Christmas always brings back such wonderful memories of baking and creating special gifts. Janice, Jill and I would spend the days before Christmas baking dozens of Spritz cookies, sugar cookies, crescent cookies and any other variety we wanted to try. We would place them in decorative tins and share them with friends and family. We also might pick a special theme for a craft or a recipe and go from there. One year we made a spiced tea mix that we put in small mason jars, beribboned and gave as gifts. And Jill would always find some little craft or treat she couldn’t wait to give a whirl.
Another tried and true tradition was from Janice’s mother, PaPa, her homemade boiled custard. We would consume its rich custardy goodness by the glassful. And Grandmother Ginny would always make her Fruit Cake Cookies that she would bring with her when she and Granddaddy Roy came to visit. This was a recipe given to her by her dear friend Irene Reynolds and I truly loved them.
The holidays are always hectic and years have passed and our fun tradition of baking cookies and treats had faded into the background. This year however, we were fortunate to host a Cookie Party at our home. The halls were decked with touches of Christmas everywhere and everyone was encouraged to find a recipe that they would like to try.
We started our day together by meeting at Puckett’s Grocery, a local favorite, right off Main Street, for breakfast. After a hearty meal, we walked around downtown Franklin in the chilly morning air taking in all the sights.
Every year, downtown Franklin hosts a Dickens Christmas. Main Street is roped off and street vendors sell their wares, food vendors entice you with their goodies and characters from Charles Dickens, “A Christmas Carol”, stroll the streets in period costume. It had snowed lightly the day before and there was still a light dusting here and there. Soon reddened cheeks and cold hands urged us onward to the promise of a warm hearth and home.
A dickens of a Christmas. Carriage rides, carolers, live music and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come in downtown Franklin.
After we unencumbered ourselves of coats, hats, scarves and gloves we got down to the business of more fun. Dad and Janice toiled over recreating PaPa’s boiled custard recipe as well as our beloved Spritz cookies. Jill wanted to try a new cookie recipe, the Million Dollar Cookie, that she had found and Leah made a lip smacking good no bake cookie with peanut butter and Golden Graham cereal.
Dad and Janice babysit the boiled custard waiting for the telltale sign of it coating the back of a spoon.
Janice preps the dough for Spitz Cookies as Terry, Chris and Jill supervise, Chris uses the cookie press to make Christmas tree shaped cookies with the Spritz dough, Jill making her cookies and Leah works on her no bake treats.
The Christmas tree twinkled, a basketball game entertained the boys, Christmas music serenaded us in the kitchen, and Lily sat on the floor contentedly playing with her toys.
Taking a break from baking we enjoyed a bowl of homemade chili with crunchy Fritos, sharp shredded cheddar cheese, tangy sour cream as a topper and of course, ice cold Coca Cola.
Later that evening, Roy and Leah took the opportunity to slip out for a little while to visit a co-worker that lived in Franklin that was having a holiday get together. That meant we had sweet Lily all to ourselves. After Josh and Jill fed her a delicious dinner of pears and cereal, Jill and I gave her a bath. Afterwards, dressed in the cutest pair of Christmas jammies, Lily made the rounds of saying goodnight to everyone and then had a tummy-filling bottle. Jill it seems had the magic touch of lulling her to sleep.
Josh and Jill feeding Lily her dinner.
Lily post bath ready for sleepy town.
For dinner, we had a baked chicken casserole with almonds, broiled asparagus with garlic butter and hot tea biscuits. Delicious!
Roy and Leah returned around 10:00 p.m. and unfortunately had to return home as did Chris. Their doggies had been left unattended for the afternoon and much of the evening and they all required a much needed bathroom break. Dad, Janice, Josh and Jill all spent the evening with us. We all watched one of my all time favorite movies “It’s A Wonderful Life,” and then retired to bed.
The next morning we had a grand breakfast with orange and cinnamon glazed rolls, scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, biscuits with Grandmother Ginny’s homemade strawberry freezer jam, fresh fruit and chilled orange juice. We ate until we could eat no more and then our gracious house guests headed towards home.
It was a wonderful weekend. The stuff of memories. My wish is to share this lovely tradition with the two newest members of our family, Lily Pie and Wee Little Levi when he arrives, and that they will also embrace this tradition of creating and sharing.