My current favorite thing is...

Cookie decorating day!

My love for traditions has been well documented. And this past weekend we got to partake in one of my favorite yearly activities--our annual cookie bake and decorating day.

My sister and I grew up doing this with my grandma and aunt and my mom took up the tradition after they passed away. And I'm so grateful for that because now my kids get to enjoy this yearly event and hopefully have as many memories from it as I do.

Growing up the biggest thing I got out of this day was a mega tummy ache because I probably ate more decorations than I actually used for the cookies. We had basically everything we could ever want to put on our sugar cookies and gingerbread men: frosting, sprinkles, chocolate chips, coconuts strips, cherries, m&ms, mints, licorice, nuts... We spent hours decorating cookies that years later I wonder if anyone actually ate because they were loaded with all. the. stuff.

My kids, at 3 and 4, are just entering the age of enjoying this activity. Especially my daughter. "Painting" cookies, as she refers to it.

So every year my sister and I, my kids, and any cousins that care to decorate make the short little trek to my mom's house. She has the perfect setting for this adventure...see below. This was taken before the madness started. I love her dining area; a perfect space for a day of decorating. Plus, beautiful scenery right outside the window.
Some of our masterpieces...and goodness do I have talented family members.
My sister-in-law made that smurf on the top row out of an upside down stocking. How freakin' cool is that? I also like her liberty bell and the profile of Santa, also created out of a stocking shape.

We always make a stocking for every family member that will be at our annual Christmas Eve gathering. It was a fun tradition that started accidentally but has stuck over the years.
Some other snapshots of the day.
I also wanted to share a couple of last year's creations. First of all, did you know that if you just flip over the gingerbread man you get a reindeer? Yeah, my mind was blown, too. Also, my mom got creative and found this idea online: melted snowmen.

One thing we haven't made in several years that I always remember having with my dad's family is krumkake. I need to find a good recipe (and get some tools?) and do that...I loved that growing up.

Do you have a favorite sweet that you enjoy this time of year?

{P.S. Although I love decorating cookies they really aren't my favorite thing to eat...find out the food I could NOT live without and other random things about me here.}

xo Sara

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