Christmas Cookies

I have to admit, we have never done Christmas cookies before.  In fact other than once or twice at other people's houses we really have not decorated cookies before either.  Before this year we have always had one or two kids that were going to be more destructive and fussy than festive so it just seemed like too much work.  And I'm sure it would have been.  But this year, with both Anne and Jamie being quite helpful and really becoming bigger kids we tried it out.  It turned out so, so well.  We went with ease.  My life is complicated enough and while making my own frosting and cookies would have been only slightly more time, I decided that we'd go as easy as possible.  So it's a bagged cookie mix and premade tubs of frosting.  Hey, once a year.  They won't get cancer and die from eating this stuff once a year right?

All the kids, even Libby, helped cut out the cookies and then when they were done, all the kids got to decorate their own cookies. I was simply amazed to see that 4 out of 5 of us were able to do this completely on our own.  John helped Libby and she actually did a great job on her own too.  Like I said, in the past decorating cookies would have probably meant spilled candy, walls painted with frosting, crying kids and a yelling mom.  But this year it was just fun for all.  I can't wait to do it again next year!

I actually think the finished product turned out really good!