How we celebrated

Friday night we started a tradition of celebrating St. Nicholas Day. I wasn't really sure, how Elle-Girl would get into this or not. If nothing else, it would be a fun night for us to spend time together.

I decided on making Ukranian Sugar cookies instead of Traditional German Maccaroons.

Actually this is David making the cookies. He's our Head Pastry Chef here at home. And of course his little cookie helper watching him blend the ingrediants together.

We cut the cookies in shapes of Christmas trees and Stars to represent the Star of Bethlehem. I free-handed some St. Nicholas shapes out of the dough and decorated them with frosting.

I must say that the cookies turned out beautifully! They looked like they came fresh out of Martha Stewart's oven. However, They didn't taste so great. They were dry, and hard, and kinda flavorless, despite the 3 Tbspoons of Vanilla that the Pastry Chef accidently poured into the batter.

Elle-Girl didn't seem to mind. I set some cookies down on the floor on a tray with a thin layer of frosting on them to let her decorate some with cookies. The decorating didn't get too involved as Elle-Girl quickly found that frosting is very yummy, and sucked on the hardend Cookies until they dissolved in her mouth.

After the cookie fiasco, Elle-girl got a bath and snuggled into her pajamas and prepared to hang her stocking for St. Nicholas to fill.

Next we left cookies out for him. We thought maybe we could get rid of these 2 dozen cookies by feeding them to Santa.

This is what Elle-Girl found waiting for her the next morning. The two charachters are the two remaining ones in her "set" of Yo Gabba gabba friends.

I set the table that morning with candles and a nativity scene. As well as my Christmas dishes and china. We had Cinnamon Apple Muffins with Struesal, Honey backed Ham, breakfast casserole, and orange slices.

That evening we traveled downtown to watch the local Christmas Parade with my sister and nephew. All the cars and floats had lights decorating them. Though it was cold, a cup of hot chocolate and the amazement on Elle-Girl's face was all worth it.

After the parade there was a Proclamation read by the City Mayor and a Countdown to plugging in the Christmas tree on the square. The Tree is huge! And very spectacular looking.

Let me just say that I hate it when Parents sit screaming babies on the lap of a stranger dressed as Santa Clause just so they can put it in a Christmas Card to share with all there family, "Look what we made litte Johnny do this Holiday season" So I was not going to even try it with Elle-Girl, but apparently when she saw this man come out of the courthouse and sit on his sleigh she wanted everything to do with it! She kept hitting her Aunt Kristin's shoulder saying "Seeeee???" So I decided to humor her by sitting next to "Santa" with her. She LOVED it. She "Ho, Ho, Ho'd" with him, when he asked what she wanted for Christmas she pointed up to the half moon in the sky. Yes, I realize that a pretty tall order. She was so excited that there was a Moon out and Santa and a Huge Christmas tree all in one place.

It was a truly magical night.