Well the holiday season is upon us. It seemed to come faster than usual this year, although I am not really sure why since I have spent the last 9 weeks house-bound! Right now I am laying in bed, staring out at a gloomy rainy afternoon and all I can think about are these delicious biscotti that my grandmother used to make. That is how I really knew it was Christmas, these delicious twice-baked cookies would make their appearance once a year in our cupboard next to this lethal fruit cake she also would whip up. Incidentally my Dad swears her fruit cake kept him and his fellow sailors warm and happy while stationed in Adak, Alaska during Vietnam as apparently she put enough alcohol in it to keep the US Navy afloat. Strange, all of a sudden this memory of her biscotti has pierced my consciousness and I miss her so incredibly much.
On a holiday note, I was just browsing on food network, my food bible website for interesting holiday goodies. If there is one thing I love about the holidays it is baking. Every year my Mom would put together these fantastic plates of treats to give to all of our family friends. It was a great activity to be involved in over the Christmas holidays as Mom always needed her special kitchen helper (i.e. moi). It is a tradition I've said I'd like to continue with my aptly named 'Cupcake' as I thought it was a great way to spend time together. There is something about the sentiment attached to giving food, something you had spent the days pouring your love and good thoughts into, that puts me in the 'real' Christmas spirit.
When it comes down to it, Christmas for me isn't a time for going crazy and breaking the bank, rather it is a time for giving things to people that I've actually put effort into making. That being said it has been extremely difficult not to go hog wild buying things for my niece and nephew, especially when I keep seeing cool things I think they would LOVE. So I have made it my goal to try to make one thing for them this year - which involves embroidering as it is the only thing I can accomplish in a minimal amount of time and still feel it looks good. My niece will be receiving a little tote bag with her name and some ice cream cones on it while my nephew will have a personalised 'space' bandana. I just love looking back at all the cool things people made for me as a kid - my desk, a mini rocking chair, a sandbox, a handmade jumper with my name on it - and remembering all the love that went into those things.
