You wouldn’t need to know me well to know Christmas is my all-time, absolute favourite. Giving gifts, baking cookies, sharing in the festivities of the season – it’s good for the soul (though perhaps bad for my waistline…) and I soak it all up every year.

I’ve always dreamt of hosting Christmas parties in my home and, while we once did brunch at my old house in Cape Breton, I’ve never had a place to do it… until now.

We recently moved into our new apartment and it just so happens to be perfect for hosting, with a big island in the kitchen for serving and a beautiful open space to mingle in. Within only days of moving, we’d invited a group of friends to join us for drinks and I knew then I’d finally found my hostess calling.

As in the past, I kicked off the Christmas season with the President’s Choice team, where I learned more about the amazing new PC Insiders Collection, picked the brains of people much smarter than I, and learned some incredible new recipes to impress my friends and family with this year.

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Let me begin by saying if you’ve always associated PC with amazing food, you’re on the right track, but do not discount their homewares! I am absolutely obsessed with the beautiful Christmas décor and scored this beautiful basket, which I’ve used as an alternative to a tree skirt. Bonus: I can repurpose it as my blanket or boardgames house after the tree and lights are down!

The big #PCInsider winner at our house this season is the PC Candy Cane Cheesecake Pops, by far. These chocolate covered cheesecake bites are ready-to-eat, look great, and just so happen to be delicious! Plus, they’re not too sweet but pack enough punch you feel totally satisfied, at only 110 calories each so they don’t come with a bunch of guilt, either. Simply remove them from the freezer, place in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to thaw, and serve in a cute mug or laid on a tray. Easy!

I was thrilled to discover the frozen PC Pomegranate Arils. I love pomegranates but hate trying to get into them (I make such a mess!), so this is as big a game-changer as the frozen avocado chunks last year! Pomegranate seeds look beautiful in cocktails, but they’re also a great addition to salads or desserts. I highly recommend you try them in the delicious drink recipe below, courtesy of President’s Choice.

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The biggest #HolidayMustTry for me, though, was to try to relax a little. This is the most stressful time of year, with parties and events to attend and baking and wrapping to finish! Thankfully, President’s Choice makes it easy to host, gift, and indulge with ready-to-serve goodies like those Candy Cane Pops, their new Antipasto Misto meats set, and simple but amazingly tasty recipes found online at presidentschoice.ca.

Now, tell me: What’s on your #HolidayMustTry list this year? Share your picks in the comments below!