Holidays & Occasions Christmas The Seasonal Grocery Store Favorites That Our Editors Buy Every Christmas By Mary Alice Russell Mary Alice Russell Mary Alice Russell is a Southern Living fellow who is starting her career in lifestyle journalism. Primarily focused on social media and digital production, Mary Alice is excited to hone her skills and dedicate her professional life to beautiful things, from homes to hearts.A recent graduate of Washington and Lee University, Mary Alice majored in journalism and art history. At W&L, she was co-editor-in-chief of her school paper, The Ring-tum Phi, with her best friend and interned for The Welcome Home Podcast. Now based in Birmingham, Alabama, Mary Alice is a Virginia native who is proud to hail from the land of ham and peanuts. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on October 20, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Getty Images/rudisill Whenever we leave our homes during the holiday season, most any excursion ends with a stop at the grocery store. Maybe you need to grab a few last-minute gifts for visitors or you have a party to plan. Regardless of why you are there, it's easy to fill a buggy at the local market. Even though this type of shopping grows to be a bit of a chore, there are always a few holiday supermarket finds that make us smile when we see them. To help you feel the Christmas spirit in your grocery carts, our Southern Living editors have thought of a few of our favorite seasonal finds we buy year-after-year. This list does not favor a certain store and you can find an iteration of these items at almost any Publix, Fresh Market, Harris Teeter, Piggly Wiggly or other grocery chain across the South. We also hope our options are a little more festive than your usual grocery go-tos. While you cannot make your Christmas dinner from these choices, we've put together a holiday potpourri of personal favorites from party decor to snacks we savor while watching a Hallmark Christmas movie. 01 of 09 Fresh Holiday Decor Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller You probably already buy fresh flowers from your favorite market, but have you ever thought of picking up produce to fulfill the same purpose? "Growing up, my mom always stocked up on seasonal produce like pomegranates and cranberries, not for eating but for table arrangements with flowers and floating candles. Now I do, too!" explains Brennan Long, our senior social media editor. Give your Christmas table a truly rustic and seasonal feel with fresh berries, pomegranates or oranges. We also adore olive branches and other fresh stems for a little greenery on your Christmas table. 02 of 09 Christmas Candies We love homemade Christmas candy, but sometimes making it feels like pulling teeth. Just as Ina Garten says, we believe that "store bought is fine" when it comes to some of our favorite confections. Editorial Producer Ivy Odom says she's a sucker for the holiday edition Reese's and so is Editorial Fellow Hallie Milstein. "There's usually trees and bells, and even some really intricate ones like nutcrackers." Milstein explains. "I just think they're sweet and sentimental." The goodies are also great for gift giving. "Last holiday season, a friend saw them at the store and thought of me and got me some so now they make me think of her which adds even more sentiment to my favorite holiday candy," Milstein says. 03 of 09 Chocolate-Coated Cookies Courtesy of Walmart There are a few cookies that only hit the shelves during the holiday season, and chocolate-covered ones just have our hearts. From Mallomars to White Chocolate-Covered Oreos, the latter of which are a favorite of Anna Price Olson, our assistant general manager. "I know they are nothing fancy but I'm still tempted to buy them every year," Olson shares. 04 of 09 Moose Munch Courtesy of Harry & David Even though this treat is from Harry & David, you can now find it at a variety of locations including Fresh Market and Walmart. Editorial Fellow Mary Alice Russell cannot imagine having Christmas without this candy-filled popcorn mix which is another great gifting option. "This is the treat I have to ask people to take away from me because I simply cannot stop eating it," Russell explains. While you can find this treat year round, usually there are special editions and displays during the holidays. 05 of 09 Simmer Pot Staples Getty Images It's no secret that Ivy Odom knows her way around the kitchen, but her favorite holiday hack is not something you chow down on. Odom stocks up on fresh citrus for her simmer pots. She slices the citrus and combines it with water and spices. Bring all of the ingredients to a boil and then let them all simmer together. A warm, holiday aroma will begin to fill your whole house. 06 of 09 Charcuterie Board Essentials While this is not necessarily an editor's pick, Kimberly Holland buys cranberry goat cheese from Publix for family every year. "I personally don't eat this, but my sister-in-law's mother makes me buy about half a dozen logs on my first trip home [during] the holidays so she can eat those all December," Holland shares. "It's only out in the November/December time frame, but they are a huge hit." 07 of 09 Party Pecans Getty Images/rudisill During the holidays, we are always in search of a good snack. While we love cocktail peanuts and other little hand-held bites, there is just something about pecans that feels like the holidays. We love these Southern-grown nuts in divinity, pecan logs and praline form, too. Associate Digital Editor Mary Shannon Wells has a special place in her heart for Priester's Pecans, which you can find on Amazon. 08 of 09 Cinnamon Scented Pinecones Photo: Laurey W. Glenn Usually just outside the automatic doors of Whole Foods, Fresh Market and Wegmans, there are a variety of seasonal items like miniature Christmas trees, but what gets us every time are the cinnamon scented pinecones. Even on the chilliest days, the scents of cinnamon warms our hearts. "I always join my mom at our local Fresh Market during the holidays, and we stop in front of the store to smell the pinecones. We usually stop on our way out, too! They just smell like Christmas to me" Russell shares. 09 of 09 Peppermint Ice Cream Zoe Denenberg Holiday-flavored ice cream has come into vogue over the past few years, with companies like Bluebell and Jeni's really ramping up their themed offerings. However, a tried-and-true staple in the holiday food-themed world is peppermint ice cream. No real endorsement of this treat is necessary, but it's one of our Business Manager Nellah McGough's Christmas favorites. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit