Simon's cookies, et. al.

Every year about this time, I think about all those cookie plates.

The mere thought of hours and hours of baking and cleaning up kitchen messes wears me out.

Where to begin, I always think.

And, almost every year, I contemplate doing something else rather than preparing the perennial cookie plates.

Then, I think about Simon.

My cookie plates have been going to Simon's house, among others, for more than 30 years.

Each year when I think about Simon, I start baking. I wouldn't want to let him down.

You see Simon always talks about those "soft" cookies on Marianne's Christmas plates.

This past summer, he even gave Bill a bunch of his homemade jerky (Simon makes phenomenal jerky) and mentioned he was doing so just to ensure his annual offering of sweets from the kitchen of Love.

So, Simon keeps me going each year on the cookie-baking marathon, and there will never be a plate going out of this kitchen without those "soft" cookies like gingersnaps or snickerdoodles.

I got the process started yesterday with a large batch of gingersnaps.

For those who've never tried it, throw in some raisins and walnuts. That adds even more "yum, yum" to these cookies.

Later, I'll probably frost at least half of this batch and sprinkle on the colorful sprinkle stuff.

Then, will come snickerdoodles, brownies, no-bake cookies,  oatmeal cookies, candies, etc.

For good measure, I also bake loaves of fruit bread.  Seems like there's never enough to fill those plates for neighbors and local family members. 

I'm feeling good this morning that cookie baking circa 2011 has begun, but I also know that ahead lies lots of scraping and washing of bowls and pans and sweeping up of flour, sugar and other crumbs dropping to the floor near the kitchen island. 

Makes me tired to think about it all, along with the cards, wrapping, etc., but it will get done. 

Plus, it's a tradition I learned from my mother.  

The Bests, the Hudons, the Poelstras, the Racicots and old Mr. Dusty, along with others, were the annual beneficiaries of her Christmas baking sprees----at least, they benefitted during those years when her own kids did not steal half her supply of goodies from the freezer or the fruit room.

Mother learned to lock and hide food, especially during the Christmas season.

If the kids hadn't eaten half the cookies or fudge when Christmas Eve arrived, she and Harold would take off in his pickup, with plates in hand, bound for the neighbors' homes.

Of course, they usually came home with a bounty of reciprocal goodies, including John Hudon's bottles of homemade wine. 

Mr. Dusty, the hermit who lived near Hudons, especially liked to see Mother and Harold coming.  I learned recently from Mr. Dusty's daughter that he absolutely loved Christmas.

So, it's nice to know that my parents added to his happy moments.

The cookie-plate tradition carries on, and, in our case, it leads to reconnecting with old friends.  Bill delivers some plates, while I deliver others.  

It seems that during Christmas season, there's never an end to the "to do" list, but when we think about the moments of happiness and delight these efforts create for others, we keep on with the traditions. 

Besides, maybe Simon will give Bill some more of that tasty jerky when his "soft" cookies show up again this year.   

~~~

Thanks for all the tips about remote control answers to the Clapper!