Holidays Are Around the Corner

Christmas can be a stressful time of year with all the baking, cleaning, decorating, and trying to find the perfect tree and that ‘special something’ for someone who has everything.  Also, for a myriad of reasons, it can be a very sad time for some (it was for me when my Dad died). This helps ease that heavy feeling some of us go through.

About 14 – 15 years ago, I came up with the idea of a lead in to Christmas just for adults.  We had, with our friends, a pre and pre pre dinner. Each one of us had one dinner/evening before Christmas, complete with tree, small gifts, and much laughter..

About 4 years ago, our friends were gone, we held the ‘pre’ dinner for about 12 friends and I baked and gave away trays of goodies to each one as they left at the end of the evening. One man stood up and said thanks, he had just received his ‘adjustment’ and could face Christmas for the first time in years.

I urge you to try it. The only rule is you have to get a sitter (if children are home).  It helps get into the spirit of the season, gets  you away from it all for one evening. If you want, go to the dollar store and buy a gift for each person and wrap it up and put it under the tree. Yes, you decorate like it was your Christmas. Send out invitations early so you get put on the calendar and not miss out due to people already booked up.

Here’s a recipe for you to print off and get thinking about your baking. I do all my baking on Nov 11. Don makes all his tortierre pies (about 11), we listen to some Christmas music and, of course, pause at 11:00 for a couple of moments out of respect.

Check out the 2nd blog today. A recipe for Lemon Shortbread Cookies is posted. Have fun!