Chances are that from now until December 31, most of us will have at least one social event per week nagging at us from the calendar. And you simply cannot go to these wingdings empty-handed, because someone will inevitably notice and talk about your moochery behind your back. So this year, instead of the usual cookies or booze, why not bring your hosts some yummy homemade candies? They're thoughtful yet indulgent, the perfect end to a meal or a lovely cocktail accompaniment. And the best part of making your gifts is that you can save some for yourself. Can't do that with a bottle of champagne.

The recipes that follow are the embodiment of simplicity; no specialized equipment, no costly ingredients, and no culinary degree required. Each should yield nearly a couple dozen confections, an appropriate amount to tote to a gathering without looking like the caterer. And if you happen to have any of those fake-chocolate candy melts hanging around, now would be a great time to throw them out and never speak of them again.

Mendiants

French in origin, mendiants are a step above barks and clusters; an equally simple technique, merely a bit more polished. Ready a pair of cookie sheets lined with parchment paper as well as a couple of cups of various and colorful dried fruits and nuts (think cranberries, chopped apricots, pistachios, pecans, and so on). Take a 12 oz. bag of decent dark, milk, or white chocolate chips - I'm partial to Ghirardelli - and melt two-thirds of its contents in a heatproof bowl set over, but not touching, a saucepan of simmering water. (Or, if you're comfortable melting chocolate in the microwave, go for it.) Add the remainder of the chips to the melted chocolate, stirring until the mixture is uniform. Make sure that no water gets into the chocolate, otherwise it will all end in tears.

Now spoon a little of that chocolate onto the parchment, easing it into a thin circle, then arrange some of the fruits and nuts on top. Once they're dry and set, just peel the mendiants from the parchment and arrange them for presentation. Don't be afraid to get creative with your toppings; basically anything that's good with chocolate - candy canes, pretzels, even bacon - works on a mendiant. And feel free to set up a few disks before you decorate them, or have someone else do the fancy part. Incidentally, amateur candymaking is one of the only times you're encouraged to exploit available child labor. The underaged will likely be quite happy to accept samples of their handiwork as payment.

Chocolate truffles

Did you know that those decadent globs of ganache are called truffles because their irregular shape and dusting of cocoa are meant to resemble the famously pricey fungus? And they're so easy. Bring 2/3 cup of heavy cream almost to a boil in a saucepan, then pour it over 12 oz. of chocolate chips that you have dumped into a bowl. Let it sit for a minute or two, then add a tablespoon each of butter and vanilla, and stir until creamy. Hopefully you've chosen a flavor. This amount of ganache can handle about three tablespoons of liqueur or jam, or a teaspoon or two of extract. Make your decision, mix it in, then park the bowl in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Shaping truffles can be a messy job, so scoop out a little of your chilled ganache and work quickly, forming them into diminutive, charmingly imperfect lumps. And though the customary final roll through cocoa is always in fashion, a complementary coating of finely chopped nuts or sparkly sugar can be helpful so all potential truffle enjoyers might know what flavor to expect. If you like you can nestle these pretties individually in tiny cupcake liners, then store them in the refrigerator until you offload them to your lucky recipients.

Sugar plums

If nothing else, sugar plums are a conversation piece. Even though almost everyone has heard of them, most people don't know what they actually are. Essentially, sugar plums consist of chopped dried fruits and nuts bonded together by a little honey (use juice or agave if you're keeping vegan) and gilded with a little warm spice. Measurements don't have to be exact; toss a couple of cups of fruits, a couple of handfuls of nuts, a tiny glug of sweetness, and a few shakes of cinnamon (or nutmeg, cardamom, ginger; whatever you've got) in the food processor and let ‘er rip. No need to puree it completely, as texture is good. Form chunks of the mixture into little spheres and drag them through powdered sugar, coconut, festive sprinkles, etc. And remember that besides the veggies and dip, sugar plums are probably the healthiest thing you will encounter all season.

Brigadieros

This traditional Brazilian confection is typically made by cooking down sweetened condensed milk, butter, and cocoa, but the following coconut variation comes from a 2010 New York Times dining column. In a saucepan, combine 1 cup of sweetened condensed milk, 1/2 cup of coconut milk, 1/2 cup toasted and shredded coconut, two tablespoons of butter, and two teaspoons of light corn syrup. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and stir constantly for eight to 10 minutes. It should caramelize slightly and thicken nicely. Spread the mixture on a plate to cool, leaving the browned bits in the pan. After four hours or so, scoop that coconutty goodness into bite-sized balls and coat with more coconut, or nonpareils... yeah, you know the drill. Oh, and you can de-naughty this a bit by substituting fat-free sweetened condensed milk and lite coconut milk.