When I was younger my Dad used to make cookies and give them to family and friends at Christmas time. He would be baking for days and the house would be filled with good smells, Christmas music, and my dad's voice singing the current song on the radio. I can tell when my Dad is happy b/c he sings. Any other time of year he is usually belting out some Ian Anderson song - completely in tune, and sounding very much like Ian himself, but at Christmas time when the cookies are baking it is Christmas music that fills the air. The assortment of cookies always amazed me. He always made more than half a dozen different kinds of cookies, and each one was delicious. I looked forward to him making cookies every year.
And then something happened (I don't know what) and he stopped baking them. For a long time the kitchen stayed quiet. Each year would come and go as I would hope in vain that this year would be the year he started baking again only to have those hopes dashed.
So, this year I really decided to take matters into my own hands. I wanted my children to benefit from the tradition of my dad's wonderful Christmas cookies - not only the taste of them - but to be able to take in the whole scene. I wanted my children to see my dad in his element before they got too old. So, I asked my dad for a list of supplies, went out and got them, and set a date for the next generation of Gray's to begin baking.
In the end, only the girls wanted to go up and bake. Bob stayed at home with the boys while I took the girls up to my mom and dads where my sister also met me with her children. I had a blast - although when my dad gets into his element he forgets that there are others in the kitchen that want to help too - we'll work on that - and I think that my girls had fun as well.
I am so thankful that we started this tradition once again. I am sure that my family in NY will be happy too once they get their hands on the Christmas deliciousness coming their way.
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