I’m guessing by the lack of family Christmas cards we’ve received this year, many families are either opting to save trees or they’re as behind in their holiday preparations as we are. (I refuse to consider the option that people just don’t like us any more.) If you don’t feel like doing the 100-strong holiday card thing and yet want to do something “noteworthy” with your kids, give Kookie Stationary a test taste run.

Kookie Stationary is a line of these delectable cookie greeting cards you can fill out and give to your kids or have your kids fill out and give to Grandma, Dad, Santa or friends and family alike. The kit includes a large cookie and an edible food coloring marker. Fill out the cookie on the lines or spaces provided and then deliver by hand or mail (I’d use extra packaging if by mail). Or in the case of a Santa note, deliver by fireplace and glass of milk! The recipient can then either eat your tasty note or display it using the case in which it arrived. Me, I’m all for eating the dang thing but there are probably a few dedicated grandmas who’d be willing to display it so it’s a good thing it comes with a built-in easel.

We received two of Kookie Stationary’s holiday offerings and we’ve already filled out and delivered one of them. My two oldest were given the privilege of filling out the Santa cookie since they’re the only two and I desperately wanted to snap a few photos but as usual the batteries were dead in the camera. By the time I had them charged and ready to go the girls were done and the cookie was sealed in its box. The cookie did arrive with a broken Santa hat, but once we had it placed in the gift box it was hardly noticeable. The pen worked well and the girls had a great time writing a little note to their grandma.

We hand delivered the Santa stationary later that evening and Grandma proudly displayed it on her piano. Since it was displayed we didn’t get a chance to taste it so I can’t tell you if the cookie is as tasty as the site claims. Of course, we still have the Kookie for Santa card, which I’m going to let my little ones fill out (and by “fill out” I mean draw psychedelic sunshines and crazy stick figures). Once the resident Santa munches on it I’ll be able to tell you if the cookie’s as tasty as the idea behind Kookie Stationary.

Whether or not the cookie is a feast for the tastebuds, the stationary is a treat for the eyes. Kookie Stationary has everything from birthday and get well cards to princess and dragon cards and my favorite, the Searching for Friends card. At about $10 a piece they might be a little more than your typical Hallmark card, though those are close to $4 these days. But then again, the card itself is a great little gift so it’s like a fabulously yummy two-for-one deal!

Note: Kookie Stationary is located in Canada and ships to the U.S., but I could not find the shipping rates on their site without going through the checkout process. You may want to verify shipping before purchasing.

*** Giveaway! Kookie Stationary is giving away one themed holiday treat to two winners! Here’s how to enter. You can do as many of these as you’d like. Each one is worth one entry into our giveaway; please leave a separate comment for each one you do:

•  Visit KookieStationary.com and leave a comment telling us your favorite Kookie.
•  Tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL of your tweet.
•  Blog about this giveaway and leave a comment with the URL to your blog post.

Include a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winner from the comments and contact her via email. Deadline: December 22, 2009 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

• Congratulations to Lisa and Heather, the winners of the giveaway! Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the review and add a comment. Keep reading the Daily Dish for your chance to participate in more giveaways!

With the holidays soon upon us our Daily Dish review schedule is fully booked—good news for our readers! Once in a while we will give you a double shot of the Dish so we can fit in as many great gift ideas as we can. Today is one of those “once in a whiles.”

With the holidays comes holiday cards. If you’re looking for something other than Shutterfly photo cards (hey, I’m a big fan!) or off-the-shelf greetings, then Inventing Matilda is for you. Inventing Matilda caught my attention when I received her first email, part of which read:

Please browse my site for two minutes…twenty seconds…any amount of time you might need to deem the wares I am peddling to be unique and far from the currently marketed sappy rhyming stodgy paper has-beens. I promise you that if you take a look, you will find a new product that your style-conscious readers are itching to discover.”

Inventing Matilda’s custom holiday cards are unique, artsy and fresh…and worthy of the best spot on the refrigerator. Whether you include a photo or not, these cards will out-holiday any other cards your friends and family will receive this year…and probably next year as well (unless you go with Inventing Matilda for ‘09). My favorite designs are Vaughn, Little Holiday Bird and Derrick. Inventing Matilda also has birth announcements, just in case you receive a 7 lb. 6 oz. gift this year.

And for your holiday reading (and writing), give a gift that will truly give back. Sand Dune Books’ line of Between Me and You journals. Creating family keepsakes is a must-do these days, and Between Me and You: A few things I’ve been meaning to ask makes it easy to do so.

Inside each one are pages of fun—and sometimes funny—questions. You give the journal to someone you love and he or she returns it after answering the questions. Very little is handwritten these days so this is definitely something to cherish. Use the Dad, Mom, Grandpa or Grandma journals to learn more about your heritage, or hand your significant other the Honey journal and find out what he pictured his future mate would look like! I have the Girl journal and can’t wait to send it to my good friend so I can find out what’s been the most rewarding part of our friendship (though I’m not sure I want to hear what she thinks is my not-so-best quality).

Between Me and You keepsake journals from Sand Dune Books are a great gift idea, especially if you have friends and family who are hard to shop for. Of course it’s almost more a gift for you than them, but I’m more than okay with that!—Emily

** Giveaway Inventing Matilda is giving away one environmentally friendly e-card to 10 people! These e-card is a JPEG that can be posted on a blog, emailed to a friend or printed at your favorite, local photo processing center. Winners will have until the end of this year to take advantage of their free 5×7 design. Please leave a comment with a valid email address for our drawing. We’ll draw the winners from the comments and contact them via email. Deadline: October 30, 2008 (midnight). The winner will have 24 hours to claim her prize or a new winner will be chosen.

* Promotion! Sand Dune Books is offering Daily Dish readers 10% off their purchase. Simply enter code BoutiqueCafe in the Comments section at checkout. Offer expires October 29, 2008 so get your shopping done ASAP!