When Mini SGCC was a little girl, there was one Christmas Eve ritual that we never missed. We would always bake one special kind of cookie for Santa Claus to enjoy as a snack when he stopped by our house during the night. We had a special plate designated just for him and would leave the cookies on it, along with a glass of milk, under our tree before we went to bed. We figured that with all of that racing around on his sleigh and heavy lifting all night long, he could probably use a little sugar rush by the time he got to our house. After all, Santa is no spring chicken anymore!

On Christmas morning, Mini SGCC would rush out to see if the cookies were gone, thus verifying that Santa had indeed been there. I remember one year we forgot to take the cookies off of the plate. Mini SGCC was a little upset. She assumed that Santa didn’t “eat” them because he didn’t like them. After that, we were never allowed to make that same cookie for Santa again.

I’m not sure where the tradition of baking Christmas cookies began. Some say that their history can be traced back to medieval times in Europe. Whenever and wherever the practice originated, baking Christmas cookies has become a cherished holiday tradition for families in just about every corner of the world. It’s a lucky thing for Santa too. He must make out like a bandit!

In the aftermath of Mini SGCC’s accident, there hasn’t been much opportunity for cookie baking. Too many doctor appointments, physical therapy sessions and other running around have gotten in the way. I have been able to make a few bathes of cookies, here and there, but not nearly what I usually do. I’ve also had to pack up most of my makeshift photography studio for the time being. Bella has been banished to my bedroom so that she doesn’t accidentally knock Mini SGCC down. So, the cameras, lights and fragile props had to be moved to higher ground. It’s definitely not an ideal situation for a food blogger!

Fortunately, I have some great Christmas cookie ideas from the SGCC archives to share. I hope that you enjoy them and are inspired to go forth and bake! I also hope that I’ll be back soon with some new recipes to share.