harvest blessings snack mix

Each year we share small gifts, usually of the food variety, with our neighbors and friends at Christmas as a gesture to show our appreciation of their friendship or neighborliness. This year, I've decided there's no reason to wait until Christmas. What better time of year than Thanksgiving to say "thank you" to neighbors and friends?  This weekend I made a double batch of Harvest Blessings Snack Mix to share with those we are thankful for.

It's easy to make and the ingredients are simple.

HARVEST BLESSINGS
1 c. of Bugles (corn snack)
1 c. of small pretzel twists
1 c. of Goldfish crackers
1 c. of Wheat, Rice or Corn Chex cereal
1 c. of raisins
1 c. of dry roasted corn nuts
1 c. of peanuts or other nuts
1 c. of Hershey's chocolate kisses

Mix all together in a very large bowl. Package in individual baggies for gifts. Include a notecard that explains the symbolism of the snacks:
Bugles - shaped like a cornucopia or Horn of Plenty
Pretzels - arms folded in prayer
Goldfish crackers - fish are a symbol of abundance
Chex Cereal - they look like baskets, which hold the harvest fruits
Corn - food was so scarce the first winter that settlers survived on just a few kernels of corn a day
Nuts - promise of a future harvest
Raisins - harvest gifts from our bountiful land
Hershey Kisses - the love of family and friends that sweetens our lives

(By making a double batch, I ended up with 6 bags, containing 2 cups of snack mix.)