Christmas Baking with Kids

I tell you what, this Christmas season has been the best, by far.  The twins love the lights, decorations, Christmas tree, presents under the tree (they love shaking them) Christmas music that plays non-stop in the house and van, and the stories I tell about Jesus' birthday, oh and don't forget all the baking!

Joshua goes nuts when we talk about mixing; he knows exactly where we keep the two mixers.  Saray loves it too, she always asked for Daddy or Mommy to make it go "faster!"  They are learning about flour, baking powder, sugar and the other ingredients that may end up in the mix of things.

Well this Christmas season Jer, the kids and I have been baking up a storm around here.  I have lost count of how many different kinds of cookies/goodies we have made.  I can tell you that we have tried 6 new recipes so far, and that does NOT include the normal Christmas baking list. 

What do we do with all those cookies/goodies?  We give them all away, and of course keep a few for ourselves to enjoy as well, but for the most part they go to friends, family and anyone else that God lays on our hearts, like the mail-man, or a person living alone, etc.  It's been a tradition of ours since that first Christmas together.  We absolutely love all the baking and the giving.  We hope our kids will learn to love to bake, give and that they will carry the tradition when they grow up and move on with life.

A few favorites of mine:  Brazil Jubilees (brazil nuts, coffee and hershey kiss on top), Double Chocolate Biscotti (which I have yet to make...better get in it!), Peanut Butter Blossoms, Oreo Balls (a bag of crushed oreos, package of cream cheese rolled into balls and dipped in melted milk chocolate), Peanut Butter Balls a.k.a. Buckeyes (peanut butter, rice krispies, etc, dipped in milk chocolate), Pretzel Rolo Delight (small square or round pretzel, rolo and & m&m), Ritz Peanut Butter Sandwich dipped in chocolate (with add marshmallow creme)....that's just a few!

Here are a few pictures of the twins dipping pretzel sticks (they ended up just eating them).  They also got to enjoy the leftover chocolate from the Ritz Peanut Butter Sandwiches.  THEY LOVED IT!  Grayson on the other hand, did not get any sweets, but he did get sit by and watch the twins make a large mess for Mommy to clean up.

Merry Christmas to you and yours.  Give a little, or a lot, this Christmas!  Jesus is the Reason for EVERY Season.