Wish I had some exciting stories to tell about my past week or so. But I must admit that it has been pretty boring by the famous globe trotting standards most people expect.
I am lucky to actually be at home in Toronto for a while. I think I have spent less than 6 weeks at home all of 2009, so not packing a suitcase this month is a bit of a treat. I have been doing the Christmasy, family stuff, which is a nice way to enjoy the month of December.
A huge Christmas thing at our house is baking Christmas cookies. My mom has been a super baker ever since I was little. When we were kids and lived in Prague she would bake late, late at night so that we would not get in her way. Not just a few Christmas cookies, but dozens of different varieties, piles and piles of cookies. All very dainty, tasty, and perfect looking. The ones that were not up to her standards would get tossed in a bowl that we could eat before Christmas day, while the others were saved for the big reveal. As we got older, and moved to Canada the Czech Christmas cookies were still baked, still late at night for some reason. But each year there are fewer cookies and less varieties. And when I moved out I realized I really missed this part of Christmas and started recreating my mom’s Christmas treats.
My mom announced this year that she would only make a few cookies. However, both my brother and I have already had a bunch of friends put in requests for cookies. Each year most of the cookies are given away to friends, and it seems last year we slacked off, and now were being reminded that once you get a person hooked on Czech Christmas cookies you better keep baking each year. We divided up the job this year, I made some, my mom made some, and even my brother tried to help out. And although my mom says cookies are not about perfection, and there is no right or wrong, when she saw him cutting out pig shapes, and decorating them with lemon icing she looked at me, and said ” we’ll make proper cookies later “.
All boxed up and ready for transport.
So we did. The hard work is pretty much over, and now the cookies are just waiting for Christmas day. Or to be boxed up and given to those who were smart enough to put in an order.
