Trader Joe's Christmas Items: Festive Finds for Holiday Magic

As a self-professed Trader Joe's enthusiast, there's nothing like pulling into the parking lot and racing into the store to see what's new — especially when it comes to TJ's and Christmas. But don't worry. I won't stand between you and the best Trader Joe's Christmas items the season offers. Dash your way to the store to snag these yuletide treasures and festive finds immediately. 

Does loving Jingle Jangle so much make me a basic elf? Probably. But it's everything a millennial could want: a tin can that contains actual treats and not sewing supplies. Chocolately, crunchy, and salty, it's the perfect little snicky snack at Christmas. What you do with the tin after is up to you. Can you make your own chocolate-covered treats? Totally. But you can also just add these to your basket and claim it as your own. We certainly won't tell. 

I could write an op-ed about all the Joe-Joe's that Trader Joe's has to offer at Christmas, and I'd sound much like a familiar character rambling on about different types of shrimp. Candy Cane Joe-Joe's, chocolate-covered Joe-Joe's in the Jingle Jangle, dark chocolate-covered peppermint Joe-Joe's, candy Cane Joe-Joe's ice cream, and, of course, Trader Joe's and the Asountding Multi-Flavor Joe-Joe's. Specifically Christmas? Kind of.

But their chocolate-covered Joe-Joe's with several flavors: peanut butter Joe-Joe’s covered in milk chocolate with a dark chocolate drizzle, traditional Joe-Joe’s coated with ginger-infused white chocolate complete with a sprinkle of ginger cookie crumbs, the double-chocolate Joe-Joe’s dipped in dark chocolate with a milk chocolate drizzle on top, and, lastly, the Christmas candy cane Joe-Joe’s dipped in dark chocolate. Oh, and those are complete with crushed peppermint on top. It's like a Christmas fantasy all in one container. 

I don't know what it is, but the minute the calendar turns to December 1st, I am a full-time tea person. It's my personality seven days a week, 13 hours a day. For the other nine hours, I'm avoiding liquids before bed and happily sleeping through the night. So when I stumble upon a seasonal tea at Trader Joe's I don't need to tell you that I lose my mind.

Is the maple espresso black tea blend a little more fall than Christmas? Just let me pretend it belongs at Christmas. But the winter tea? With cinnamon and ginger? I'd take a shower in it. 

Nothing has the reach of cinnamon swizzle sticks when it comes to Trader Joe's, Christmas, and hot drinks. If you're someone who loved their hot chocolate to have a spicy flavor, stir with the cinnamon swizzle stick. Same goes for coffee and tea. And as for adult beverages? Stir your hot toddy, Irish coffee, or hot buttered rum with this cinnamon swizzle stick for a dreamy treat. 

The rich coffee flavors of Trader Joe's tiramisu absolutely means it can be a rich and decadent breakfast during the Christmas season. I don't make the rules, I only follow them. Okay, even if I made that up, having a tiramisu on hand for a quick and easy dessert during a season when you're running from party to party or hosting friends and family will make you the VIP. The Very-Important-Trader-Joe's-Treat-Provider. 

The secret to falling asleep with sugar plums dancing in your head is to first pop a bottle of Trader Joe's liquid Christmas dreams. Enjoy with ice in a tall glass, pour it straight into a wine glass or Champagne flute for an upgraded one-ingredient mocktail, or add some spirit of your own in the way of an ounce or so of vodka. Merry and bright? Check! 

When it comes to punches that are ready to go and packed with spices, I'm just a girl who can't say no. I didn't even read the description of this wassail punch before I had it in my cart. I didn't even wait to unpack the rest of my Trader Joe's bags. I went straight to my bar cart and immediately poured this nonalcoholic punch into the glass. Now, I don't want to say it was love at first sip, but I can no longer imagine a world without this cinnamon, apple, cherry, and orange peel Wassail punch. 

I spent the first 32 years of my life as a bread pudding skeptic — scorning it without ever having tried it. I finally decided enough was enough, and I should give it a try. And since then, I've opened my heart and stomach to most bread puddings I come across. The Trader Joe's pretzel bread pudding captures all the flavors of Christmas: sweet, salty, and classic all in one cup. That's right, you don't need to do anything with this but enjoy. 

Both the English toffee with nuts and the cinnamon-sugar toffee trio are a staple on Trader Joe's Christmas list this year. And the English toffee? Every single year it has been available, it's added to my cart immediately. No hesitation. Buttery, nutty, crunchy, and heavenly. And for those of us who want an even sweeter toffee, the trio of cinnamon, almond, and chocolate is there to bring you joy during this cozy season.

Before you click ahead with a firm, "Oh, no thanks," wait just a minute. Think of this boozy adult drink as Christmas in a cup. Part peppermint Joe-Joe's, part creamy, adult milkshake, and a twist on peppermint egg nog, it's the most unexpectedly delicious addition to your next holiday cocktail party line-up. Enjoy this chilled on ice, as a martini, or warmed in a mug. There's no wrong way to enjoy this Trader Joe's Christmas spirit. 

In the words of Trader Joe's itself, when you're waffling about what to bring to the Christmas dinner table and you're worried about something tasty that doesn't take a lot of effort, you can porchetta-bout it! Proving that Trader Joe's Christmas items are more than just desserts, cakes, breads, and cookies, it all but bakes itself. You do need to preheat the oven. You can even go surf-and-turf style with another Trader Joe's Christmas food: the Shrimp Pouches of Many Colors.

More than my love for punch, I've become overly bewitched by flavored club soda this past year. I am absolutely hooked on this sparkling pomegranate bevvie in Trader Joe's Christmas item line-up. It's not overly sweet or pomegranate flavored, and to be honest, I think this would be even better with a splash of that wassail punch. Another fizzy way to deck your tastebuds with flavors from Trader Joe's is the much-sought Something Spritzy. 

Take your girl dinner and make it festive, all thanks to Trader Joe's Holiday Cheer Unexpected Cheddar Cheese Spread. Just like the beloved and year-round cheese spread, it is dreamy and irresistible. But this Christmas version is bursting with dried cranberry and a bit of cinnamon. Practically a serving of fruit is included in your cheese when you're making your charcuterie-board-for-one for dinner. Of course, you should grab extra to keep on hand, plus some figgy cheddar for when you want to bring that festive something-something to parties. Don't forget the crackers! 

The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loudly about the Trader Joe's gingerbread coffee for all to hear. And, let's be real, it's hard to convince your stomach that gingerbread cookies are breakfast and sometimes a cookie butter toast breakfast just isn't what you want. Not a problem with this gingerbread coffee in your mug. Warning: this may cause you to answer the phone much like Buddy the Elf. 

Christmas is the best time of year for all things bark, especially peppermint bark. And these Trader Joe's Peppermint Pretzel Slims are the answer to all your crunchy, sweet, minty, and Christmas-flavored dreams. Grab two bags: one for your household, and the other in your secret stash because these go fast. If you're someone who wants a little (okay, a lot) of chocolate with your peppermint, then you'll find that the dark chocolate-covered peppermint cremes are bursting with Christmas. Same rules apply with those, too — grab two! 

As someone who usually lives with both feet fully immersed in the cocktail world and everything around it, I all but shouted, "No way" when I saw these. Unlike the Trader Joe's Boozy Little Chocolate Truffles, which do have alcohol, the boozy macarons are boozy in name only. Don't let that stop you from pairing those boozy-flavored desserts with cocktails, though. For starters, the rum macaron would be divine with some hot buttered rum, the brandy macarons would shine with a brandy Alexander, and of course, the orange liqueur macaron is perfect with none other than a tart cosmo. 

Traditionally an Italian Christmas treat, that's no reason not to add a slice of buttery, candied fruit flavor that is Panettone to your own Christmas table... no feast of too many fishes required. Enjoy a slice as dessert, a mid-afternoon snack, or even for breakfast as an out-of-this-world French toast. This Trader Joe's Christmas staple has been around for 20 years. If you haven't brought one home to try yet, don't wait another day. 

Banish the Christmas frownies with a few squares of Trader Joe's peppermint brownies! A soft, fudgy treat that makes a solid argument about peppermint and chocolate being the ultimate Christmas flavor, it's incredibly hard (dare we say impossible) to stop after just one square. Can you make brownies with a mix at home? Sure. But there's something about these that has a full cup of Christmas cheer and magic we can't quite replicate. 

I have spent years being disappointed that you'd spend all that time playing with your food, crafting the perfect gingerbread house, only to not be able to go full Godzilla and not only destroy your festive creation but also enjoy taking a bite out of it. I guess you could say I wanted my gingerbread house and to eat it, too. This Trader Joe's Christmas gingerbread house-building kit is fully edible — that's right, dreams do come true. Of course, if you don't want to eat your art, you can always have a pint of Trader Joe's gingerbread ice cream or bust out your vegan gingerbread loaf instead. 

Nice list, naughty list, grocery list, wish list. It doesn't matter which list you find your name on when you make Trader Joe's your destination for all things North Pole and Christmas feast. So, round up your elves, hop into the sleigh, and add a little extra Christmas cheer with these Trader Joe's delights.