For the past 24 hours the tree has been up and the lights have been strung. I'm almost sure I will summon the energy required to put the ornaments on later today.
I'm in good shape for Christmas. Most of our shopping is done, cards are out, packages ready to be mailed, outside lights strung, and soon the tree will be decorated. Then maybe I will relax and sleep all night again. It's all so much. Too much, really.
I'm having a great time exploring recipes for possible Christmas bakes. I almost made my mother's fruit cake, but then I didn't. Too late now.
We'll certainly make the cut-out cookies, overloaded with colored icings. Making and decorating these have been a part of our Christmas tradition since the dawn of (our) time. The grandkids are looking forward to this venerable cookie event. I am, too. This year we are making them gluten-free. Wish me luck.
Every year I say this is the last year I'm sending cards, but still I send them. It's kind of like when I say today is the day I won't have a second glass of wine. All good intentions until the time comes.
Cheers!
 |
| Never perfect, always too sweet, but still my family's favorite |
ReplyDeleteWow! Those cookies look delicious. I love the Starman! Today a friend mentioned that this is "cookie day" in their family. An entire day devoted to baking all kinds of cookies. A family tradition where cookie recipes are passed down to children and grandchildren.
Thank you for the fruitcake link:
"I am beginning to understand why a mother will always love her children more than her children will love her. Otherwise, none of us would ever leave her and no one would ever grow up. It is as it should be."
You've reminded me that my mother used to make miniature fruitcakes that were in tiny paper cupcake holders with green and red Christmas symbols on them. My mother's mother didn't teach her how to cook. My mother only knew how to cook a few things from scratch, but knew how to make pies and cookies and fudge. She only baked cookies and made fudge in December but made splendid pies during the rest of the year.
I'm not a mother. You've given me a healing insight into mother/children relationships that I didn't have before.
Thank you, am. I almost didn't include the fruitcake link. I guess you are the reason I did it.
DeleteThose cutout sugar cookies are my favorite. You can't go wrong with a classic!
ReplyDeleteI've gotten three-fourths of my Christmas cards out...only a few more to go and that will be done. It's getting to be awfully expensive, but I really enjoy sending them out.
It is SO expensive now. Bravo to you for enjoying the process. I did for so many years. Maybe next year I'll be excited again.
DeleteThe cookies look very yummy.
ReplyDeleteOh, they are!
DeleteMom made these for us to decorate. My favorites were the cookies she put through the press and we added sweets to make flowers and other things.
ReplyDeleteOh wow, I envy people who can use cookie presses.
DeleteI got my decorations up except for the ornaments on the tree which we will do soon. I still have shopping to do but my cards are done. It is coming so quickly now. I have to figure out recipes soon! Yikes!
ReplyDeleteWe are at the exact same place!
DeleteLast year I spent Christmas in hospital, this year I'm in again but might just escape that festive complication. Outsiders said "How horrible." but it was an occasion when friendliness and sympathy was equal to those qualities out there in the healthy world. Otherwise alone in the ward, I chatted with a nurse of Central European origins, details now forgotten, and our conversation wandered as it wished like a dandelion seed in the air; an accidental and short-lived bridge between two humans, tapping into an infinite potential. Then I was transported away in a wheelchair, travelling backwards on arrival at a swing door, and thus able to blow a kiss to my brief conversationalist and she - after a hesitation understandably due to professional propriety - blew one back. Always a good idea to make the best of things where possible. Besides, my shopping is also almost complete..
ReplyDeleteNurses are those angels we hear so much about. Having one all to yourself for an actual conversation on Christmas Day must have been heavenly.
DeleteWell, the cookies are colorful! I abandoned cards years ago. I don't even remember really making a decision about it -- I just kind of stopped. We were all on Facebook and it seemed silly.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds reasonable (Facebook). However, I must admit I still get a thrill from walking out to the mailbox and finding a card instead of junk mail. I just couldn't bring myself to write a Xmas letter this year. I feel like that might be a precursor to stopping next year.
DeleteI believe Cookie Day is the Christmas tradition I miss the most now that I live so far away from my grandchildren.
ReplyDeleteI understand.
Delete