What started as a new tradition for my mom and I in 2015 has now become such a special holiday event for our family!
The past three years, my mom and I have baked cookies together to give to our neighbors for Christmas. This year, my daughter (<–it still feels so weird/amazing saying that!) and sister joined in on the fun!
My sister, Sadie, and I slept over my parents’ house on Friday night last week and spent Saturday baking, laughing, snuggling Sadie, and listening to Christmas music. Oh, and thinking about how next year, Hannah’s son or daughter can join in on the fun!
Here’s what we baked this year:
-Gingersnaps
-Cornflake Wreaths
-Pretzel Hugs
-Sugar Cookies
-Chocolate Crinkles
-Cranberry Bars
-Peanut Butter Blossoms
-Jam Thumbprints
-Turtle Thumbprints
While us girls were baking, Jimmy and Hannah’s husband, Josh, went hunting. It was Jimmy’s first time hunting and said he loved it! He saw a doe and already can’t wait to hunt with Josh again soon.
Aunt Hannah and Grandma Lisa took great care of Sadie. It was really nice to have extra hands to help out with my little chicka. Sadie thoroughly enjoyed all the attention and snuggles.
We stopped baking mid-day to run out and grab a few cookie tins (and coffee!) and got right back to work, rolling dough, decorating, and baking until dinnertime.
The boys showed up with pizza and we all enjoyed our evening together, packaged up our creations, and headed home all sorts of tired and happy from such a fun day.
The treats that were the biggest hits this year (we haaaad to test everything, you know 😉 ) were the pretzel hugs, cornflake wreaths, and gingersnaps!
After church on Sunday, Jimmy, Sadie, and I bundled up and gave the cookie tins to our neighbors. It was so fun bringing Sadie with us this year and our neighbors enjoyed seeing her in her Sunday best!
I just love this tradition. From spending the day baking with family, to giving to our neighbors, it’s a special day I really look forward to each holiday season.
I even filmed a video (not quite a vlog, it just has music and no talking for once, lol) of the day to remember it and I’ve already re-watched it a few times to relive the day again.
And for old times sake, here’s links to the past few years of Christmas cookie baking:
–Cookie Day 2015
–Cookie Day 2016
–Cookie Day 2017
Living My Full Life 
It was an amazing day!! I love the tradition we started and will continue as long as we can!!
Love you beautiful Mama
Amen! It really was such an amazing day! Love you! ❤
So good! I wish I was your neighbor (for reasons other than cookies :)). You ladies are going to have a ton of fun baking together for years and years to come. Someday soon, Sadie will be helping!
I wish you were my neighbor, too! For so many reasons as well! I can’t believe Sadie will be able to taste test cookies next year. Crazy!
Yum! I’m hoping to bake some cookies this weekend but I have to track down the recipe first. Thank goodness for technology so my mom can send me a picture of the recipe once she finds it 🙂
I hope you got to bake those cookies and found the recipe!!
Those cornflake wreaths look really cute and tasty! I baked some chocolate chip cookies today, but I really like the frosted cookies with the little pearly decorations on them. That cookie you have pictured with the blue frosting on it looks good too.
The wreaths are so festive! We had never made them before, but now I think they’ll be a stple each year! Yay for chocolate chip cookies!! I hope they were awesome!
I love this tradition! So much fun together for you four (and next year FIVE)! 🙂 This makes me wish I lived closer to my mom and sisters.
The cornflake wreaths look amazing! I’ve never seen cookies like that. May I pretty please have your recipe?
I love all the dancing with Sadie! So cute! And her little hat is precious!
It truly is such a fun tradition, and I’m so happy our number of bakers is growing, haha!
Here’s the recipe we used for the cornflake wreaths!
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/cornflake-wreaths-5510504
I was the cookie taster!
Awesome!
Love Dad
🙂
You did an awesome job of it, too! Thanks, Dad! I love you! ❤
What an amazing time!! You all made some seriously beautiful cookies. YUM! And Sadie seems to really be enjoying her time too 🙂 Thanks for sharing, Allie! ❤
It really was so much fun! Thanks for the compliments on our cookies 🙂
of course :)!
Awww, Allie!! I love this tradition!! How fun that your sister & her new babe will be able to join next year, too. 🙂 All of the treats turned out so pretty & that was so sweet of you to give those cute tins out at church!! What lucky neighbors you have!
Thanks, Hunida! I already can’t wait for next year’s big baking day with the kids!
Seriously wish I was your neighbor! Haha. Those cookies are so varied and there’s something for everyone! I’d eat them all though 😛
I wish you were, too! That would be so fun!