[1] Festivus Maple Syrup, infused with holiday spices (all photo © Runamok Maple).

[2] Twin recipes, different names. Festivus is the tongue-in-cheek version of Runamok’s Holiday Spiced Maple Syrup.

[3] Maple syrup is a great gift. You know the recipient will be able to use it.

Fine maple syrup is a great holiday gift for a foodie.

A gift from a premier line like Vermont’s Runamok Maple shows how great maple syrup can be.

Runamok is an artisan producer of specialty maple syrup.

And their syrups are not just for breakfast. These syrups are special garnishes or mixed ins for cocktails, desserts, marinades, sauces and more.

> Here are 18 ways to use maple syrup beyond breakfast.

There are not only classic varieties—Traditional, Bourbon Barrel Aged, Rum Barrel Aged and Whiskey Barrel Aged—but exciting flavored ones:

Flavored Maple Syrups: Cardamom Infused, Cinnamon + Vanilla Infused, Coffee Infused, Elderberry Infused, Ginger Infused, Hibiscus Infused, Jasmine Tea Infused, Makrut Lime Infused, Smoke Infused and Smoked Chili Pepper Infused.

Limited Edition/Seasonal Flavored Syrups: Cocoa Bean Infused, Holiday Spice Infused, Strawberry Rose Infused, and a new Festivus Infused (more about that in a minute).

How to choose? It isn’t easy, with so many exciting choices.

But here are staff favorites: Coffee Infused Maple Syrup, Makrut Lime-leaf Infused Maple Syrup, Smoked Chili Pepper Infused Maple Syrup and the non-infused Whiskey Barrel-Aged Maple Syrup.
 
 
HOLIDAY SEASON MAPLE SYRUP GIFTS

Apple Brandy Barrel-Aged Maple Syrup. This flavor has similar vanilla notes to the classic Bourbon Barrel-Aged Maple Syrup, but with an apple infusion. Buy it here.

Festivus-Infused Maple Syrup. A cheeky label brings a smile to fans of Seinfeld. The ingredients are the same as the Holiday Spice Infused Maple Syrup. Buy it here.

Holiday Spice Infused Maple Syrup. Runamok’s classic maple syrup is infused with the cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and vanilla for some holiday sparkle. Buy it here.

For mega-holiday sparkle, check out Runamok’s unique…

Sparkle Syrup. The bottle of maple syrup is filled with edible gold glitter. You shake it, snow globe-style, to diffuse all the glitter before pouring. The glittering condiment will thrill adults and kids alike. Buy it here.
 
 
> MAPLE SYRUP HISTORY
 

THE STORY OF FESTIVUS

Most Seinfeld fans think that Festivus was the creation of Larry David, the head writer of Seinfeld.

But the Festivus holiday was conceived by author and editor Daniel O’Keefe—not for the year-end holidays but to commemorate his first date with his future wife.

It was celebrated by his family as early as 1966.

His son, TV writer Dan O’Keefe, introduced it to Seinfeld when he co-wrote the the 1997 Seinfeld episode, “The Strike.”

For those who don’t celebrate the religious holidays, Frank named his holiday “Festivus For the Rest Of Us.”

Since the Latin word festivus means excellent, jovial, or lively and derives from festus, meaning joyous, holiday or feast day, it fit right in to the Seinfeld holiday episode.

Instead of a Christmas tree, the Festivus holiday featured a Festivus Pole—an unadorned aluminum pole sticking up from a plain wood tree base (a Festivus sneer to the hyper-commercialized Christmas holiday).

Other traditions included:

 
Here’s more about the original O’Keefe Festivus tradition, and more on the Seinfeld Festivus holiday.