Does Santa’s little helper need some gift ideas?

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Don’t go shopping for the foodie in your life before checking out practical shopping suggestions from Times Food Editor Russ Parsons. (You can be sure that these will be gifts that will actually get some use -- not just take up space on a kitchen shelf.) If you still need some shopping inspiration, Times restaurant critic S. Irene Virbila makes the argument for buying the home cook something beautiful too. Just because.

Gift-giving this season doesn’t have to be all about buying. It can also be about spending an enjoyable afternoon or two in the kitchen with friends, making homemade food gifts. Check out these recipes from the L.A. Times Test Kitchen including snowflake pretzel rods, cherry-almond-coconut granola, chocolate bouchons, gingerbread cookies ... the list goes on and on.

Don’t believe me? Check this out:

-- Rene Lynch
On Twitter @renelynch

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