On the First Day of Christmas...
A freebie and a sneak peek
What is Christmas without cookies?
It is common in the weeks preceding Christmas for the doorbell to ring, and, upon answering, to find a neighbor cheerfully presenting a tray of cookies to my salivating troop of children. Church cookie exchanges, treats at tea time, youth group cookie-eating contests…the variations of Christmas cookie cheer seem endless. My dad doesn’t think Christmas is complete without an afternoon of sugar cookie decorating. He’s continued the role of decorating guru for my children. The last few years, I have dropped all my kids off at my parents’ house where they spend a few hours decorating platefuls of cookies and sometimes even gingerbread houses to boot. My parents bake all the cookies beforehand (sometimes my older girls will go the day before and help with the baking), and lay out little cups and bowls of icing and decorations for each kid at their “station.” My mom’s tip is to buy bulk white icing, separate it into bowls, and add a drop of food coloring instead of buying or making different colors separately.
Once I drop the children off, I head home, drink some tea, play Christmas music, and wrap all the presents without any peeping eyes. Then the kids come home, and I enjoy a few cookies. But first I must decide which cookie is my favorite and hear about each child’s decorating thrills and woes. It’s wonderful to see the cookie tradition being continued in my family. (But I would be lying if I said my favorite part isn’t the quiet tea and wrapping party I throw for myself).
I wish you all a season filled with delicious cookies and a quiet moment or two for yourself.
: ) Sarah
Coming Up in CPQ
Our lives center around the table. From meals to math, it is where we gather. At the end of the day, our tables are covered with Legos, books, empty coffee cups, watercolors, plans accomplished, those left undone, and perhaps even crumbs from second breakfast. For Year 6 of Common Place Quarterly, we wanted to highlight how sometimes what we think of as a mess is actually beautiful. No need to curate it. This is the ordinary everyday beauty of homeschooling. Hopefully, we’re paying attention.
The covers for next year will be tablescapes.
If you subscribe to Common Place Quarterly now through the end of the year, your first issue will be our next issue: Fortitude! We have hard-copy subscriptions and a new digital option available.
First Day of Christmas Freebie
Do you have a habit of recitation in place? We’d like to join you in this habit for 2024. Each of our downloads will serve as an at-a-glance calendar and a recitation piece for you as you persevere in what is good, true, and beautiful in the new year. These downloads will include scripture, poetry, and hymns, and feature nature wreaths from Year One of the magazine.
We hope they will be both helpful and encouraging to you.
