Home for the holidays

What does the holiday look like in your family house? I’m always interested in how different Christmas/Solstice looks inside each family’s home – between freezers full of baked goods to eggnog waiting for brandy to dogs and cats dressed in hand-made Christmas sweaters, we all have our own “A Christmas Story.” (Note: I have that same pink bunny costume!)

I have to give props to my mother, who has spent the past week turning out dozens of beautiful cookies, even when very ill.

Some highlights include her butter mints and these candies pictured below, which are simply a pretzel topped with a Rolo candy and one pecan, then slightly broiled to melt.

Little ginger-cookies she found in the New York Times, called Piparkakut. They also are spiced with cloves, cardamom and black pepper.

Sweet sausage-looking things, which are actually a light dough capturing a lemon-walnut mixture. The cookies are called lemon-walnut packets.

Pinwheels of ginger and lemon:

And, of course, her almond-scented cream cheese cookies. She had to outdo me by adding lemon essence and prettier sanding sugar (and royal icing!).

Hope your holdiays are going splendidly – I’m excited to have a white Christmas this year! xoxo

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