Christmas 2024

Hundreds and hundreds of cookie cutters can be found at my house and I always say I don't need to buy more, but it never works.  When I saw these designs I knew I wanted to include them in my holiday collection this year.  Dozens and dozens of tree cutters, but not one with a star on top, so another cutter has been added to the cutter closet.  It was worth it, these designs make me smile.

As I was decorating them, I remembered some other non-traditional trees in the past, so here is a look back at some previous designs.

 

In addition, great-niece Avery, received a special collection of cookies reminiscent of paper dolls.

 

Love, hugs, cookies and Merry Christmas to all!

Reference:   Tutorial for the tree designs can be found at Little Cookie Co.

 

KISS for Christmas!

Kept it simple. . .

Since my sister, Rita has carried on Mom's tradition of making thousands of Christmas cookies to share with family and friends, I do not need to make many cookies at this time of the year.  I am happy to add my sugar cookies to her platters of family favorites. 

 

This year, great-niece Avery helped pack the cookie trays for the family Christmas Eve 

gathering. . .

 

and proudly displayed them after donning her new Mira, Royal Detective costume.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Christmas is Here

 

It's the most wonderful time of the year, and after social distancing in 2020, our extended family was looking forward to our celebration. Since some of the "kids" in the family now live out of state, the crowd was not expected to be as large as usual.  However, due to the Omicron variant of the Corona virus, by Christmas day the crowd had dwindled from 27 to 6!

Matt and I were grateful to be able to attend and the food was packed and delivered to other family members.  I guess "meals on wheels" was a step in the right direction from last year and we are grateful that the vaccine has kept symptoms mild for those who were afflicted with the virus.  Hopefully, next year we can return to a full family gathering.

Cookie designs this year,  included:

Plain  .  .  .

Fancy .  .  .

Traditional  .  .  .

One cutter, four looks. . . 

a new Santa .  .  .

and angels in remembrance of family members, Kathy and Diana,  who left us this year.

         Merry Christmas one and all.

A Few Good Men and Friends!

Why is it that I prefer sunshine and sandy beaches to snow, and yet, snowman cookies always make me smile?  This design is new this year and he will definitely become part of my Christmas tradition.  So simple, but so darn cute.

A dapper, snowman for the Women's Club was another fun design that kept me smiling through the hours of decorating.

Since I make a special cookie for my great-nieces and nephews every year, I opted for even more snowmen designs.  The older kids will receive a happy snowman shopping for his tree . . .

. . . while the younger children will be able to create their own snowman, thanks to my "sugar sister," who gave me this creative cutter.  

"Stick" cookies are the trend this year, so snowman sticks will be part of the family treats.  Along with  cookies with "lots of sprinkles" that were requested by Leann.

Finally, I made some Frozen cookies for a friend, Payton, who is celebrating her 3rd Christmas and is a big fan of the movie.  She currently wears her Elsa dress every night and was excited when her cookies arrived in the mail.

Of course,  it wouldn't be Christmas without a new version of Santa Claus.  

A White Christmas Doesn't Have to Mean Snow

Sand and Surf or Ice and Snow .  .  . 

Which White Christmas do you prefer?

In 2012, beach cookies became a trend.  All shapes and sizes, they were everywhere, but I think I originated the "Merry Beachmas" design.  It is my favorite cookie, the most popular entry on my blog, and the inspiration for the cookies that I will share at our family gathering this year.

For the family members who prefer snow, I made traditional winter designs.

Finally, a tribute to our loved ones who are forever in our hearts and in the stars . . .

Christmas 2015

The Grinch hated Christmas! The whole Christmas season!
Now, please don't ask why. No one quite knows the reason.

I've been feeling like the Grinch this season, so I made him into a cookie just for me.

This year the shopping, planning, decorating, and chasing, just seemed to take away from the true meaning of Christmas rather than helping me celebrate the season.  Fortunately, taking the time to decorate cookies for family and friends allowed me to think about the special people who I have in my life, they are the true gifts of this magical season.

The 2015 holiday collection included:

Pink for Payton's first Christmas, with Angel Grandma Kathy, peeking in.

More pastels for various friends .  .  .  I like the new Snowman family and deer ornaments that joined my ever growing cutter collection this year!

Same designs, different colors for the family.

Peace Doves for the Women's Club party.  I always love the elegance of white cookies.

The truck with trees was inspired by my brother-in law, Bill, who has always chopped down the tree for his family and is now growing his own trees in Wisconsin. 

Tree designs dominated the cookie platter for Christmas Day.

With a few snow people and some minis to complete the collection.

Personalized letters to Santa for the younger generation (ages 5-20). . .

 

 

.  .  . and a grown up Christmas wish inspired by the song.

Finally, in memory of my Dad, dear friend Kathy, sweet, young Grace and Jim D.  .  .  forever in our hearts and in the stars.

Welcome Christmas. Bring your cheer,
Cheer to all Whos, far and near.

Christmas Day is in our grasp
So long as we have hands to grasp.

Christmas Day will always be
Just as long as we have we. 

                                                          Dr. Seuss

 

A Turkey Free Thanksgiving--NOT!

Last year, my Thanksgiving cookies were all about the turkey, thanks to all the creative bloggers who posted various designs and tutorial. This year, I decided that the Thanksgiving cookie collection would not have ANY turkeys, not one!  After all, how many different ways can you design a turkey?

Since I have never made Scarecrow cookies, I decided a fall theme would replace the traditional bird.  My husband is usually enthusiastic about my designs, but not this time.  He said, "Thanksgiving without a turkey?  I don't get it."  I was not deterred, I just kept telling myself, "no turkeys."

So the fall theme took shape, and a Scarecrow was born using Sugarbelle's instruction's to re-purpose a Snowman cutter.

Of course, a Scarecrow needs crows, so I re-purposed a carrot cutter and took design inspiration from a childhood cartoon.

I added another crow design when I found this cute creation by Nanny.

At this point, I started second guessing myself . . .Thanksgiving + bird = turkey, NOT crows! Turkeys needed to be added to the collection.

My second scarecrow design was made with a re-purposed hamburger cutter, thanks to the creativity of Jill FCS.  I thought his hat would be a good place to include a turkey in the collection.

When a surprise package arrived in the mail, I knew that I couldn't wait until Christmas to use these cutters! Thanks, Donna.

Since the little ones in our family love puzzle cookies, I decided that the Bearfootbaker's  turkey design created with a re-purposed acorn cutter would be the perfect bird to disguise.  I bagged these cookies and added a little tag that said, "I am not a turkey."

What happens to design themes when an unseasonably warm fall is interrupted by snow? It wasn't a few flakes or a light dusting . . .the headline in the paper read, "Season's first snow is Chicago's largest November snowfall in 120 years."  The cookie collection now needed Snowmen!

Finally, when I saw this adorable football turkey designed by Jill FCS,  I knew I had to add them to the collection.  They reminded me of the fun I had a few years ago collaborating on a football design with my Sugar Sister .

Scarecrows, crows, turkeys, football and, snowmen. . .so much for themes.  I guess my design style is eclectic.

 

Happy Thanksgiving!