‘Tis the most wonderful time of year; especially for businesses who partake in all the holiday hype. From gift baskets containing gourmet foods to simple stocking stuffers, businesses around the globe put a lot of effort into holiday sales.

And it looks like food items continue to be a popular gift-giving item. According to a press release provided by market research firm Packaged Facts, it estimates 54 percent of those who purchased food gifts for others in the last 12 months have done so for the winter holidays of Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. Additionally, 29 percent of those who have bought food gifts for themselves have done so during this period.

The findings were published in the report Food Gifting in the U.S.: Consumer and Corporate, 6th Edition.

“The winter holidays have become a food gifting mainstay,” said David Sprinkle, research director for Packaged Facts via the PR Newswire press release. “Even food gifting sales for other popular occasions including birthdays, Valentine’s Day, and Mother’s Day can’t match the flurry of activity during the winter holidays.”

So, what kids of food gifts are the most popular being gobbled up by consumers when shopping, here’s a look at some of Packaged Facts’ findings

Top food gifts given and reasons for buying

In general, boxed chocolates/candies remain the most prevalent chosen food gift shoppers buy for others, with about 27 percent of food gifters buying boxed chocolates/candies for someone else in the last 12 months, according to Packaged Facts’ survey. Other typical purchased food gifts include coffee/tea/hot chocolate gifts, sweet baked gift foods, nut/salty snack gift foods, and popcorn tins/gifts.

One of the most motivating reasons folks buy food gifts of course, is their convenience, the study said. Part of their convenience involves delivery availability and purchase convenience for out-of-state gifting. Gift-givers also often consider food gifts as perfect for people who “don’t really need anything” but who surely would enjoy a high-quality and attractive gift, the press release added.

E-Commerce sales vs. in-person shopping

Although online shopping is an important component of the food gifting purchase experience, it remains a supplementary driver. Some 29 percent of food gifters say they typically look for specialty food gifts they can purchase online, the study said.

Packaged Facts estimates that 36 percent of food gifters have completed their food gift shopping at Big Box stores like at Walmart; and 27 percent purchased them at similar stores like Target and Kmart. Around 30 percent purchased food gifts from a grocery store and 28% from a warehouse club, according to the release

Online sales of food gift-giving at Amazon came in at 24 percent of those polled. Another 10 percent of respondents use this source the most for their food gifting needs. Other digital-only options, including online floral retailers and other online-only retailer rank near the bottom of the list, the release said.

View additional information about Food Gifting in the U.S.: Consumer and Corporate, 6th Edition, including purchase options, the abstract, table of contents, and related reports at Packaged Facts’ website