Baking for the holidays can sometimes seem like a stressful chore. It doesn't have to be!
The first thing to keep in mind when baking is to make simple treats. Family and friends are not going to care if it took you three hours to decorate a dozen cupcakes with the handmade roses; all they want to do is eat them. They will perhaps comment how nice they look - just before they inhale them.
The second thing to keep in mind is to have a variety available. Be aware of any family or guest allergies and have treats available for everyone. Rice Krispie squares are a good treat for anyone with gluten, nut or egg allergies, as they contain neither of these (although one wouldn't know it by the TV commercial where the woman dusts herself with flour prior to taking the tray out to her family).
The third thing to do is to get the family involved in the baking. This not only takes some of the pressure off of you, it also makes for some fun memories. Taking pictures of the children as they decorate gingerbread men or sugar cookies will lead to some fun Scrapbooking later. The pictures will bring back fond memories for years to come, long after the treats have been eaten.
Trick number four is to co-ordinate a cookie/square exchange. This can be done with friends and family members not living in your immediate household. Each person can bake one type of cookie or square (cookies usually work best for this) and divide it to be distributed amongst others. The others who are participating in the exchange will do the same and walla, everyone has a variety of treats. Cookie exchanges are also a nice way to give something to others. (Author's note: our 4H group did a cookie exchange and the trays of assorted cookies were dropped off at Senior's residences.)
The fifth thing to do is to start your baking early. Do not leave it all for the day or two before Christmas. The invention of the freezer lends itself to everything but the meringues to be made well ahead of time. For those who have family members who like to sample the baking, leave some out for them and hide the rest. Threaten them with their lives if they touch anything in the freezer before the big day. (All said in fun of course.)
Holiday baking can become a fun tradition as opposed to a chore if approached the right way. Get family involved, make a variety, start early and you will have a much happier Christmas. Make memories as well as cookies; your family will remember little Joey putting candy bits on the gingerbread man long after they remember what the gingerbread man tasted like.
Merry Christmas everyone!
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