Christmas Treat Traditions: Day Seven

I am taking a trip back through time to remember Christmases past by highlighting the various holiday goodies my family has enjoyed over the years.

Christmas Eve Memories

Until Dad died in 2018, the girls and I spent the night at Mom & Dad’s house every Christmas Eve. Up to that point, I think there were only two Christmas Eves we didn’t stay, and that was back when I was married. It was a wonderful tradition that the three of us looked forward to every year. My parents especially loved being able to see my daughters’ faces light up when they saw that Santa had visited.

The girls also got to partake in our Christmas Eve tradition of inviting my grandmothers over. It was pretty special to have four generations celebrating together under one roof, and I am so thankful that my girls were able to experience that. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and our final four-generation Christmas Eve was with Grandma Burl in 2006. By that time, her dementia was quite advanced. She had always been chatty and full of laughter, but that year she was quiet and withdrawn. It was a heartbreaking. And thus came the end of an era.

2006 was also my brother’s final year attending, which was also sad. However, he was newly married, and it was time for him to create his own Christmas traditions with his new wife. For five Christmases, the girls camped out in Mike’s room with him. Before falling asleep, they would always talk about what they hoped they’d get for Christmas. Then, on The Big Morning, the three of them would all come downstairs together—the girls excitedly wondering what they might find under the tree. Sam and Bree have fond memories of these times with Uncle Mike.

Though Mike & my grandmothers were no longer in attendance, our Christmas Eve tradition stayed the same for the most part. We still got food from either KFC (👎) or Mancino’s (👍). The only real difference was, that instead of opening gifts from their great-grandmothers, the girls were each allowed to choose one gift from under the tree to open. For several years, the girls even continued to campout together in my brother’s old room—albeit without Uncle Mike.

Sweet Traditions

And, of course it wouldn’t be Christmas Eve without me bringing all of my many homemade delicacies over to share. Over the past eight to ten years, I have ramped up production and added a record number of treats to the lineup. It is truly a labor of love because it takes a lot of time and is a lot of work. On the other hand, I’d rather be in my kitchen making goodies than trying to pick out gifts for people.

At some point in the 2010s, in addition to Remarkable Fudge, Toffee Butter Crunch, and gingerbread men cookies, I added in Martha Stewart’s Noel Nut Balls, which are similar to Mexican Wedding Cookies and Russian Tea Cakes with the addition of a small amount of bourbon. These fantastic little cookies are a nice change of pace from all of the chocolate items I make. They are delicious, easy to make, and I love them with a cup of coffee.

I believe the next tasty little number that I incorporated into my treat tradition was chocolate-dipped coconut macaroons. I have always used the recipe from Once Upon a Chef. They are delectable, always turn out perfect, and are comprised of five simple ingredients—well, six if you want to dip them in chocolate. Plus, if you have a mixer—hand or stand—in which to whip up some egg whites, these are so easy to make. Everyone loves them. And they are, in fact, Sam’s favorite because their satisfying chew. If you love coconut, give them a try!

Sam and I love shortbread, so I decided to test chocolate-dipped shortbread cookies in the rotation one year, Unfortunately, I have only made them once or twice since because, once I’ve made my High Priority Goodies, I usually don’t have it in me to make these. They would be delicious with or without the chocolate. And now that I think about it, I’m overdue for some homemade shortbread cookies! I think I’ll try this recipe next time; King Arthur has never let me down.

One of the most decadent treats I make are chocolate-dipped marshmallows. If you have a candy thermometer and a stand mixer, these are easy to make, albeit extremely sticky! Once the marshmallows have cured overnight, I like to cut out circles with a smaller biscuit cutter, insert lollipop sticks, dip them in chocolate, and then add some sort of sprinkles. I then put them in a cellophane bag that is tied with curling ribbon before giving them away. Wait to dip them until just before you hand them out; for some reason, they don’t seem to have a very long shelf life once they’ve been dipped.

The pièce de résistance are the Italian Rainbow Cookies we have been making for the past 5-6 years. The only thing we do differently is take a page from Valerie Bertinelli and do one layer of apricot preserves and another layer of seedless black raspberry jam. We also nix the bottom layer of chocolate because I find it impossible to cut through it without a good bit of cracking. Don’t worry; there is plenty of chocolate on top.

These beauties are made over two days, and there are a couple steps that are a bit tricky. First, I have a heck of a time spreading the batter out on on the sheet pan. Sam always helps with this step because she is more patient than I am. Then, when it’s time to assemble, it’s a bit touch and go when placing the cake layers. If a layer does crack a bit upon assembly, that is fine; just mush it back together. I’ve never had a few cracks spoil the end result.

Since Dad died in 2019, our decades-long Christmas Eve traditions came to an abrupt end. We stay home now, so it is just the girls and I. We either do an Italian antipasti spread or a bunch of finger foods such as bacon-wrapped jalapeños poppers, savory ham & Gruyère palmiers, some sort of meatballs in the Crockpot, maybe a cheese ball, as well as trays of fruits and vegetables. I love doing small bites like this because it’s fun & casual—just the atmosphere I’m going for on Christmas Eve. There are a range of different foods to sample, and everyone can pile their plates with whatever suits their fancy. Then we settle in for a cozy evening together, while Christmas movies play in the background. And since I don’t usually do a Christmas dinner, there are plenty of goodies left to graze on throughout the next day.

Let Them Eat Cake

As for Christmas morning at Mom & Dad’s, I had always made a breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage & toast in the late morning after we finished opening gifts. We haven’t continued that here at home. So, in 2021, I decided we needed a Christmas Morning food tradition and liked the idea of something sweet to eat while drinking coffee and opening presents. Cinnamon rolls, while delicious & popular in many families, are too much work when I’m already juggling so many different treats, so I opted to find something easier. I stumbled across Cranberry Christmas Cake and it looked good, so I thought I’d give it a whirl.

The three of us loved it, and we have collectively decided this is The Official Cake of Christmas Morning. It’s sweet, but not overly so, and the pop of tartness from the cranberries pairs well with the sweetness. This is an easy recipe if you have a stand mixer. The eggs and sugar mixture has got to be beaten for 5-7 minutes, which is doable with a hand mixer—although I, personally, wouldn’t want to. Also, do yourself a favor an add the zest of one orange to the batter!

Sweet Farewell: Wrapping Up Christmas Traditions

For better or worse, food is much more than mere fuel; food is central to our lives. It is also central to social gatherings. When we plan a get together, our first thought is, “What shall I make?” Sharing food with loved ones is a powerful way to form and strengthen bonds as well as create lifelong memories. It is remarkable how just one taste of something can transport us back in time, and flood our hearts & minds with even the most distant memories. Also, creating food for someone is an incredible act of love & service. Making chicken soup for someone who is sick, bringing food to a grieving family, or making holiday goodies to give away is a perfect way to say, “I care about you.”

When I create my treats, it’s with the knowledge that I am bringing a smile to someone’s face, while letting them know “I care about you.” It makes me so happy to know that others are anticipating these treats each & every holiday season. And no matter what the year brings—even a pandemic—they know a box of treats was created especially for them.

If you don’t already have one, I encourage you to create a treat tradition of your own amongst your friends & family. It doesn’t have to be elaborate or expensive. It could be Remarkable Fudge, a plate of chocolate chip cookies, where you substitute half the chocolate chips for green & red M&Ms, or a box filled with Rice Krispies treats [recipe below].

Creating this series of blog posts has been thoroughly enjoyable. I have loved reminiscing on a lifetime of wonderful holiday memories. Despite the fact that my life now couldn’t be more different than my life as a child, Christmas still fills me with that same sense of wonder & excitement, and I have delighted in losing myself in that magical world.

While this journey has been bittersweet, I am so thankful that I took the time to really contemplate my life and the people in it. As I am gearing up to celebrate my 51st Christmas, I am left with a new appreciation for all that I have been given throughout my half-century journey on this planet.

This holiday season, I wish you the merriest of Christmases. I hope that your season is filled with warm memories, good food, cherished traditions, and most importantly the ones you love.