A Christmas Tradition

Every year, a couple weeks before Christmas my mom, sister and I get together for a Christmas cookie bake. It has changed over the years, especially since the addition of the now 3 granddaughters, but it is always fun. We used to tackle all sorts of cookies, plus fudge and divinity, but with the little ones it is kind of hard to keep your eye on a candy thermometer...so we opt for just a few simple treats these days. It is so fun to see them decorate sugar cookies...they gain talent each year! Last year we used colored dough...boy was that a mess...and tasted so bitter! We learn something new each year! There is one special thing that has been added to the tradition since the girls came along...my mom makes homemade old-fashioned donuts for breakfast before we get started!! It's my grandmother's recipe and they are oh so tasty! I'm typically not a fan of the cake donut, but these are awesome. As Jerry said this year, "They're worth the wait and the weight!" And the girls had fun shaking them in paper bags to coat them with cinnamon and sugar! This slide show showcases our donut making and cookie baking adventure!