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Christmas Cookies

by the Elf Queen

Christmas cookies are fat free! Christmas cookies look slimming on you! Christmas cookies good for curing the common cold!

Oh, if only these statements were true! But, alas, they are not. Christmas cookies are tasty and delicious, but unfortunately, your love handles only get larger as you eat them.

There are so many different types of Christmas cookies. The Christmas cookie started in ancient times and continues today, in all types of countries. According to our research, gingerbread and sugar cookies were ‘invented’ first followed by tons more. Did you know animal crackers were once used as decorations? Americans have made Fig Newtons since 1892, but the lovely, tasty most wonderful Christmas cookie-the Chocolate Chip cookie has only been officially made since 1937!! (did you read our bias in that sentence)

Once people started making cookies, the cookie exchange began. This is a great idea for a party and can be an inexpensive alternative Christmas gift. People can bring ingredients to make the cookies at the party, or just bring several dozen of one type of cookie to exchange with one another. Either way, fun will be had.

Making Christmas cookies is a tradition shared in many families. I remember making cookies with my grandmother. The extra table would be assembled and the cookies laid upon it for display. Then, the joy of tasting samples or eating imperfect cookies before Christmas would commence. Of course, once the baking and tasting were done,the cookies were packed away and saved for that most special of times-Christmas Dinner Dessert.

Sometimes Christmas cookie making can be considered torturous. For example, making molasses cookies for the first time for me was torturous. How about when your cookies turn too brown for even a dog, that would be torturous. (but truly, that’s never happened, right?) Or how about when your husband sees flames in the oven from your daughter trying to bake cookies and he decides to use the fire extinguisher on them? Ack, what a mess! Actually, those weren’t Christmas cookies, but the idea is the same.

A fun recipe to make with children is gingerbread people. They can help by mixing the ingredients or just with the decorations, either way it is a memory builder. Remember to take lots of photographs! Gingerbread villages are fun to do, not just a house, but an entire village. The creativity and love will be endless. Gingerbread house making also makes for a good party. It would be fun to have one’s Sunday School make a gingerbread version of your church (maybe rice crispy treats would be easier for this).

There are many, many recipes for Christmas cookies. Ask your relatives for their favorites or check out www.tasteofhome.com or www.food.com for some ideas.

Here’s a snappy little tune to go with your ginger snaps!