Family Traditions

It's closing in on Christmas and time for my favorite family activity: cookie decorating. We always bake several kinds of cookie when the holidays come around, and we always try out at least one new recipe; but every year we decorate Christmas-themed sugar cookie cutouts.

Instead of a traditional sugar cookie, I use a butter cookie for the "canvas" in a sampling of shapes from the mountain of cookie cutters stored in the pantry. Then we pull out the confectioner's sugar, and dyes to make the royal icing "paint". I use gel icing color because it doesn't thin out the icing. If you're not familiar with gel icing color, I believe you can find it hiding among the baked goods at most stores. Soon as the cookies are cool and there's icing, we all grab paintbrushes and go to town!

Every year, I pack up tins of cookies to give my close friends when I visit back home. It's the perfect personal thing to share with those you love.
This year I've also made a eye-pillows using Amy Butler's pattern available at the Sew, Mama, Sew! blog, and wrapped both up with their holiday gift-tags.