Category: Holidays

Categories
Activities Cooking Family & Friends Holidays

Cookies, Cookies, & More Cookies

I attended our annual cookie exchange on Sunday.  My sister started this, what we figured out, seven years ago.  We always have the “die-hard” people that attend practically every year, (unless they are sick, or working)  and then there are some people that have come off and on over the years, and there is always someone new, that someone else invites.  It is a nice chance to catch up with people, that I don’t see very often, and meet new people too.

My brother’s ex-girlfriend, C., hosted the party at her house this year, and it was a lot of fun!  C., and my sister worked really hard to make sure there was lots of snacks, wine, and oh yeah- sugar cookies to decorate.

We didn’t have as large of a turn-out as we have had in years past, but it gave us more room to work, and it was a nice chance to talk to people longer.  I always feel the need to talk to everyone at parties, so this gave me the chance to do that.  My 8 month-old niece also showed up for the last half, and I was thrilled I got to hold and play with her.

The exchange works like this: each person is asked to bring 3-dozen cookies that are already done, and ready to exchange.  Then at the party, sugar Christmas cookies are baked, and then the group sits and eats, drinks, and talks, while we decorate the sugar cookies.  We have really gotten this part down to a science- at the very first party, we actually tried to BAKE everything at once. I think that first party was like seven hours, because we all had to wait to use the oven. We even did this the next year, until my sister had the stroke of genius to figure out to have everyone bake their cookies BEFORE the party. 🙂

When all the sugar cookies have been decorated, all the yummy snacks are eaten, and the bottles of wine are gone- the party is over.  Then we all load up our containers, and plates with the cookies.  They make great gifts to give to co-workers, neighbors, friends, and people that you want to do something nice for.  I usually leave a big tin for our milkman and give a plate to our tenant as well.  This year, C. made some beautiful favors in holiday mugs, with candy, and I think I will end up giving that to one of Ryan’s teacher’s aides at pre-school. 

I love having some home-baked goodies to give to people on hand, and there is NO way I would have time to make all the different goodies that show up. I was up to 2am one night this week, working on my cookies as it was.  I decided to do something a little extra special this year, and made gingerbread snowflake cookies, with homemade lemon icing.  I have made these before a few years ago for my family, and it required me to purchase a pastry bag for the icing. I never used one prior to this, and haven’t since.  It makes me feel very Martha Stewart-ish. 

Joe was out of town all last week for work, and I wanted to start on them sooner, but I just knew, the moment I started decorating them, one of the boys would wake up, and then I’d be in a mess.  So I waited until Friday night, when Joe was home, to make and decorate all of the snowflake cookies in one session- whew!  I ended up with 4 dozen of them, and here they are: (drum roll please!)

pictures-017.jpg               pictures-016.jpg

The second picture are of my two favorites.  I intended to do a different design on each cookie, but after about half an hour into designing them, I was running out of ideas, and started to repeat the designs I really liked.  Still, no two were the same. 

On Saturday night, I made two batches of toffee, one with nuts, and one without. I think that is my favorite- it is so good, and so easy!

I was really happy everyone at the party liked the gingerbread cookies, and I hope whomever ends up with my snowflake cookies enjoys eating them too. 

Categories
Current Events Holidays Parenting

Should Santa Be Thin?

I came across this video clip on Yahoo tonight, and watched it- mainly because I couldn’t believe the heading: Experts Believe Santa’s Body Image Harmful (or something close to that- I don’t remember it word for word).

The clip is about two minutes, and it did raise some good points on the health of the actual people who play Santa in the malls, and some of the problems they may encounter from being overweight.  It said the “experts” agree that Santa is a role model, and kids look up to him- but come on- it is SANTA!

I have never heard a child say he wanted to be overweight, fat, obese, etc., because Santa Claus is.  Isn’t Santa like the constant that every kid has?  Kids look up to Santa because he is magical, kind, happy, generous, and loving- the best of the human spirit.

This clip said there is an actual website and movement devoted to keeping Santa fat.  One of the men who runs the website asks something like, what was next?  Are we going to start melting pounds off Frosty the Snowman?  What about the Easter Bunny?  He said he was starting to look a little chubby.  He said this was absolutely ridiculous.

Then the reporter asked some people on the street what they thought, and they all said Santa should be chubby.  One girl said she didn’t see people leaving carrots and celery out for Santa.  That made me laugh.

The story ended with the point that Santa used to be portrayed with a pipe and they dropped that.  I think that is good, but Santa isn’t portrayed eating junk food, holding donuts, and soda pop!  Maybe Santa is just big boned.  Maybe Santa has an overactive thyroid- not everyone who is overweight eats bad!

If we start taking these things to this extreme, what IS next? Will children not be allowed to have a role model (teacher, policeman, baseball player, coach, parent, grandparent, etc.) who is overweight? 

Yes, obesity is a problem, but I think talking to your kids about a proper body image, giving them good eating habits, and making sure they exercise, will go a lot further in preventing childhood obesity than insisting Santa is thin. 

The world is made up of all kinds of different people.  Why should our kids only be exposed to thin, skinny people as role models?   What kind of message does that send them- that overweight people are not worthy of being a role model?  I think Santa teaches us that it is OK not to have a perfect body.  Santa is overweight, but guess what- no one (until now) cares.  Children  and adults still love him, and he is defined by what he does, and who he is, not what he looks like, and not by how he does or does not live up to a perceived body image.

That is my stand- keep Santa fat!  I am curious to see what everyone else thinks about this.  Please just keep the comments respectful.

Merry Christmas! 

Categories
Activities Cole Holidays Ryan Work

Let It Snow

It started snowing last night and it hasn’t stopped all day.  Not counting all the snow that melted as the snow first hit, we have about 8 inches.  The weather didn’t forecast this at all…why is that not surprising!

Last night we went to a Santa’s Workshop, and an outdoor light walk.  I was a little disappointed.  A lot of the booths were empty, and the lines were really long for the train ride.  Inside, at the workshop, it was arts and crafts for older kids, really.  The kids that were having a lot of fun all looked about 8 years old and older. 

But Cole enjoyed being outside, but Ryan, who came down with a fever last night, obviously was starting to feel sick, so he didn’t have a very good time.

Tonight we braved the weather again to go to our town’s holiday parade.  We have always gone in years past, and this year it was a little disappointing too.  Seeing how it was snowing, and about 20 degrees, I am sure a lot of the floats and performers backed out.  In years past, there were always at least three of the high school bands- this year there was only one- and it was a small private school’s band.  Usually the parade lasts about an hour, and this year it was under 45 minutes.  Cole again had a blast- but Ryan and I went into a store, and watched about half of the parade from the window.  He is feeling better, but still isn’t 100%, and I didn’t want him to get chilled.

I realized last night that Ryan’s boots from last year, didn’t fit him this year.  So I stopped off at a kiddie consignment store today, and picked up a pair in his size.  He wore them tonight, and when we were outside, he was standing in about 2 inches of snow.  After the parade we went to eat dinner, and Ryan said he wanted to take his boots off in the restaurant.  I took one off, and his foot was SOAKED!  Poor little guy- his feet must have been freezing.

I knew he would want to play in the snow tomorrow, and he needs boots when he goes to preschool on Tuesday, so we did a quick dash over to Target, where we got him a brand new pair of boots, that hopefully won’t leak.  I also got a pair for me.  I don’t own boots- I haven’t had boots in about ten years- we just haven’t had that much snow, or it always melts in a day or so. I have been getting away with wearing Dansko clogs, that I never slip in, but standing there tonight- my feet were freezing, and in deep snow, they just don’t work. 

I figured since I have two active boys, who love the snow, I will be spending more and more time in the snow, so a nice warm pair of boots, sounded like a good idea. They were so warm- I didn’t want to take them off, and wanted to wear them home like a kid!

In other news, my Christmas dinner / party went well.  It was a very long night, but it was amazing. 

Tomorrow, Joe has to start working very long hours until Friday, so I am figuring on kind of being a “single” parent for the week.  I am going to try to get all my baking done for the cookie exchange I am going to next Sunday, this week.  We went to the grocery store today and got everything, so I wouln’t have to make any late night runs to the store for sugar!

One of the recipes I am making is really fast and easy, but the other one is really complex.  I wanted to do something special, and I hope the group likes it.  I’ll post pictures when I get them done!

Finally, I scored a really, really, nice Christmas present for Joe.  Shhh…it is a surprise (if you know us in real life).  He doesn’t read my blog, (at least that I know of,) but just in case I can’t say what it is.  I was surprised I was able to get it, but it is something that I know he will absolutely love.  I had to get on the computer today to get it, and told him not to come in, while I was on the computer.  After the purchase was complete, I told him it didn’t work out.  So he has no idea, and hopefully he doesn’t suspect anything.  After Christmas, I’ll spill some of the beans on what it is.  🙂

I hope everyone is having a nice weekend, and getting all those names crossed off your Christmas shopping lists. I still have some gifts for cousins, and our family exchange to get, but I don’t feel rushed or under the gun- yet. 

Since we don’t have anything to do tomorrow, like the song says, for now, let it snow!