‘Tell us about your favorite childhood meal — the one that was always a treat, that meant “celebration,” or that comforted you and has deep roots in your memory. Free free to focus on any aspect of the meal, from the food you ate to the people who were there to the event it marked.’
Many foods and dishes went through my head for today’s writing prompt. There’s special French toast at each birthday, rice pudding with left over rice, egg dish at Easter, and favorite dishes at potlucks. I picked an overall food group that makes the season. I choose Christmas cookies at Christmas.
Christmas cookies have been part of my Christmas celebration for as long as I can remember. I always knew the season started when my mom began making cookie dough. There was never ever just one type of cookie made. Instead there was a wide variety to please most stomachs: sugar cookie, gingerbread, peanut butter balls, killer balls (chocolate bon bons), molasses, and always a new cookie to try.
My mom, sisters, and I put on aprons ready to help measure, stir, crack, and taste. Licking the beaters was always the best. (I’ve eaten raw cookie dough as long as I can remember.) The cookie production was always messy and chaotic, but at least only one kind was made at a time. Everything flowed within the flour mess as each had a job. Laughter and Christmas music was heard in the background.
Anticipation hung in the air as the cookies baked. We peaked from outside watching them bake. Finally, the moment to taste our delicious creations. Silence as we took our first bite then smiles and mmms were suddenly heard. Christmas is truly here.
Now came the fun part to give personality to each cookie. Sugar cookies and gingerbread were frosted with bright colors, candies, and sprinkles to dazzle. Each looked so unique that you almost didn’t want to eat.
Cookies were carefully selected and placed on plates. Plastic wrap held them together with a red ribbon. The cookies were ready to give to friends, family, and neighbors. Our special treats became theirs to taste. The Christmas season was truly here.
Christmas Cookies: Bite Size Holiday Lessons is similar to a vocabulary book with lessons than an actual story. You may not realize it, but there are many lessons and emotions when we make cookies. Each page has a bold word and definition that relates to the cookie making process. Some of the words and lessons mentioned are Anticipation to wait all day to make cookies, Charitable to give a batch to people, Frustrated that the cookies burnt again, and Family to enjoy the cookies together. In the book, animals have human-like characteristics as they help bake and share cookies. If you enjoy this book, the author wrote similar food lesson books. Personally, Christmas doesn’t feel like Christmas without baking and sharing cookies.
Christmas Cookies: Bite Size Holiday Lessons
