I went to the city this week for a doctor’s appointment. I decided to do some shopping for our girl while she was at school, and I was alone. Christmas was in full swing.

I have to admit. I am one who loves Christmas. I carpool three days a week. I promised the kids that on November 1, it would be only Christmas Music. However, by the last week of October, it was on! I programmed my Pandora to my favorite Christmas artists and turned up the volume.

I decorate early. Most of the time, I wait until the first week of November.

It’s not just a few boxes of decor. The whole house is converted! Pictures are exchanged. Decor is packed away. Boxes and boxes and boxes come out from being tucked away from last season.

However, in the midst of all the boxes, ribbons, bows and decorations, Christmas is a deep sense of being rooted.

This morning, as I turned the tree on, started the woodstove to take the chill out of the air, and grabbed a cup of coffee, a smile of peace and deep feeling of joy came over me. It’s Christmas.

My thoughts drifted to cookie day.

It started years ago. It was the year we separate from the military and moved to Indiana.

That first Christmas out of the military was extra special. Ty’s mom suggested we create a tradition. We would make, bake and decorate cookies as a family. It would be the second Saturday of December. I love to cook, so I would make the meal and bring it. Ty’s Mom and Dad would provide the cookies and all the decor for them. A recipe was exchanged and passed down to his mom. Ty’s sister, Tracy, went to his parents’ home and made the dough two days ahead as it had to sit.

A tradition was born.

Christmas brings these cherish moments to mind. Flooding in and bringing me joy. It brings back memories of the laughter we had as a family. I got teased because I was the slowest decorator, but my cookies were show stopping! Cowboy’s cookies were iced and most of them eaten as he decorated. He boasted that he had the prettiest cookies and they just could not be given away. Dad would decorate some then just watch the show. Mom decorated and kept all the bowls full of icing and sprinkles.

Tracy was the cookie cutout master! She would cut and bake. Every year making a special cookie for each pup we had in the family for me to decorate and write their name on it. One year, we had all the cookies drying and her Doberman, Nayla, picked a cookie off the table. We all were surprised as she was well behaved and never took anything off the table. We laughed as we saw that it was her cookie, with her name on it! She wasn’t going to wait!

Today, the tradition remains. Just the other day our girl asked, “when is cookie day scheduled momma”. Ty’s mom sending me a message this week, “I hope you all do cookies this year!”

Christmas brings these reminders of years passed; traditions remain though maybe dynamics of life have changed.

We as individuals get to choose the pathway we want to travel. Do we carry on traditions of years gone by or start new ones?

So, for us, we will enjoy our cookie day. We are looking forward to it. It’s a time of celebration as well as remembering.

Here’s our traditional cookie recipe. We hope you enjoy.

From our homestead to yours, enjoy the season.

Until Next Time,

Farmgirl Jo

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Cookie Day Memories

THE CHRISTMAS COOKIE

• 2 cups of sugar
• 1 cup of butter
• 1 1/2 cups of sour cream
• 3 eggs
• 4 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 5 cups of all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur)

Mix until well combined.

Chill cookie dough overnight. Do not try to speed this up. Must be an overnight setting!!! I have made the dough a couple days in advance, so it’s ready for cookie day!!

Dough should be firm but sticky.

Liberally flour countertop or rollout mat. With small amounts of dough, work additional flour into cookie and roll out to desired thickness. We like our cookies soft and chewy. I do not roll mine thin.

Flour cookie cutter, cut desired cookies.

Spray cookie sheet with nonstick spray.

Place cookies on the sheet.

Cook @ 350 for 10 to 12 minutes.

TIP. If you are cooking two sheets at a time, rotate cookies from bottom to top rack at 5 to 6 min. The cookies will cook quickly. We like soft cookies, so I tend to take out when they are baked to firm and let them sit on the cookie sheet for an additional minute to finish.

Butter Cream Icing

• 4 cups of powdered sugar
• 1 stick of salted soft butter
• 2 tsp real vanilla
• 2 – 3 tbs of whole milk

Whip butter and vanilla, slowly add powdered sugar while mixing. Add milk as needed for desired consistency. We like frosting to be piped as well as for spreading. We make ours until creamy and fluffy! Be sure to use REAL vanilla. It does make a difference in the taste!!!!

Make sure cookies are completely cool before decorating.

Enjoy!!!

It’s time for Milk and Cookies!!!