Something Sweet with Susan

A tradition is a long established custom or belief that has been passed on from one generation to another.  When I think back to Christmas traditions of my childhood, I remember my mother and the wonderful smells coming from the kitchen.

My favorite was the smell of Christmas cookies.  Not just any cookie – “Christmas cookies.”  My mother baked all the time, but we only had this particular cookie at Christmas.  After she died I was going through her cookbooks and I came across the original recipe. Refrigerator Pinwheel Cookies – Not Christmas Cookies.  What?  The cookbook came with a Westinghouse refrigerator that was purchased in 1947.  I think that was the year my parents married.  I don’t know what year she started making these cookies, but I do not remember a single Christmas without them.  

When I told my oldest son that his Granny had died he cried, then looked at me and said, “We’ll never have Christmas cookies again.”  I told him I would make them, but little did I know this would be a three day process and the hardest thing I’d ever make. The stars, moon and earth have to perfectly align and you have to hold your mouth just right and pray before tackling the recipe.  I fully understand why we only had them once a year and thus the name: Christmas Cookies.  I carried on the tradition until 2012 when I was diagnosed with a wheat allergy and was told I needed to be gluten free.  

I tried gluten free baking several times over the years and finally gave up as the items never turned out well.  After recently having success with gluten free all purpose flour, I had the idea that I might be able to make gluten free Christmas cookies.  

My mother died 28 years ago today.  I miss her all the time, but I’ve missed her more than normal in the last couple of weeks.  Today I enjoyed Christmas cookies for the first time in 13 years.  I enjoyed thinking back on my childhood and the warm, happy memories of our family traditions.

Living with heart disease and Parkinson’s makes me determined to do the things that are important to me.  I realize how quickly things can change or be taken away completely.  My Parkinson’s is well under control with medications.  I want to make sure I live without taking this for granted.  I pray that my progression with this disease will continue to be slow.  If I live to the point that I can no longer do things like make Christmas cookies, I want to be sure I can say, “I’m glad I did” and not “I wish I had.”

I hope you are surrounded with people and traditions you love this holiday season. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

“Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be the sign to you:  You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger,’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:  ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peach, goodwill toward men!’”
Luke 2:10-14

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him”.
John 3:17