I finally got into the Christmas decorating mood the other day – despite no snow – and decided to go ahead and make the cinnamon ornaments that Tanya made over at The Scarlett House. I've been wanting to make them for years, but the only recipe I had involved an array of ingredients that were hard to come by, so I gave up on that one. Hers was much simpler, and even though my dough wasn't exactly the same thickness all around, I still enjoyed making them. And the house smelled wonderful!

Remember when Sabrina went to Germany and brought me back some Ampelmann cookie cutters? (Which, btw, are the coolest souvenir I've ever received!) I decided to use them as well as the traditional gingerbread men and stars…

I have a basketfull of ribbon spools, and I thought the red check was perfect.

When I hung them on the tree, I couldn't help but gaze at my favorite ornaments of all…

Magnificent…despite the neverending Japanese Chin hair that finds its way into everything. Grr.

Here is this year's edition…

Hi, Friday! I don't need your help boy, but thank you anyway!

Btw, I've had to move all of my Ampelmann ornaments to the top branches bc the Japanese Chin has decided that they look much better decorating the bottom of her kennel, all chewed into hundreds of pieces.

May your holiday season be filled with cutting cookies, and not cheese.

That wasn't necessary, I know.

Don't you just love Christmas? The energizing chill in the air, the church plays, the lights… it's all so beautiful! Festive! Like a month-long celebration that Christ was born!

Isn't it fun how we give gifts to each other? All the thought that goes into it… wonderful! And the stockings! Did I mention the stockings?

Let's talk about those stockings. Each year you all tell me how the stockings are your favorite part. Ah yes, when I was a young lass, that was my favorite part too; one never knew what joys awaited them in that seemingly bottomless sock of wonders. And now that I'm grown, you (my loving family)  have continued to fill that sock. You remind me of the wise men, who gave frankincense and myrrh.

What, you say? They gave more than frankincense and myrrh? Why, how could I have forgotten? Of course! THEY GAVE GOLD! I must have forgotten that part bc it's the one part you, adorable family, leave out of my stocking each year.

Each year I beg – BEG, I say! – for these shiny, gold-wrapped dark chocolate marshmallow Santas from Russell Stover. And each year, after pulling out all the fabulous trinkets and dvds you all get for me in my Sock of Wonders, I feel around in the bottom, waiting to discover the crinkle of my favorite confection's wrapping.

And each year, all I hear is silence. It is then that I know in my heart that Kris Crinkle has forgotten me again; I am cast off to the Island of Misfit Toys.

I love these dark chocolate marshmallow Santas from Russell Stover. I found a box of them in the store yesterday and  bought just one. I ate it immediately.

Do you see the calory label? I don't give a flying reindeer's bottom about that.

I eat them for the protein. Duh.

I would have eaten these milk chocolate ones, but I bought them for the children bc they like them almost as much as I do.

Do you remember those stockings I made for each of us? The ones that were stitched with love and then filled with enough stuff to warrant a second mortgage on the house?

This is what I wish mine looked like:

I love you, dear family. And I love everything about this season… most of all that you're in it. You complete me.

(Gold… how could I have forgotten that part?)

Love, Mom

P.S. Please don't say you thought I already had plenty of marshmallows stuffed down the back of my pants, bc that wouldn't be very wise-mannish of you. After all, I would have no problem filling your stockings with what comes out of flying reindeer bottoms.