Christmas Lights and Music

As I bake I think back to the Christmases of my youth. I remember lying on the floor under the Christmas tree. I would lay there and stare up at the pretty colored lights. My sister and brother would practice Christmas songs on the piano. I was proud I could play "It came upon a midnight clear." Our piano teacher would put colored stars in the music book to signify a fine performance. I didn't get many stars, but I loved to go to piano lessons and pet her dog. It was nice waiting through my sister and brother's lessons.... they had talent and I got to pet the dog (a wiener dog no less). I can still hear them playing "Silver Bells."

My younger brother did not do the mandatory year of piano. I liked my mandatory lessons because I learned to read music (somewhat) and I got to pet the dog. I felt he missed out in a way; Susie was a nice dog. So anyway, at Christmas we'd turn off all of the lights in the living room and my siblings would play Christmas carols on the piano by the light of our Christmas tree as I lay beneath it squinching my eyes to view the lights up through the branches. My mom was heavy into Christmas lights.... you could have landed a plane by the light of that tree. I have a tree with white lights in my own home... I need to change to colors because it just isn't the same... pretty, but not tacky crazy shiny glory.

My house smells of Christmas past right now because of the baking marathon I've conducted the last 3 days. I have found my purpose. I bake cookies and people love them. My mother inlaw keeps me around simply for my cookie baking skills. I make these fabulous cookies you must mix by hand -- bare hands smooshing and kneeding the dough. Basically they are great for getting out all of your frustrations; hence the name "aggression cookies." My mother inlaw has little use for me, but she is addicted to these cookies (no I will not give her the recipe, I think it is the only reason she has NOT bumped me off!). She freezes a few every year and enjoys them months after Christmas.

I am making an extra plate of them for her to freeze this year. Tis the season of giving! May your holidays be filled with blessings andmacaroni angel ornaments on your tree!