With the face of Santa, poinsettias and
stars, these earn the name, “art candy.”
Photo courtesy Hammond’s Candies.

In honor of National Hard Candy Day, today, find candies in shapes and colors that add interest to your decor, or that celebrate the season at hand.

For Christmas, old-fashioned “cut rock” hard candies—the ones with pictures in the center, known as art candy—are still made by Hammond’s Candies.

Like the ship in the bottle, people marvel at how the designs—for example, tiny Santas, Christmas trees, gold stars and poinsettias—get into the small pieces of candy. Each hand-made piece is a little work of edible art.

• See more of our favorite candies in our Gourmet Candy section.

Hershey’s Bliss white chocolate squares with a “creamy meltaway center” hit the spot. Not sugary-sweet like some white chocolate, they’re portion-controlled so you can enjoy just a bite or two.

You can also use the little square of Bliss to crown other desserts, or serve a piece along with cups of coffee.

Or, use them in our Cupcake Surprise recipe.

• Check out our favorite chocolates—and everything you’ve always wanted to know about chocolate—in the Gourmet Chocolate Section of THE NIBBLE.

Bliss for a white Christmas. Photo by Hannah Kaminsky | THE NIBBLE.

Spread joy with Paumanok Preserves’
savory chutney, conserve, jelly and jam.
Photo by Hannah Kaminsky | THE NIBBLE.

The best gourmet peanut butters, jams, chocolate bars, maple syrups, teas or mustards, for example, are treats that recipients can appreciate every day of the year—and they’ll think of you with every delicious bite or sip.

Put together a selection of the finest in a gift box. In addition to the food themselves, your gift will be the joy of discovery.

• Check out Paumanok Preserves (at left), a NIBBLE Top Pick Of The Week.
• Visit the main index of NIBBLE food reviews to find great products in every category.