It is a tradition here on the Fridge Magnet blog to give away gifts during the week between Christmas and the New Year. I call it the Cookbook Countdown to the New Year. This year, I have more than cookbooks to give away. I also have some “For Dummies” schwag from the folks who bring us the popular yellow-and-black self-teaching books. You know, like “Cooking for Dummies,” “Woodworking for Dummies,” “Ventriloquist Dummies for Dummies.”

OK, I made that last one up. But you get the picture. The schwag I have includes grilling mitts, an insulated coffee mug and a drawstring bag.

This year, I’m tweaking the giveaway dates a little bit. The prize blog entries will begin on Monday, Dec. 24 and run through Friday. I’ll be back on New Year’s Eve to resume our conversations about food, and I’ll be checking comments through the week next week, although not as frequently on Monday through Wednesday. So if your comment does not get approved and show up right away, don’t worry.

I’ve saved some of the very best cookbooks I’ve gotten over the past few months for this giveaway. They include:

“Lard: The Lost Art of Cooking with Your Grandmother’s Secret Ingredient” from the editors of GRIT Magazine
“Thomas Keller Bouchon Bakery” by Sebastien Rouxel
“Cooking Italian with the Cake Boss” by Buddy Valastro
“Fresh” by Tyler Florence
“Cooking Season by Season: 1000 Recipes to Cook through the Year” by various authors

To be eligible to win one of these cookbooks, check the blog every day next week and leave a comment on the blog entry. I will announce all of the random winners on New Year’s Eve. Good luck to you all, and have a VERY HAPPY HOLIDAY!