips, candy and chocolate. Makes it fun for everyone!Jamie Heustess makes oatmeal scotchies, banana nut bread, ands her grandmother's yeast rolls."I am making the honey balls (struffoli) in memory of my mom!" says Tracey Lombardi-Kosa. "Yummy!"Irene Lee Walker is making chocolate-covered pretzel rods. "I have already bought the chocolate wafers, Christmas-y sprinkles. Pretzels rods are next. They're super easy! They look fancy-ish, but super easy, and there's lots of taste testing of course. I've also done Skor bits, mini-butterscotch or Reese's Pieces chips. And great for any holiday - with the matching sprinkles."Sarah Streby makes homemade roasted cashews for her neighbors. Here's the recipe:4 cups of raw cashews, soaked for 10 minutes2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil1 tablespoon of finely ground saltMix oil with the salt (in a gallon-sized zip-close bag), then pour the strained cashews into it and mix well. Pour onto a large baking sheet and bake at 225 F for 2 hours and 40 minutes, mixing once about halfway through.Margaux Lash is planning on making poppy seed tea bread for everyone, and since her husband loves it so much, he might even get one in his stocking.Lorina Fauber makes cookies."Cookie press (never did learn or remember the proper name), oatmeal raisin, Welsh, chocolate chip, etc., mostly using my mom's and grandmothers' recipes. I'd like to try gingerbread this year, but I know I wouldn't be satisfied with just gingerbread men and I'd try to make something crazy like a gingerbread Addams family mansion. I'm an over-desserter!""We make fudge, says Deirdre Popp. "Lots and lots of fudge."Amber McKenney spends time in the kitchen with her mother."mom and I make cookies, jam spice cake and usually some candies to take to our offices.""I often make awesome mini-fruit cakes in an effort to end fruitcake discrimination," says Laura Kennedy. "They are delightful in their rum-soaked goodness. I usually make some sort of snack mix or candy for a few people, as well."Patti Thomas says, "Cranberry bread! Every year."Theresa Keiser says she makes "Nut Roll American Indian style," a recipe from her grandmother, and fruitcake, which she starts in October and finishes in mid-November.Toni Nuttall, Saylorsburg: "I'm not much of a cook or baker, but when I see a recipe for something easy and impressive, I'm on it. I found a recipe for crockpot candy, and it is now my go to. This year, I will fill my homemade candy dishes with the candy. Both were fun to make!"Toni makes her clear glass candy dishes from items bought at the dollar store."I spray-painted the lids and candle holder with silver paint, then did a top coat of glitter spray. I glued the dishes onto the candle holders, and glued on snowflake embellishments. The blue one was a recycled glass candle container that I mod-podged with a napkin, then did a topcoat of sparkle Mod Podge, added lots of bling, and glued it onto a candleholder that I also 'podged' with glitter Mod Podge."To make the candy, Toni puts 1 jar of peanuts, 1 bag of chocolate bits, 1 bar of Baker's chocolate, and 1 package of "almond bark" (there are no almonds in it, it's just a giant white chocolate bar) into a slow cooker. Put on low for 1 hour. During the second hour, stir every 15 minutes until it's all melted and incorporated. Drop onto waxed paper or into mini cupcake liners. Makes about 80 pieces.A variation is to not add the peanuts at the beginning, and remove about 1/3 of the melted chocolate and then add raisins to that. Then add the peanuts in the slow cooker with the rest of the chocolate.