Christmas Crazies

All of my last-minute Christmas knitting has been resigned to early presents for next year, so I'm spending all my "free" time in the kitchen. Time for the edible presents!

I wanted to send some of our family's traditional family cookies to my brother so I got cooking this weekend. Spritz and danish wedding cookies were on the top of the list. Here are some of the triple batch the kids helped to decorate:



It really cracked me up to see the kids placing each sprinkle individually on each cookie. All I could think of was that we had 7 more cookie sheets full to get through!

Once the cooking started, I've just kept going. For neighbors and friends that I wanted to remember this season, I stole a great idea from my friend last year and decided to make gingerbread cakes. A double batch makes 5 (FIVE !) eight-inch aluminum pie tins. I'm trying to make a double batch each day this week and deliver the cakes while they are the freshest. After they cool, I used the stencil I made to dust a confectioners sugar star on the top, wrap in "festive" Reynold's wrap, add a fun tag, curl the ribbon, and my little elves get delivering. Here is today's delivery ready for a short car ride:



But as my son explained during today's delivery run, 'We're really the elves' helpers. Santa tells the elves what toys to make, the elves make the toys, and the elves' helpers deliver the toys". I do not argue with the logic of an eight year old that still really believes, but I do think that I was just cast as the fat character. Hmmm.

Office gifts were also in the mix today for my husband. A giant basket filled with biscotti and scones will be in the offing, so today was biscotti day.



Holiday biscotti (with cranberries, pistachios, anise, and fennel) and mocha biscotti filled the house with holiday scents. Behind the biscotti are some of the remaining cookie containers filled with family favorites.

But I don't always make everything I give. I just like to put a smile on people's faces. When I saw these Peppermintini mixers, I knew I had a winner.



I wrapped them simply in gift basket plastic, added ribbon and candy canes, and tied on a tag. I think they look fantastic - I really wish that I got one. I'm sad that I couldn't find more of these. Talk about holiday cheer!

Time to get ready for tomorrow. 8 little Daisy Scouts and their families will be coming to decorate gingerbread houses tomorrow. No gingerbread baking here, we're using Honey Maid's Gingerbread Graham Crackers to make little houses shaped around milk cartons. It doesn't have to be homemade, just something to make them smile!

Hope you all enjoy something sweet today!