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| Gary Sandy, as Scrooge |
Four days until Christmas and the smells from kitchen
continue to conjure memories of Christmas past.
(Not to be confused with the Ghost of Christmas Past!-
I was just in “A Christmas Carol Live Radio Drama” with Gary Sandy, from WKRP in Cincinnati, and he played
Scrooge. And I finished my NaNoWriMo novel. So I’ve been busy, even though I
haven’t been blogging)
The Christmas season comes but once a year , and in
that single month we cram so much: holiday activities; decorating; shopping;
singing; wrapping; visiting; partying; ……you
name it, we try to do it. Sometimes in all that hustle and bustle of trying to “find”
Christmas, we can actually lose it.
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| Scottish Shortbread |
Two completely different factors need to be present for me to create the feeling
of Christmas in my home....
1) church services through the Advent season.
2) baking (I know…..very different)!
In all fairness to me, depending where we lived influenced what
type of church service we’d hear or participate with to some extent.
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| Gingerbread Houses |
And, climates, Christmas activities, and local traditions
are very different in the various places I’ve lived-- England, Philippines,
Cyprus, Italy, Sardegna, Spain, Hawaii, California, Florida, Maine, etc., etc….. But one thing that was always constant was
our holiday baking traditions-- as a child, an adult, and parent.
The kitchen was always the place to hang out during
the holiday season from Thanksgiving through the New Year. Special Christmas cookies – such as Linzer
Tarts; Candy Canes; Peanut Blossoms; Sugar Cut-outs, Lebkuchen; Meringues; Chocolate
Kringles; and, many others were baked early and placed in the freezer so that I
could give as gifts.
Gingerbread Houses were made by the dozens, decorated, and
then given as gifts to friends.
Pumpkin Bread is one of my favorites to bake
and give away.
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| Mini Pumpkin Bread Loaves |
And, of course it wouldn’t the holiday season without Fudge!
Long before I ever made it myself, I would help either Mom or Dad as they
tested the sugary mixture making sure it reached the perfect temperature on the
stove so that it would harden as it cooled.
They must have taught me well, because I’ve never made a batch that wasn’t
perfect! (smiles!)
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| Advent Calendar filled with bones. |
A tradition that my younger daughter started over ten
years ago is the baking of doggie bones and giving them to our canine friends
of friends! Made from freshly crushed
peanuts, they smell heavenly baking and cause our favorite paw-friend to wait
patiently at the entrance to the kitchen for them to cool.
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One of the greatest joys that I get during the
Christmas week is filling beautiful baskets with baked goods and jams and
delivering to friends. Each year the
baskets hold different items, but the intent is always the same—I want to share
with them something that brings such joy to me.
Merry Christmas!
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