What sparks your holiday spirit more than a fresh slice of apple pie or a warm cup of apple cider?

With how apple sales increase during the holiday season, these apple products appear to be among what work the best.

This year consumers are in for a treat from New York apple growers because the crop is in great shape. Quality is high and sizes are perfect for every imaginable use.

Santa can’t resist a healthy New York Empire apple.Jim Allen, president of the New York Apple Association in Fishers, NY, said that, believe it or not, people still bake, “and apple sales do spike for the holidays,” he said. “If it’s homemade apple pies at the multitude of farm markets and green markets, to the commercial bakery category, pie sales increase, and apple usage increases. The Northeast still supplies a number of classic baking apple varieties.”

In addition to fresh eating apples, the demand for apple cider has been on the rise for a number of years. New varieties that offer optional flavors may be one reason that cider is increasing in demand each year, but another reason is that consumers are getting back to the basics — and what could be more basic and American than apple cider?

The NYAA is a not-for-profit grower-funded marketing order. Its objective is to expand markets for New York state apples and apple products. The association works closely with retailers, schools, foodservice operators and municipalities that support feeding programs and healthy food initiatives.

The order was first approved in the late 1950s and has been reaffirmed and reauthorized by New York apple growers every eight years since its inception. Besides retailer support, the NYAA also focuses on some very aggressive consumer marketing and consumer promotions and initiatives, such as being an annual sponsor of the ING NYC Marathon for over 14 years, making the New York McIntosh apple variety the official apple of the marathon.

In March, it sponsored the Fighting Cancer with NY Apples program. The initiative raises at least $25,000 each year for cancer research and other charitable programs.

“Each August we raise an average of $10,500 at the New York State Fair through donations for fresh apples and cider,” Allen added. “That money goes to the American Cancer Society. Over the years we have donated truckloads of apples to Feeding America and City Harvest food banks. We were major donors at 9/11, following Katrina and after last year’s devastating Superstorm Sandy.”

Another major NYAA promotional initiative is the annual Big Apple Crunch in New York City. This year it was held on Oct. 23, and 1 million consumers crunched a New York state-grown apple on Food Day.

“We are also working closely with the NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene to get more New York apples into small bodegas in New York City through the Shop Healthy Bronx program,” he said. “Some of these areas are designated as food deserts where residents do not have access to fresh foods.

“As a promotional board, we encourage retailers to promote New York state apples and apple cider for the holidays,” said Allen. “With the use of social media we promote holiday recipes and apple uses on Facebook and online advertising. We also offer consumer sweepstakes on Facebook, and we partner with retailer websites to offer consumer coupons.”

Allen noted that Thanksgiving is the most popular holiday for retailers to use apples strongly for decorative displays in their produce departments. But displays are also strong for Halloween.

“But from mid-October through the end of December, apples are always a major part of produce departments,” said Allen.

In fall 2013, the NYAA introduced Abby Wambach — a world-leading professional soccer scorer, gold medalist and world cup winner — as its apple ambassador. Wambach appears in television, radio, online and print media promoting New York state apples.

“It’s nice to connect her fresh and healthy lifestyle with New York apples,” said Allen.