Christmas Greetings!

I decided that this Christmas, I wouldn’t stress out about things like shopping, and traffic, and traveling around from house to house making sure to spend time with each branch of the Mister and I’s families.  But, predictably, I did stress.  Always overly ambitious and un-organized, I was wrapping up the last edible gifts and putting the finishing touches on hand-sewn gifts up until the very last minute–right before packing up the car to go to celebrate with the fam.  I made super-hero capes for nephews, sewed parchment paper bags to hold hand-crushed mulling spices.  I’d started steeping  bottles of vanilla extract way back before Thanksgiving, and have been roasting cinnamon-cayenne candied almonds almost daily to pack into cellophane bags tied with bows.

The holidays come with so much fuss; so many things to buy, and places to go.  I was so wrapped up in all the things needing to be cooked, created and shopped for, that I almost lost track of why I was cooking, and making, and buying.  When Christmas Eve arrived, I thought, You know what?  I’m pretty lucky to have so many people to share with, travel to, buy for, sew for, receive from, cook for, eat with, converse with, laugh with, clean up with, and care about.

So here I am, finally with a moment to sit and write, and happy to report that I spent the past two days doing all of the above, and hoping that you found time to share with the people who matter most to you in the midst of all of your holiday projects.   Merry Christmas from my busy kitchen to yours!