By :
Lori Moradi
When the leaves start turning colors and the air gets crisper, my family starts getting more excited. These are signs of autumn but it also means that the holidays are getting closer! The importance of holiday traditions to our now 20 plus- year- old children are reflected in their expectations that the upcoming holidays will unfold exactly as they always have, year after year.
Each Halloween we MUST make at least one batch of caramel apples and visit at least 50 people, even if we are not trick or treating anymore.
Thanksgiving is not just a one day event, it lasts all weekend. Our Thanksgiving meal MUST include the green bean casserole, with just the right amount of crunchy toppings and at minimum 3 kinds of desserts! Each year we gather and relive favorite memories while creating new ones. Remember the year that our golden lab helped herself to the turkey? Our children certainly have never forgotten- it was the highlight of dinner that year. In the aftermath of the traditional turkey dinner, board games are brought out, which they have outgrown decades ago, but are a fond reminder of holidays past.
As they have grown and become adults, their lives have become more complicated. I think they look forward to the reliability and sameness of our traditions; it is an anchor in the tumultuous sea of life.
I even find myself looking forward to traditions that have defined our family for a number of years. Baking cookies on the day after Thanksgiving is something I look forward to. It is a great way to get into the Christmas spirit and make the holidays last just a little longer. And of course decorating them is the most fun part! I’ve included a recipe below that works well for little hands as well as adult ones. It is a recipe that I got from my mother many years ago. (Unfortunately I don’t know the source.)
Basic Christmas Cookies
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 Large egg
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 cups flour
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Beat egg and vanilla. Add baking powder and flour, one cup at a time, mixing after each addition. The dough will be very stiff; blend last flour in by hand (if dough becomes too stiff, add water, a few drops at a time). Do not chill dough.
Roll out on a floured surface, or surface sprayed lightly with cooking spray. Cut into shapes.
Bake on middle rack for 10 to 15 minutes. Do not let cookies get overly browned. Cool 5 minutes; gently loosen with spatula, put on cooling rack. Finish cooling for about 15 minutes. Ice and decorate as desired.
Notes: Dough can be tinted with a few drops of food coloring. Knead in small amounts until desired color is reached.
For chocolate cookies: Mix in 3 ounces of melted, unsweetened chocolate. Keep fresh batches on the table on a festive serving plate. Look here for serving suggestion. You never know who might drop by!
Even if you are not a baker, you can evolve your own family traditions from the simplest and most spontaneous ideas. By all means, let your children help define your family traditions to create lasting memories!
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