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Cookies
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Christmas was always a fun time. I loved Christmas and all of the excitement that surrounded it. My grandmother felt the same and she went all out starting in early December. She was a master baker and after my sister got married, I was her assistant. She made a tremendous assortment of cookies and candies for the season. She made sugar cookies and pinwheels. She crafted pfeffernusse, which we called peppernuts, and springerles.
Uncle Kenny loved to make fun of her "Springlies," because it was difficult to keep them soft. They would be fine for a week or so and then they would become hard as a rock. While sitting at the table, he would take one and pretend to throw it on the floor. Then he would stomp his foot and toss the cookie in the air, as if it had bounced forcefully off the floor.
She made chocolate chips and Almond cookies and Macaroons. She made candy, too: Buttercreams, Divinity, Fudge, Modjeskas, Mints, Pralines, and of course, a couple of fruitcakes. She would keep pouring whiskey over the fruitcakes, which was supposed to help them retain freshness and texture. I imagine they packed quite a punch when they were finally consumed.
There would be nuts and fruit and various batters and food colorings and an assortment of pots and baking sheets all over the place. The house smelled great and the constant baking kept the kitchen cozy and warm. I would decorate and stir and chop and do whatever I could to help her. It would be a hectic week or so and she would be worn out by the end, but boy, it was worth it because it was all so good.
I think Uncle Kenny might have given her a few extra bucks for all of the sugar and butter and such that was needed for such an undertaking. After all of the baking was done, he and Aunt 'Cille would come over and wrap all their presents in our kitchen. They had a ton of gifts to wrap and I never understood why they came to our place to do it, but I was glad they did. It just added to the excitement of the season.
The family would come to our place for breakfast Christmas morning and then we would go to Grandpa's for dinner.
I fell in the tree one year. We had just finished decorating it and I stood in front of it and said, "Now wouldn't it be funny if I fell in the tree?"
Then I leaned too far back and fell into the tree. Mom and Sis roared with laughter, leaving me lying in the tree until they finally pulled me out. I was much chagrined and had tinsel in my hair.
Another year, we had the tree sitting in a place in front of a hallway door that was always closed. The Professor came down the hallway, tripped and fell into the door, which flew open and sent the tree crashing to the floor. Mom was sitting in the living room and it almost landed in her lap.
Well, what would Christmas be without a little unexpected excitement, huh?