'Tis That Time of Year....with photos and everything. ;)

Good Day Bloggerville! I hope that you are all having a wonderful day and if you are one of the many stuck with the snow and icy conditions, I hope you are all safe and warm. Thankfully, up here in NW Indiana, we are just dealing with the cold; and really, there are days that I wish it would snow and the cold would ease up...BUT, I don't dare say that too loudly or repeat it in fear that it just may happen and then I somehow get blamed for it. ;)

A week from tomorrow (Sat) is my families Christmas party, which my parents are hosting this year. I would love to say that my mom put me in charge of desserts, because it would seem better to place the blame somewhere else, but alas...I volunteered for the job. Am I crazy? Crazy like a fox! I figured it would be more in my wheelhouse to do desserts, especially this time of year, when cookies and such are the must do/have of any good Christmas party. :) See, there is a method to my madness. :) It's not that I was looking for an easy way out, its just that I love to bake and I have been struggling to get into the Christmas mood; and so what is a great way to join the two than baking for the Christmas party?! My immediate plan was to bake my arse off and have such wonderful creations that they would have the family talking in awe of it for the next year....but then reality set in. LOL

Keep
It
Simple
Silly

Yup, that is my motto for everything Christmas this year. (OK, so I'm struggling with that when it comes to Christmas lights and such...but then again, who isn't. LOL) I did Google Christmas cookie ideas, and let me tell you this: You think that Pinterest is the Devil? Nooooo.....no, my friends, Google (especially when it comes to Christmas anything) is the true evil one here. lol I got sucked into Google like the frickin' Bermuda Triangle last night, but I also came away with the realization that SIMPLE is the way to go....that and 2 great cookie ideas to boot. :) So, here is my plan of attack...

I have decided to make sugar cookies (both cut out and just plain round), which will be frosted and decorated in proper spirit of the season. Then I found these ADORABLE penguin cookies:

Are they not the cutest thing EVER? They are simple to the point of an OMG that is so SIMPLE! Nutter butter cookies, melted chocolate and you can use fondant or if you are like me and not fondant friendly, just use icing. :) I think I will let Kbug handle these, yup...that EASY folks. :) And, then I am going to make these cute and easy reindeer cookies:

Told you...CUTE and EASY! :) You can even use..GASP...the cut and back sugar cookies in a roll for these. And, of course there will be the traditional chocolate chip cookies for the true traditionalists in our family....like my Dad. LOL I am going to make a dozen or two cupcakes too and frost them and then top them with some sugar penguins I found at Jo Ann Fabrics a couple weeks ago on their awesome sale. :) Now some of you may be thinking, "Simple?! This all is not simple Lu...", but for anyone who knows me or has even just met me in person or through Face Book....they know that YES, this is tone down 100 notches from my usual ambitious list of things I wanna do for Christmas baking. ;)

My mom was going to have Kbug and I make up a gingerbread house village for center pieces for this party, but thankfully she came to her senses and got on board with the whole K.I.S.S. train and decided to make them activities for the younger generation at the party...which can then be taken home and enjoyed in their own homes for the Holiday Season. :) Yup, my mama is one smart cookie...see, I come by it naturally. :) She also acquired, in her after season stock up last year, some homemade candy/cookie snow globe kits; which all I have to do is bake the cookies and WALLAH! Kids can construct them at the party and again, take them home to share within their house. ;)

It's also nice to get a lot of the baking done this next week for some of my goodie boxes that I make up for friends. I will be adding some fudge and I think some cake balls and one or two more goodies...all pretty simple in the making tho. :) I have friends that look forward to these goodie boxes each and every year now, along with their kids and or spouses. LOL I really do enjoy baking and giving of those bake goods too. There are times that the kids and hubby rant about how good it smells in the house and how it makes their mouths water at just walking through the front door....(lets be real, they get their fair share too), but these goodie boxes are made with love for the special ones in our lives and it makes me feel good to put all that love into gifts that even though they don't last too long, put smiles on my friends faces and love into their heart...love from me and my family. :)

OK...I got a bit mushy there at the end, sorry. LOL I seem to be really into blogging and talking this morning. lol And, no....I'm not on caffeine, I am still on the decaf train. :( lol

So, I leave you this morning with these questions...do you bake during the Holidays? Do you make certain people gifts? Do you do all your shopping online? Do you brave the stores for the greatest deals? What do you do that is a tradition or special to you for the Holiday Season? Share...please! :)

Have a wonderful and Blessed Day....