What would Christmas be with out cookies?!

If there is one thing that makes a house feel like Christmas it's the smell of fresh cookies.  Shortbread, ginger snaps, sugar cookies and other Christmas treats, yum!  Doing the Christmas baking is one of my favorite parts of this season.

It's not so much the consumption of these delectable treats that I love (while they taste fantastic, shortbread being my favorite, most of them contain corn so it's a nope for me.  Which, is why my pants still fit post Christmas), it's more the making of them.  Especially this year, I have a helper  now, who when she's not trying to put the entire container of cinnamon in a batch of ginger snaps or accidentally pouring vanilla all over her feet, is actually a help.  Watching the joy on her face as she helps me measure, mix and roll cookies, is more fun than doing it alone. 

This year was also our busiest baking season to date.  My parents have a big company dinner every year and this year we decided to give all of our guests homemade gifts instead of purchased ones.  I, being completely insane, maybe even off my rocker ambitious decided to volunteer to bake all of the cookies for all of our guests, totalling about 350 cookies, that's 29 dozen.  It was work, lots of work.  But I loved it!  I love baking, and decorating.  Packaging them up, taking time with pretty boxes and smooth, parchment paper, ribbons and bow, oh my!

Anyways, by Sunday night when the party began, I was finished.  Both with the baking and with my energy.  It plum tired me out, all that baking with 2 little girls is fun for sure, but still amounted to a little work.  Thank goodness the venue we booked for our party was fantastic, treated us like royalty and made the snowy evening fun for all.

I'm at a total loss for how to end this post with a flourish so, you're going to have to settle for a few dozen photos!

Sugar Cookies, warm from the oven.

Painting the cookies!  She had so much fun, we had a huge mess everywhere but fun was had by all.

Even Audrey helped.

Finished sugar cookies.

Chocolate Peppermint hearts.  These took Forevah!  Do you have any idea how many candy canes are broken in a box of 100?  About 85.  And do you know how long it takes to glue w/chocolate 85 candy canes together?  Too long!

I love how these turned out.  They were well worth the work, and sure looked pertty when they were done.

Chocolate kiss shortbread.  It didn't dawn on my until I was editing this photo that they look like a bunch of boobs.  It's ok to giggle, I did.  (Yes, I'm that grown up)

The finished product, one of our packages before lid and ribbon.

Dancing at the party. 

Everything with her tongue hangin' out!

I love this one of my Beth.

They clean up nice, eh?!

CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY Hint #4: When my brother and I were young we attempted to bake brownies while my parents were out at bible study.  We were out of eggs and instead of phoning a neighbour to borrow some, I, in my infinate 13 year old wisdom substituted Crisco shortening.  The brownies were in the over for 1.5 hours and never solidified.  MMMMM, gag.