With the holidays quickly approaching us, I’m sure we are all preparing for them in our own way and have our own traditions that we like to keep. I have many traditions, being in an Italian family there is always something that is being done, but the one I look forward to every year is baking cookies with my Grandma and Mom!

Since I can remember we always baked TONS of cookies during Christmas!! I remember going to my Grandma’s house and it was basically an all day event. Mixing the ingredients from scratch and then rolling out the dough and cutting it into shapes or scooping out spoonfuls onto a tray. The greatest part for me, and still is, is licking the spoon and bowl clean! I try to make sure I get the spoon before my mom puts it in the sink! (I know…sounds gross but I LOVE it!)

This year we had a big list, we make everything from Chocolate Chip cookies to “Grandma Cookies”, which are basically biscotti, shaped into an “S” which was my grandma’s maiden name. Also, my mom has added a couple new cookies, like Peanut Butter and Jelly, Butter cookies dipped in chocolate and this year we made our version of the Rainbow cookie! Which is my favorite and I think they turned out great for our first time!!

It’s really great to just hang out, bake and talk! It makes you forget about all the worries you may have and just enjoy spending time together, which is really what the holidays are all about!! I look forward to the day when I bring my kids over to go to my mom’s house and keep the tradition going! What are some traditions that you do every year with your family?

Kristin Cuccio currently resides in Clifton, NJ with her fiancé and works in New York City. In her spare time, she likes to bake and blog about it. You can keep up with her latest baking adventures at http://kriskupcakes.blogspot.com/

Tags: Cookies, family, grandparents, mom, traditions